Brimner, Larry Dane 1949-

views updated

BRIMNER, Larry Dane 1949-

PERSONAL: Born November 5, 1949, in St. Petersburg, FL; son of George Frederick (a naval officer) and Evelyn (an attorney and homemaker; maiden name, Abernathy) Brimner. Education: San Diego State University, B.A. (cum laude), 1971, M.A., 1981. Religion: Buddhist. Hobbies and other interests: Gardening, cooking, rollerblading.

ADDRESSES: Offıce—5133 East Calle Vista de Colores, Tucson, AZ 85711; fax: 520-514-2445. Agent— Rosalie Heacock Thompson, Heacock Literary Agency, P.O. Box 226, Cloudcroft, NM 88317. E-mail—ldb@ brimner.com.

CAREER: Author; teacher. Central Union High School, El Centro, CA, teacher, 1974-84; San Diego State University, instructor, 1984-92; freelance author, 1992—.

MEMBER: Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators; Authors Guild.

AWARDS, HONORS: Children's Choice Award, International Reading Association, 1988, for BMX Freestyle, and 1998, for Snowboarding; Literary Promotion Award, International Reading Association, 2001; Oppenheim Gold Medal, Oppenheim Foundation, 2002, for The Littlest Wolf.

WRITINGS:

CHILDREN'S FICTION

Country Bear's Good Neighbor, illustrated by Ruth Tietjen Councell, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1988, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA), 2001.

Cory Coleman, Grade Two ("Redfeather Books" series), illustrated by Karen Ritz, Henry Holt (New York, NY), 1990.

Country Bear's Surprise, illustrated by Ruth Tietjen, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1991.

Max and Felix, illustrated by Les Gray, Bell Books (Honesdale, PA), 1993.

Elliot Fry's Good-Bye, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA), 1994.

Merry Christmas, Old Armadillo, illustrated by Dominic Catalano, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA), 1995.

If Dogs Had Wings, illustrated by Chris L. Demarest, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA), 1996.

The Harvest Fair ("P-Pals" series), illustrated by Steve Henry, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1997.

The Cool Hot Day ("P-Pals" series), illustrated by Steve Henry, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1997.

Cat on Wheels, illustrated by Mary Peterson, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA), 2000.

School Rules, illustrated by Christine Tripp, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2002.

The Littlest Wolf, illustrated by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2002.

"ROOKIE READER" SERIES

Brave Mary, illustrated by Marilyn Mets, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1996.

Firehouse Sal, illustrated by Ethel Gold, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1996.

How Many Ants? illustrated by Joan Cottle, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1997.

Lightning Liz, illustrated by Brian Floca, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1998.

Aggie and Will, illustrated by Rebecca McKillip, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1998.

Dinosaurs Dance, illustrated by Patrick Girouard, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1998.

Nana's Hog, illustrated by Susan Miller, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1998.

What Good Is a Tree? illustrated by Leo Landry, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1998.

Cowboy Up! illustrated by Susan Miller, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Raindrops, illustrated by David J. Brooks, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Cats! illustrated by Tom Payne, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2000.

The Long Way Home, illustrated by Terry Sirrell, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2000.

Here Comes Trouble, illustrated by Pablo Torrecilla, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2001.

Nana's Fiddle, illustrated by Susan Miller, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2002.

Unsinkable! illustrated by Christine Tripp, Children's Press (New York, NY), p. 2002.

The Cool Coats, illustrated by Christine Tripp, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2003.

The New Kid, illustrated by Christine Tripp, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2003.

"ROOKIE CHOICES" SERIES

The Messy Lot, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1995.

The Big, Beautiful, Brown Box, illustrated by Christine Tripp, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2001.

The Big Tee Ball Game, illustrated by Christine Tripp, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2001.

Money Trouble, illustrated by Christine Tripp, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2001.

The Sparkle Thing, illustrated by Christine Tripp, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2001.

The Noodle Game, illustrated by Christine Tripp, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2001.

The Pet Show, illustrated by Christine Tripp, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2002.

The Birthday Flowers, illustrated by Christine Tripp, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2002.

Everybody's Best Friend, illustrated by Christine Tripp, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2002.

The Sidewalk Patrol, illustrated by Christine Tripp, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2002.

A Flag for All, illustrated by Christine Tripp, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2002.

The Promise, illustrated by Christine Tripp, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2002.

Summer Fun, illustrated by Christine Tripp, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2003.

Trash Trouble, illustrated by Christine Tripp, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2003.

CHILDREN'S NONFICTION

The Offıcial M&M's Brand Book of the Millennium, illustrated by Karen E. Pellaton, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 1999.

Caving: Exploring Limestone Caves ("Watts Library" series), Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 2001.

The Offıcial M&M's Brand History of the Calendar, illustrated by Karen E. Pellaton, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2002.

Calamity Jane, illustrated by Judy DuFour Love, Compass Point Books (Minneapolis, MN), 2004.

Subway: A Brief History of Underground Mass Transit, paintings by Neil Waldman, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA), 2004.

"A FIRST BOOK" SERIES

BMX Freestyle, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1987.

Footbagging, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1988.

Karate, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1988.

Snowboarding, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1989, reprinted, 1997.

Animals That Hibernate, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1991.

Unusual Friendships: Symbiosis in the Animal World, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1993.

Rolling In-Line! Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1994.

Rock Climbing, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1997.

Mountain Biking, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1997.

Surfing, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1997.

"A TRUE BOOK" SERIES

Polar Mammals, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1996.

Bobsledding and the Luge, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1997.

E-Mail, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1997, revised edition, 2000.

The World Wide Web, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1997, revised edition, 2000.

Figure Skating, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1997.

Speed Skating, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1997.

Skiing, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1997.

The Winter Olympics, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1997.

Mercury, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1998.

Venus, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1998.

Earth, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1998.

Mars, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1998.

Jupiter, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Saturn,Children's Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Uranus, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Neptune, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Pluto, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Flies, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Praying Mantises, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Cockroaches, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Bees, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Butterflies and Moths, Children's Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Caves, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2000.

Mountains, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2000.

Valleys and Canyons, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2000.

Glaciers, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2000.

Geysers, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2000.

"TALL TALES 3" SERIES

Molly Pitcher, illustrated by Patrick Girouard, Compass Point Books (Minneapolis, MN), 2004.

Davy Crockett, illustrated by Donna Berger, Compass Point Books (Minneapolis, MN), 2004.

Casey Jones, illustrated by Drew Rose, Compass Point Books (Minneapolis, MN), 2004.

Captain Stormalong, illustrated by Chi Chung, Compass Point Books (Minneapolis, MN), 2004.

YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION

A Migrant Family, Lerner Publications (Minneapolis, MN), 1992.

Voices from the Camps: Internment of JapaneseAmericans during World War II, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1994.

Being Different: Lambda Youths Speak Out ("The Lesbian and Gay Experience" series), Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1995.

(Editor) Letters to Our Children: Lesbian and GayAdults Speak to the New Generation ("The Lesbian and Gay Experience" series), Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1997.

The NAMES Project ("The Lesbian and Gay Experience" series), Children's Press (New York, NY), 1999.
Angel Island ("Cornerstones of Freedom" series), Children's Press (New York, NY), 2001.

Contributor to periodicals, including Flower and Garden, Sunset, California Highway Patrolmen, and Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and to children's magazines.

Brimner's papers are housed in the University of Southern Mississippi's de Grummond Children's Literature Collection.

SIDELIGHTS: Larry Dane Brimner is the prolific author of more than 100 volumes, most of which entertain or inform younger children. Brimner first developed his love of books during his own childhood, when his naval officer father was stationed in Alaska. In the absence of television and radio, his parents read to him, not only from children's books, but from the works of Twain, Steinbeck, Hemingway, and Fitzgerald. By the age of four, Brimner was reading simple sentences, and soon he was composing his own little stories. His family, including his older brother, spent the longest period living in El Cajon, California, where Brimner also attended high school. Upon graduation, he immediately entered San Diego State College.

Brimner changed majors several times, from architecture to history to philosophy. He also studied landscape architecture because of his love for gardening, before settling on literature. With degree in hand, Brimner, already wishing for a writing career but being discouraged by his family, decided to teach. He had always loved to play at teaching with younger children. But jobs were scarce because so many young men had elected college over Vietnam service, and Brimner's first jobs were temporary. He most enjoyed his work with first graders, but when an opening in a combination fourth, fifth, and sixth grades class became available, he was moved up. After a stint teaching adolescents in the seventh grade, he nearly quit. He then taught in several other schools before accepting a permanent position teaching high school composition in El Centro, California, where he remained for ten years.

The thrill of seeing his first work (poetry) published gave Brimner the confidence and encouragement to keep submitting. He wrote for magazines and newspapers on a variety of topics, but he soon realized that writing for children was his calling. His stories were featured in such publications as Turtle, Listen, and Jack and Jill, and he published his first children's book just as he began a new teaching job at San Diego State.

That first book was BMX Freestyle. Brimner had been thinking fiction when, upon watching a group of boys performing stunts on their bicycles, he realized that he could transfer his teaching skills to the page and write nonfiction. He followed with a number of other sports-related books, in which he provides histories as well as advice on technique and safety. His many titles about nature include series on geology, insects, and the planets. In addition to presenting factual information, he emphasizes stewardship of the earth and its creatures. Brimner also began to create the picture books he had always wanted to write, most of which deal with situations common to all children and which teach positive behavior, sportsmanship, cooperation, and fair play. These themes are noted in his popular books in the "Rookie Choices" series, which feature three friends who call themselves the Corner Kids. Brimner also instructs children in the technology of The World Wide Web and E-Mail.

The Littlest Wolf is Brimner's prize-winning story for young children about the smallest member of a pack who is unable to keep up with his swifter, stronger littermates. His father, Big Gray, assures the pup that he will match them in time, that time is sometimes all it takes. Bina Williams commented in School Library Journal that "Brimner's gentle and encouraging story will speak to those children who feel less capable or talented than their siblings."

In 1992, Brimner left teaching to become a full-time writer, and in that year, A Migrant Family was published. Because he had taught the children of migrant workers, Brimner was able to factually document how these families live, in a book written for the older child.

With Voices from the Camps: Internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II, Brimner provides a history of the Asian population that lived on the West Coast and the events following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, including the relocation of this group and life in the camps. He documents the losses of homes, businesses, civil rights, and pride suffered by the innocent who were persecuted because of racial hysteria. Quotes by survivors are included at the end of the book, and Booklist's Hazel Rochman wrote that "these authentic voices . . . dramatize the physical and emotional imprisonment."

Angel Island is a history of Chinese and Japanese immigration during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries to Angel Island, the West Coast equivalent of Ellis Island. The volume covers how the immigrants were processed and some of the reasons why they came to the United States. Angel Island's administration building was destroyed in a fire, but the island went on to become a holding area for World War II prisoners of war and then a defensive site. It is currently a state park and museum where the carved poems of immigrants remain to document a period of immigration history.

Brimner wrote and edited several titles for "The Lesbian and Gay Experience" series published by Franklin Watts. Being Different: Lambda Youths Speak Out contains narratives by fifteen young people, most between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one, who write of their high school experiences, coming out, and sexual identity. Brimner also provides a resource and reading list. Letters to Our Children: Lesbian and Gay Adults Speak to the New Generation is just that, a collection of letters by thoughtful, caring lesbian and gay adults who share their experiences of intolerance and discrimination while growing up. The contributors include an attorney, archbishop, professor, teacher, writer, economist, and psychologist. This volume is written for young people grappling with their sexual identity, but it is also a fine resource for straight youth who wish to understand their gay and lesbian peers.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, June 1, 1994, Hazel Rochman, review of Voices from the Camps: Internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, p. 1788; December 1, 2000, Susan Dove Lempke, review of Cat on Wheels, p. 717; February 15, 2001, Carolyn Phelan, review of Cats!, p. 1143; February 1, 2002, Carolyn Phelan, reviews of The Big, Beautiful, Brown Box and The Big Tee Ball Game, p. 949.

School Library Journal, December, 1999, Jackie Hechtkopf, review of The Offıcial M&M's Brand Book of the Millennium, p. 116; February, 2002, Joel Schumaker, review of Caving: Exploring Limestone Caves, p. 140; May, 2002, Bina Williams, review of The Littlest Wolf, p. 105.