Delton, Judy 1931-2001

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DELTON, Judy 1931-2001

PERSONAL: Born May 6, 1931, in St. Paul, MN; died of a blood infection, December 31, 2001, in St. Paul, MN; daughter of A. F. (a plant engineer) and Alice (a homemaker; maiden name, Walsdorf) Jaschke; married Jeff J. Delton (a school psychologist), June 14, 1958; children: Julie, Jina, Jennifer, Jamie. Education: Attended School of Associated Arts, 1950, and College of St. Catherine, 1954-57.

CAREER: Elementary school teacher in parochial schools of St. Paul, MN, 1957-64; freelance writer. Teacher of writing.

MEMBER: Authors Guild, Authors League of America.

AWARDS, HONORS: Book of the Year Award, Child Study Association of America, 1974, for Two Good Friends, and 1979, for Brimhall Turns to Magic and On a Picnic; American Library Association Notable Book Award, 1975, for Two Good Friendsl; Outstanding Teacher Award, Metropolitan State University, 1976; Children's Choice, International Reading Association/Children's Book Council, for The New Girl at School; New Jersey Institute of Technology Authors Award, 1980, for On a Picnic; North Dakota Children's Choice Award, North Dakota Library Association, 1980, for My Mom Hates Me in January; Parents' Choice Award in Literature, Parents' Choice Foundation, 1986, for Angel's Mother's Boyfriend.

WRITINGS:

Two Good Friends, Crown (New York, NY), 1974.

Rabbit Finds a Way, Crown (New York, NY), 1975.

Two Is Company, Crown (New York, NY), 1976.

Three Friends Find Spring, Crown (New York, NY), 1977.

Penny-Wise, Fun-Foolish, Crown (New York, NY), 1977.

My Mom Hates Me in January, A. Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1977.

It Happened on Thursday, A. Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1978.

Brimhall Comes to Stay, Lothrop (New York, NY), 1978.

Brimhall Turns to Magic, Lothrop (New York, NY), 1979.

On a Picnic, Doubleday (Garden City, NY), 1979.

The New Girl at School, Dutton (New York, NY), 1979.

Rabbit's New Rug, Parents' Magazine Press (New York, NY), 1979.

The Best Mom in the World, A. Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1979.

Kitty in the Middle, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1979.

Kitty in the Summer, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1980.

Lee Henry's Best Friend, A. Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1980.

My Mother Lost Her Job Today, A. Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1980.

Groundhog's Day at the Doctor, Parents' Magazine Press (New York, NY), 1981.

I Never Win, Carolrhoda (Minneapolis, MN), 1981.

A Walk on a Snowy Night, Harper (New York, NY), 1982.

I'm Telling You Now, Arthur Ray, Dutton (New York, NY), 1982.

The Goose Who Wrote a Book, Carolrhoda (Minneapolis, MN), 1982.

Only Jody, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1982.

A Pet for Duck and Bear, A. Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1982.

Blue Ribbon Friends, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1982.

Backyard Angel, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1983.

Brimhall Turns Detective, Carolrhoda (Minneapolis, MN), 1983.

Duck Goes Fishing, A. Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1983.

Near Occasion of Sin (novel; young adult), Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1984.

Kitty in High School, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1984.

Bear and Duck on the Run, A. Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1984.

The Twenty-nine Most Common Writing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them (adult), Writers Digest (Cincinnati, OH), 1985.

Angel in Charge, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1985.

A Birthday Bike for Brimhall, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1985.

I'll Never Love Anything Ever Again, A. Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1985.

The Elephant in Duck's Garden, A. Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1985.

(With Dorothy Tucker) My Grandma's in a Nursing Home, A. Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1985.

Rabbit Goes to Night School, A. Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1986.

Angel's Mother's Boyfriend, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1986.

Xmas Gift for Brimhall, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1986.

The Mystery of the Haunted Cabin, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1986.

Angel's Mother's Wedding, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1987.

Kitty from the Start, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1987.

Blue Skies, French Fries, Dell (New York, NY), 1988.

Camp Ghost-Away, Dell (New York, NY), 1988.

Cookies and Crutches, Dell (New York, NY), 1988.

Grumpy Pumpkins, Dell (New York, NY), 1988.

Hired Help for Rabbit, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1988.

Lucky Dog Days, Dell (New York, NY), 1988.

No Time for Christmas, Carolrhoda (Minneapolis, MN), 1988.

Peanut-Butter Pilgrims, Dell (New York, NY), 1988.

A Pee Wee Christmas, Dell (New York, NY), 1988.

That Mushy Stuff, Dell (New York, NY), 1989.

The Pooped Troop, Dell (New York, NY), 1989.

The Pee Wee Jubilee, Dell (New York, NY), 1989.

Spring Sprouts, Dell (New York, NY), 1989.

Angel's Mother's Baby, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1989.

The Bad Bad Bunnies, Dell (New York, NY), 1990.

Rosy Noses, Freezing Toes, Dell (New York, NY), 1990.

Hello Huckleberry Heights, Dell (New York, NY), 1990.

Summer Showdown, Dell (New York, NY), 1990.

Scary, Scary Huckleberry, Dell (New York, NY), 1990.

Merry Merry Huckleberry, Dell (New York, NY), 1990.

Huckleberry Hash, Dell (New York, NY), 1990.

Artificial Grandma, Yearling (New York, NY), 1990.

My Mom Made Me Go to Camp, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1990.

My Mom Made Me Go to School, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1991.

Sonny's Secret, Yearling (New York, NY), 1991.

Sky Babies, Yearling (New York, NY), 1991.

The Perfect Christmas Gift, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1992.

Trash Bash, Yearling (New York, NY), 1992.

Lights, Action, Land-Ho!, Yearling (New York, NY), 1992.

Pee Wees on Parade, Yearling (New York, NY), 1992.

Pee Wees on Skis, Yearling (New York, NY), 1993.

Piles of Pets, Yearling (New York, NY), 1993.

My Mom Made Me Take Piano Lessons, Doubleday (Garden City, NY), 1993.

Fishy Wishes, Dell (New York, NY), 1993.

All Dads on Deck, Bantam Doubleday Dell (New York, NY), 1994.

Greed Groundhogs, Yearling (New York, NY), 1994.

Ship Ahoy!, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1995.

Winning Ticket!, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1995.

Cabin Surprise, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1995.

Ten's a Crowd!, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1995.

Moving Up, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1995.

Next Stop, the White House!, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1995.

Pee Wee's on First, Bantam Doubleday Dell (New York, NY), 1995.

Super Duper Pee Wee!, Yearling (New York, NY), 1995.

Royal Escapade, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1995.

Prize-winning Private Eyes, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1995.

Eggs with Legs, Bantam Doubleday Dell (New York, NY), 1996.

Pee Wee Pool Party, Yearling (New York, NY), 1996.

Halloween Helpers, Yearling (New York, NY), 1997.

Stage Frightened, Yearling (New York, NY), 1997.

Moans and Groans and Dinosaur Bones, Yearling (New York, NY), 1997.

Computer Clues, Yearling (New York, NY), 1998.

Pedal Power, Yearling (New York, NY), 1998.

Planet Pee Wee, Yearling (New York, NY), 1998.

Molly for Mayor, Bantam Doubleday Dell (New York, NY), 1999.

Angel Spreads Her Wings, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1999.

Bookworm Buddies, Yearling (New York, NY), 1999.

Send in the Clowns!, Yearling (New York, NY), 1999.

Wild, Wild West, Yearling (New York, NY), 1999.

Winnie the Pooh's Book of Manners, Disney Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Angel Bites the Bullet, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 2000.

A Big Box of Memories, Dell (New York, NY), 2000.

Author of "Pee Wee Scout" series, "Angel" series, "Kitty" series, and "Condo Kids" series. Contributor of over two hundred essays, articles, poems, and short stories to periodicals, including Wall Street Journal, Saturday Review, Humpty Dumpty, Publishers Weekly, Marriage, Catholic Digest, Family Digest, Home Life, Today, Women's Circle, Exclusively Yours, Spirit, Cats, Teacher's Lounge, Progressive Women, Capitol, Insight, Today's Christian Mother, Teacher Paper, View, Seasons, Grit, Lutheran Digest, KOA Handbook, Christian Home, Instructor, and Highlights for Children.

ADAPTATIONS: I'm Telling You Now, is available in Braille.

SIDELIGHTS: A prolific writer, Judy Delton published more than a hundred books and over two hundred essays, articles, and short stories during her career. Delton authored several popular children's series including, the "Kitty," "Angel," "Condo Kids," and "Lottery Luck" series. Her forty-book "Pee Wee Scouts" series has sold millions of copies. Delton often used her own life as an inspiration for her books, as she tackled problems that face children and young adults. She once told Kathryn Boardman of the St. Paul Dispatch: "I really resent it when people ask me when I am going to write a novel for adults. Children's fiction is a special field. In my opinion it is as important as any other kind of writing. I like to do it and my publishers think I am good at it."

Delton's "Kitty" series follows the life of Kitty, a young, Catholic girl growing up near St. Paul, Minnesota, in the 1940s. The first book of the series, Kitty in the Middle, was published in 1979. Like many of Delton's books, it is based on her own experiences as a child. In an interview with Authors and Artists for Young Adults (AAYA), Delton once said, "In the Seventies, there was a lot of popular interest in tracing people's origins, so I decided to write about growing up Catholic in the forties." The "Kitty" series includes Kitty in the Middle, Kitty in the Summer, and Kitty in High School. Kitty from the Start, is a prequel to the other books in the series. The book takes Kitty back to third grade, where she worries about choosing between friends and avoiding movies forbidden by the Legion of Decency. Michele Landsberg noted in the New York Times, "Thanks to the author Judy Delton's sprightly simplicity, such parochial concerns come across as lively, interesting, and funny."

Delton once commented to CA: "Someone once said that an author is fortunate in that he gets to live his life twice, once in the doing and once in the telling. I find that to be true, since I am always reliving my life from some new aspect, often not knowing what is truth and what is illusion." Delton explained that she relived her childhood through the "Kitty" books and that she borrowed from her son's life for the book Only Jody, the story of an only boy in a family of four women. She has also looked to her daughter's life for inspiration in her works. "In some way or other, I am always in the book," Delton said.

The first book in Delton's "Angel" series, Back Yard Angel, was based partly on her daughter and partly on herself. Delton once noted to AAYA: "Angel hates change, just like me. I incorporated my mentality into her. Because my characters are mostly me, emotionally, they usually go through what I do." Angel O'Leary can easily be described as a worrywart. Her outlook on life is a bit pessimistic, to say the least, and she dreams up the worst-case scenario for every situation. The books focus on Angel's changing family life. In Angel's Mother's Wedding, which followed Angel's Mother's Boyfriend, Mrs. O'Leary announces her upcoming marriage to her boyfriend, Rudy. From there, Angel begins to worry that her mother is not properly preparing for the wedding. As if that's not enough, in Angel's Mother's Baby, Angel learns that her mother is pregnant.

The series continues with Angel Spreads Her Wings and Angel Bites the Bullet. In Angel Spreads Her Wings, Angel learns that her family will be flying to Greece to meet her stepfather's parents. This sparks a whole new set of worries for Angel, including flying in an airplane and meeting her new step-grandparents. A Publishers Weekly reviewer noted that "Angel slowly discovers that she really doesn't want to be the one whom 'everyone tiptoes around' and who always overreacts, so she makes a stab at embracing change and starts to 'spread her wings.'" The reviewer continued, "Delton's storytelling is natural; her use of dialogue, authentic. It's a lighthearted romp with only a hint of a lesson." In Angel Bites the Bullet, Angel must share her bedroom with her mother's friend, Alyce, whose apartment burned down. Angel works with her best friend to better Alyce's situation, and get Alyce out of her hair. Kate McLean, in School Library Journal, remarked "The campaign is very funny, especially when laced with Angel's imagined worries about her new family and her desperation to be rid of her houseguest."

Perhaps Delton's most well-known series is the "Pee Wee Scouts," which follows the Pee Wees on their weekly adventures to earn their next merit badge. The books deal with a variety of topics that sometimes teach the reader a lesson. In Molly for Mayor, the first book in the "Pee Wee" series, Molly Duff must come up with a creative way to win a mock election against her sly opponent. Teeny Weeny Zucchinis follows the Pee Wees as they try to earn their harvest badge. Booklist reviewer Lauren Peterson wrote, "Delton's positive portrayal of Jody, a wheelchair-bound boy on whom Molly has a crush, will provide inclusion students with a good role model and promote understanding and awareness among nondisabled readers." Delton's writing, while tuned in to a child's mind, deals with real situations. In Tricks and Treats, Molly's dad loses his job, which opens up many questions for Molly. "Many kids will like the way this chapter book combines friendship and scary fun with a fear that's very close to home," noted Hazel Rochman in Booklist. The last book in the "Pee Wee Scouts" series is called A Big Box of Memories. The Pee Wees must put together a time capsule for the scouts of the future to earn their last badge, but it's hard to decide exactly what to put in the box.

Delton's "Lottery Luck" series focuses on the Green family. In the first book, Winning Ticket!, Daisy and Delphie Green convince Aunt Ivy to buy some lottery tickets. The outcome of the book is obvious from the title, but a lesson is learned along the way. A Publishers Weekly reviewer noted, "As her buoyant tale draws to a close, the author convincingly interjects a worthy note: when Daisy expresses concern that the windfall will change her family, her parents explain that they will make sure that the truly important things do not change." In Ten's a Crowd! Daisy and Delphie are overwhelmed by the number of friends and relatives who show up at their home after they win the lottery. In subsequent books, Daisy, Delphie, and Aunt Ivy have adventures in Washington, DC, and England.

Books in Delton's "Condo Kids" series include Hello Huckleberry Heights, Huckleberry Hash, Scary, Scary Huckleberry, Merry Merry Huckleberry, and Artificial Grandma. Delton once told AAYA that she enjoyed the "Condo Kids" series because it gave her the opportunity to really develop the characters. In Artificial Grandma, Delton explores the relationships between children and the elderly.

Delton has authored many other children's books in addition to those in her series. My Mom Made Me Go to School, My Mom Made Me Go to Camp, and My Mom Made Me Take Piano Lessons, are as much for adults as they are for kids. The books deal with Archie's resistance to his mom's efforts to help him have new, exciting experiences. Archie almost always ends up having a good time once he gives the new activity a chance. The characters of Duck and Bear that appear in some of Delton's books, including The Perfect Christmas Gift, Two Good Friends, and A Pet for Duck and Bear, are based on Delton and her mother. Delton liked to use animals with human characteristics because it adds to the story. In her book The Twenty-nine Most Common Writing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them, Delton explained, "Animals in a fantasy story are not animals and the story is not an animal story." She continued, "Duck is the same kind of perfectionist, the same kind of fanatical housekeeper that my mother was." Bear is more like Delton, "a better cook than housekeeper."

Delton's success as a writer stemmed from her ability to create strong characters, which she attributed to writing "honestly." "To write honestly, you must be inside the characters, know them, and believe in them," she once explained to AAYA. "I think kids will generally relate to the characters if they're portrayed honestly."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

books

Authors and Artists for Young Adults, Volume 7, Gale (Detroit, MI), 1991.

Continuum Encyclopedia of Children's Literature, Continuum (New York, NY), 2001.

The Twenty-nine Most Common Writing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them, Writers Digest (Cincinnati, OH), 1985.

periodicals

Associated Press, July 2, 1993, Carol Deegan, review of My Mom Made Me Go to Camp.

Booklist, October 1, 1992, Ilene Cooper, review of The Perfect Christmas Gift, p. 334; June 1, 1994, Kay Weisman, review of My Mom Made Me Take Piano Lessons, p. 1836; September 15, 1994, Hazel Rochman, review of Tricks and Treats, p. 135; January 1, 1996, Lauren Peterson, review of Teeny Weeny Zucchinis, p. 833; May 1, 1999, Lauren Peterson, review of Angel Spreads Her Wings, p. 1593; November 1, 2000, Gillian Engberg, review of Angel Bites the Bullet, p. 538.

Boston Globe, December 12, 1994, Margaret Hsu, review of Kitty in the Summer, p. 13.

Children's Bookwatch, December, 1992, review of The Perfect Christmas Gift, p. 2.

Day Care & Early Education, summer, 1994, review of Two Good Friends, p. 23, review of Rabbit Finds a Way, p. 23.

Horn Book, November-December, 1989, Carolyn K. Jenks, review of Angel's Mother's Baby, p. 770; May, 1997, audio book review of Cookies and Crutches, p. 357, audio book review of Camp Ghost-Away, p. 357; July, 1999, review of Angel Spreads Her Wings, p. 463; May-June 2002, "Obituaries," p. 366.

Horn Book Guide, spring, 1992, review of My Mom Made Me Go to School, p. 30, review of I Never Win!, p. 54, review of Brimhall Turns Detective, p. 54; spring 1993, review of The Perfect Christmas Gift, p. 27; fall, 1994, review of My Mom Made Me Take Piano Lessons, p. 270; fall, 1999, review of Angel Spreads Her Wings, p. 290; spring, 2001, review of Angel Bites the Bullet, p. 71.

Hudson Star-Observer, June 20, 1974; April, 1977.

Instructor, February, 1993, review of Angel in Charge, p. 14.

Kirkus Review, March 1, 1999, review of Angel Spreads Her Wings, p. 374.

Library Talk, November, 1992, review of The Perfect Christmas Gift, p. 19.

New York Times, April 12, 1987, Michele Landsberg, review of Kitty from the Start, p. 48.

Publishers Weekly, January 27, 1992, review of Hired Help for Rabbit, p. 98; September 7, 1992, Elizabeth Devereaux, review of The Perfect Christmas Gift, p. 68; January 25, 1993, "Federal Court Affirms Pee Wee Scouts' Honor," p. 26; May 15, 1995, review of Winning Ticket!, p. 73; October 6, 1997, review of Pee Wee Scouts, p. 50; April 12, 1999, review of Angel Spreads Her Wings, p. 78.

St. Paul Dispatch, April 2, 1977.

St. Paul Pioneer Press, August 11, 1974; May 31, 1981.

School Library Journal, December, 1984, p. 46; March, 1989, Lori A. Janick, review of Hired Help for Rabbit, p. 160; June, 1989, Joyce Gunn-Bradley, review of Cookies and Crutches, p. 87, review of Camp Ghost-Away, p. 87; October, 1989, Phyllis K. Kennemer, review of Angel's Mother's Baby, p. 117; February, 1991, Judith Gloyer, review of My Mom Made Me Go to Camp, p. 68; April, 1992, Gale W. Sherman, review of My Mom Made Me Go to School, p. 90; October, 1992, review of The Perfect Christmas Gift, p. 39; August, 1994, Martha Gordon, review of My Mom Made Me Take Piano Lessons, p. 128; January, 1998, DeAnn Tabuchi, review of Halloween Helpers, p. 81; February, 1998, Teresa Bateman, audio book review of Camp Ghost-Away, p. 72; April, 1999, Susan Helpler, review of Angel Spreads Her Wings, p. 133; October, 2000, Kate McLean, review of Angel Bites the Bullet, p. 156.