|
|
 |
Ohio
Authors and Illustrators for Young People Home Page
Ohio
Authors and Illustrators A - Z
Ohio
Authors and Illustrators - Maps
Charlotte Huck
What is your connection to Ohio?
Following the completion my of PH.D at Northwestern University, I came to Ohio State University an an assistant professor in 1955. I taught at Ohio State for 30 years developing a program in children's literature that enabled students to obtain their master's degrees and doctorates in the subject. I was fortunate, indeed to work with over 30 PH.D. students.
What inspired you to become an author or illustrator?
While teaching at OSU I wrote a text book, Children's Literature in the Elementary School. It is now in its 7th Edition. I had no time to do any other writing.Only in retirement, did I have time to even think about writing a children's book. Susan Hirschman, then editor at Greenwillow, encouraged me to retell my favorite fairy tale, Princess Furball. It is a Cinderella variant that portrays a gutsy Cinderella who manages without a fairy godmother!..That was the beginning of my publishing five books for children. But my love of children's literature goes way back to a childhood rich in children's books and parents and teachers who regularly read aloud to me.
What advice do you have for a young author or illustrator?
Writing for children is not easy. You make very little money, so don't count on it for full time employment! You have to really want to write. The standard advice given to all writers is still good--Write everyday. Read many children's books, go to story hours and see which books the children like the best. What do they enjoy the most? Do not become discouraged!
What do you like to do for fun?
My major passions is getting children and teachers excited about reading and knowing children's books. I'm hopelessly addicted to children's literature! Since I retired from OSU, I've done the following things to increase the community's knowledge of children's books.•Established an evening storytime at the library which meets every Tuesday night. I read and volunteers read. We average about 20 children and 12-14 parents each night. These are working parents who could not attend the daytime storyhour at the library.
•I started a children's literature festival at the University of Redlands. We have just finished our 6th one. We have had such well-known authors as Katherine Paterson, Jean George, Lois Lowry, Kevin Henkes, Anita Lobel and Mem Fox. We also have teachers sharing their classroom work with children's books. We can only have 300 participants, so we are sold out each year! Two years ago, I was surprised and honored to have the conference named after me.
•I have a group of teachers come to my house each month to discuss books and their use in the classroom. This is important because the state of California does not require a course in children's literature to be certified as a teacher.
•I read aloud every week to the primary grades of one of our neediest schools. I love doing it!
•I have a small writing group that comes to my house once a month to share their manuscripts. Almost all of them have been published recently.
•Two of us are going to host a mother/daughter book club for 10 5th and 6th grade girls and their mothers at the library on two Sundays. We plan to read and have an in-depth discussion of Because of Winn Dixie.
•Clearly, then, my major passion is to bring children and books together in a variety of ways. In between these activities, I enjoy walking my Sheltie dog, Annie Laurie., each day, working in my garden, visiting with my two sisters and two nieces who live in Redlands and doing genealogy on my family. I have not done as much traveling as I would like since September 11th. but since retirement I have had many wonderful trips. I've been to the Scandinavian Countries, France, Ireland and Wales and Hawaii. I feel fortunate indeed to be able to do all that I do.
Some of your most popular books are:
- The Black Bull of Norroway: a Scottish Tale (2001)
- A Creepy Countdown (1999)
- Children's Literature in the Elementary School (1997)
- Toads and Diamonds (1995)
- Princess Furball (1994)
- Secret Places (1993)
- Keep a Poem in Your Pocket (1971)
- Sing a Song of People (1971)
- Perhaps (1971)
- The Worlds So Big (1971)
- When Something Happy Happens (1971)
- Just My Size (1971)
