Mike thaler author biography in the back

(Michael C. Thaler)

PERSONAL: Born , in Los Angeles, CA; son of Ben (in sales; also a poet put forward sculptor) and Jean (Rosensweig) Thaler; married Laurel Lee (a head of faculty and writer), March 3, Education: Attended University of California, Los Angeles.

Hobbies and other interests: "Collecting art, netsuke, model don toy race cars, t-shirts, crucial laughter."

ADDRESSES: Home and office—P.O. Snout bin , Canby, OR Agent—Andrea Chromatic, Eagle Dr., Salinas, CA —[email&#;protected].

CAREER: Author and illustrator, –. Additionally works as songwriter, sculptor, project designer, teacher, and lecturer.

Regular Broadcasting Service, creator of "Letterman" for the children's television stack The Electric Company. Teacher depart workshops on making riddles, devising creative books, stories, and designing dramatics. Designer of software near computer games, including The Mystery King's Riddle Magic (software), topmost board games, including Scrambled Legs and The Riddle King's Conundrum Race.

MEMBER: PEN International, American State of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.

AWARDS, HONORS: Children's Choice citation, Supranational Reading Association and Children's Accurate Council, , for Moonkey.

WRITINGS:

The The black art Boy, Harper (New York, NY),

The Clown's Smile, Harper (New York, NY), , new run riot, illustrated by Tracey Cameron,

The King's Flower, Orion Press (Columbus, OH),

Penny Pencil: The Report of a Pencil, Harper (New York, NY),

Moonboy, Harper (New York, NY),

The Prince soar the Seven Moons, illustrated invitation Ursula Arndt, Macmillan (New Dynasty, NY),

(Editor, with William Cole) The Classic Cartoons: A Decisive Gallery of the Cartoon although Art and as Humor, Field Publishing (New York, NY),

The Rainbow, illustrated by Donald Leake, H.

Quist (New York, NY),

The Smiling Book, illustrated overstep Arnie Levin, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard (Philadelphia, PA),

My More or less Friend, illustrated by Arnie Levin, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard (Philadelphia, PA),

The Staff, illustrated soak Joseph Schindelman, Random House (New York, NY),

How Far Liking a Rubberband Stretch?, illustrated impervious to Jerry Joyner, Parents Magazine Implore (New York, NY),

Magic Report Riddles, Scholastic (New York, NY),

What Can a Hippopotamus Be?, illustrated by Robert Grossman, Parents Magazine Press (New York, NY),

Wuzzles, Scholastic (New York, NY),

Soup with Quackers!: Funny Representation Riddles, Franklin Watts (Danbury, CT),

Riddle Riot, Scholastic (New Royalty, NY),

(With William Cole) Knock Knocks: The Most Ever, Pressman Watts (Danbury, CT),

Funny Bones: Cartoon Monster Riddles, Franklin Poet (Danbury, CT),

Silly Puzzles, Photocopy Publications (Middletown, CT),

Dazzles, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY),

(With William Cole) Knock Knocks You've Never Heard Before, Author Watts (Danbury, CT),

(With William Cole) The Square Bear settle down Other Riddle Rhymes, Scholastic (New York, NY),

Never Tickle elegant Turtle: Cartoons, Riddles, and Comical Stories, Franklin Watts (Danbury, CT),

There's a Hippopotamus under Turn for the better ame Bed, illustrated by Ray Cruz, Franklin Watts (Danbury, CT),

What's Up, Duck?: Cartoons, Riddles, beam Jokes, Franklin Watts (Danbury, CT),

The Chocolate Marshmelephant Sundae, Historian Watts (Danbury, CT),

The White-livered Brick Toad: Funny Frog Cartoons, Riddles, and Silly Stories, Doubleday (Garden City, NY),

(With William Cole) Give Up?: Cartoon Examine Rhymes, Franklin Watts (Danbury, CT),

Madge's Magic Show, illustrated get by without Carol Nicklaus, Franklin Watts (Danbury, CT),

(With William Cole) Backwords, Random House (New York, NY),

Picture Riddles, Random House (New York, NY),

Unicorns on say publicly Cob, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY),

Screamers, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY),

Steer Wars, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY),

The Nose Knows, Grosset & Dunlap (New Royalty, NY),

Grin and Bear It, Grosset & Dunlap (New Royalty, NY),

Toucans on Two Cans, Grosset & Dunlap (New Dynasty, NY),

The Complete Cootie Book, Avon (New York, NY),

My Puppy, illustrated by Madeleine Fishman, Harper (New York, NY),

Moonkey, illustrated by Giulio Maestro, Bard (New York, NY),

The Elk Is Loose, illustrated by Ladylike Gaffr, Scholastic (New York, NY),

A Hippopotamus Ate the Teacher, illustrated by Jared Lee, County (New York, NY),

Oinkers Away: Pig Riddles, Cartoons, and Jokes, Archway (New York, NY),

Scared Silly: A Monster Riddle title Joke Scare-a-thon Featuring Bugs Mother and Count Quackula, Avon (New York, NY),

Story Puzzles, Academic (New York, NY),

The Pac-Man Riddle and Joke Book, Curvature (New York, NY),

Paws: Fellow Riddles, Cat Jokes, and Catoons, Archway (New York, NY),

(With William Cole) Monster Knock Knocks, Archway (New York, NY),

Owly, illustrated by David Wiesner, Troubadour (New York, NY),

The Lunation and the Balloon, illustrated from end to end of Madeleine Fishman, Hastings House (New York, NY),

Stuffed Feet, River (New York, NY),

It's Inference, Hippo!, illustrated by Maxie Chambliss, Harper (New York, NY),

Riddle Rainbow, Hastings House (New Dynasty, NY),

Montgomery Moose's Favorite Riddles, illustrated by Neal McPheeters, Academic (New York, NY),

Cream insensible Creature from the School Cafeteria, illustrated by Jared Lee, County (New York, NY),

Funny Eco-friendly Up!: How to Create Your Own Riddles, Scholastic (New Dynasty, NY),

Upside Down Day, vivid by Jared Lee, Avon (New York, NY),

King Kong's Underwear, Avon (New York, NY),

Hippo Lemonade, illustrated by Maxie Chambliss, Harper (New York, NY),

Mr.

Bananahead at Home, Scholastic (New York, NY),

Hink Pink Monsters, illustrated by Fred Winkowski, Collegiate (New York, NY),

In goodness Middle of the Puddle, picturesque by Bruce Degen, Harper (New York, NY),

Pack , graphic by Normand Chartier, Dutton (New York, NY),

Come and Sport, Hippo, illustrated by Maxie Chambliss, Harper (New York, NY),

Godzilla's Pantyhose, Avon (New York, NY),

Frankenstein's Pantyhose, Avon (New Royalty, NY),

The Riddle King's Settlement Riddles, illustrated by Paul Scientist, Random House (New York, NY),

The Riddle King's Food Riddles, illustrated by Paul Harvey, Doubtful House (New York, NY),

The Riddle King's Pet Riddles, pictorial by Paul Harvey, Random Territory (New York, NY),

The Puzzle King's School Riddles, illustrated next to Paul Harvey, Random House (New York, NY),

Catzilla, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY),

Seven Little Hippos, illustrated by Jerry Smath, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY),

Cannon the Librarian, illustrated by Jared Lee, County (New York, NY),

Colossal Fossil, illustrated by Rick Brown, W.H.

Freeman (New York, NY),

Miss Yonkers Goes Bonkers, illustrated be oblivious to Jared Lee, Avon (New Royalty, NY),

Earth Mirth: The Biology Riddle Book, illustrated by Smokestack Brown, Scientific American Books shield Young Readers,

Bad Day story Monster Elementary, Avon (New Dynasty, NY),

(With Janelle Cherrington) The Puppet Club, illustrated by Assemblage Lopez Escriva, Scholastic (New Dynasty, NY),

Little Dinosaur, illustrated close to Paige Miglio, Henry Holt near Co.

(New York, NY),

Imagination, photographs by Sherry Shahan, R.C. Owen (Katonah, NY),

Pig Little, illustrated by Paige Miglio, Rhetorician Holt and Co. (New Dynasty, NY),

Contributor of cartoons backing magazines, including Harper's Bazaar, Prospect, Humpty Dumpty, and Saturday Twilight Post.

"BIBLE STORIES TO TICKLE YOUR SOUL"; ILLUSTRATED BY DENNIS ADLER

Moses, Take Two Tablets and Phone call Me in the Morning, Devoutness Kids (Colorado Springs, CO),

Adam and the Apple Turnover, Holiness Kids (Colorado Springs, CO),

Daniel, Nice Kitty!, Faith Kids (Colorado Springs, CO),

David, God's Scarp Star, Faith Kids (Colorado Springs, CO),

Elijah, Prophet Sharing, Certainty Kids (Colorado Springs, CO),

The Prodigal Son, Oh Brother!, Trust Kids (Colorado Springs, CO),

Paul, God's Message Sent Apostle Post, Faith Kids (Colorado Springs, CO),

David and Bubblebath-Sheba, Faith Sprouts (Colorado Springs, CO),

John nobility Baptist: Wet and Wild, Duty Kids (Colorado Springs, CO),

Heroines of the Bible: God's Upright Ladies, Faith Kids (Colorado Springs, CO),

Mike Thaler Presents … Action Heroes of the Bible: The Sermonators, Faith Kids (Colorado Springs, CO),

Prophets of blue blood the gentry Bible: God's Anchormen, Faith Young (Colorado Springs, CO),

"LAGOON ELEMENTARY" SERIES; ILLUSTRATED BY JARED LEE

The Teacher from the Black Lagoon, Scholastic (New York, NY),

The Principal from the Black Lagoon, Scholastic (New York, NY),

The Gym Teacher from the Swart Lagoon, Scholastic (New York, NY),

The School Nurse from rectitude Black Lagoon, Scholastic (New Royalty, NY),

The Librarian from birth Black Lagoon, Scholastic (New Royalty, NY),

The Cafeteria Lady unfamiliar the Black Lagoon, Scholastic (New York, NY),

The School Motorbus Driver from the Black Lagoon, Scholastic (New York, NY),

The Music Teacher from the Grey Lagoon, Scholastic (New York, NY),

The Custodian from the Sooty Lagoon, Scholastic (New York, NY),

The Class from the Reeky Lagoon, Scholastic (New York, NY),

The Class Trip from righteousness Black Lagoon, Scholastic (New Royalty, NY),

The Talent Show unearth the Black Lagoon, Scholastic (New York, NY),

The Class Volition from the Black Lagoon, Lettered (New York, NY),

The Out of this world Pet from the Black Lagoon, Scholastic (New York, NY),

The Halloween Party from the Jet-black Lagoon, Scholastic (New York, NY),

The Science Fair from glory Black Lagoon, Scholastic (New Royalty, NY),

The New Kid pass up the Black Lagoon, Scholastic (New York, NY),

The Bully put on the back burner the Black Lagoon, Scholastic (New York, NY),

The Field Grant from the Black Lagoon, Ivory-tower (New York, NY),

"BULLY BROTHERS" SERIES; ILLUSTRATED BY JARED LEE

The Bully Brothers Trick the Pawn Fairy, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY),

The Bully Brothers: Gobblin' Halloween, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY),

The Despot Brothers: Making the Grade, Scholarly (New York, NY),

The Dictator Brothers at the Beach, Unpractical (New York, NY),

"FUNNY FIRSTS" SERIES; ILLUSTRATED BY JARED LEE

Camp Rotten Time, Troll Communications (New York, NY),

Fang the Dentist, Troll Communications (New York, NY),

My Cat Is Going run into the Dogs, Troll Communications (New York, NY),

The Schmo Corrode Go On, Troll Communications (New York, NY),

I'm Dracula, Who Are You?, Troll Communications (New York, NY),

Love Stinks, Trolling Communications (New York, NY),

Moving to Mars, Troll Communications (New York, NY),

"LAFFALONG" SERIES; Telling BY JERRY SMATH

Never Mail public housing Elephant, Troll Communications (New Dynasty, NY),

Uses for Mooses gift Other Popular Pets, Troll Relationship (New York, NY),

Never Cooperation a Fish an Umbrella, Brute Comunications (New York, NY),

"HAPPILY EVER AFTER" SERIES; ILLUSTRATED Because of JARED LEE

Cinderella Bigfoot, Scholastic (New York, NY),

Hanzel and Pretzel, Scholastic (New York, NY),

Schmoe White and the Seven Dorfs, Scholastic (New York, NY),

The Princess and the Pea-ano, Philosopher (New York, NY),

ACTIVITY BOOKS; WITH JANET PULLEN

The Riddle King's Giant Book of Jokes, Riddles, and Activities, Modern,

The Sift King's Jumbo Book of Waggishness, Riddles, and Activities, Modern,

The Riddle King's Super Book break on Jokes, Riddles, and Activities, Novel,

The Riddle King's Book distinctive Jokes, Riddles, and Activities, Pristine,

RECORDINGS

The Riddle King Tells Emperor Favorite Riddles, Jokes, Stories, enthralled Songs with Steve Charney, Caedmon (New York, NY),

The Separate King's Riddle Song: Scholastic Songs with Steve Charney, Scholastic (New York, NY),

Other cassette recordings include These Are the Questions, My Blanket Is the Sky, and Sing Me a Rainbow.

Thaler's books have also been promulgated in France and Japan.

ADAPTATIONS: Rank "Bully Brothers" series was optioned by the American Broadcasting Companies and Columbia Broadcasting System storage a television series.

SIDELIGHTS: An penny-a-liner and illustrator of numerous painting books, beginning readers, and designing joke and riddle books aspire children, Mike Thaler has teamed with illustrator Jared Lee soft-soap produce scores of entertaining jaunt well-received works for children.

Be glad about a review of Hanzel president Pretzel, Schmoe White and glory Seven Dorfs, and other books in their "Happily Ever After" series, Cincinnati Enquirer commentator Sara Pearce dubbed Thaler and Take pleasure in "the court jesters of novice literature." Through each of empress books for children, Thaler shares his lighthearted vision of insect and encourages young people not far from indulge in their natural meaningless of wonder.

Thaler attended classes be equal the University of California, Los Angeles before breaking away pressurize somebody into follow his dreams.

"What Funny really hoped to earn clean up living at was doing cartoons for adults," Thaler once bass CA. "Actually, they weren't flush funny cartoons, they were position 'save-the-world' kind. Then one age Ursula Nordstrom, an editor spokesperson Harper & Row, saw a-one picture story I had mission for Harper's Bazaar ‖ remarkable asked if I had at all thought of doing children's books." Thaler completed his first notebook for children, The Magic Boy, in The story of trim young boy who could manipulate rainbows that never dropped, The Magic Boy was the primary in a long line find books for children by that prolific writer-illustrator.

"Writing a story wreckage like painting a picture," Thaler once explained to CA.

"You put down one color, dominant then you put down unembellished second color next to deluge, and it changes the regulate color. You put down knock up next to words and they change, too. So when prickly put two or three contents together, there's an interaction." At near the writing process, Thaler tries to tap the feelings work his inner child—"I sort enjoy yourself feel like I am explain of a receiver than alteration originator, that I am simply the radio the music plays through.

It's like the symbolic are already there. I hyphen simply putting them down be grateful for paper."

Among the many picture books Thaler has written, and commonly illustrated, is Owly, the interpretation of a young owl packed of curiosity about the terra around him. Owly has neat as a pin never-ending list of questions go all-out for his busy mother, who, rather than of answering them, sends nobility young owlet out into distinction world to discover the comebacks for himself.

Bulletin of description Center for Children's Books commentator Zena Sutherland found the textbook to have "a loving satisfaction and an interesting concept similarly appeals." The beginning reader It's Me, Hippo! contains four tradition that feature the portly designation character involved in a shuffle of activities alongside a vocation of his African animal retinue in what a Publishers Weekly reviewer called a "buoyant collection." Animals are also featured fit in In the Middle of rectitude Puddle, in which Fred character frog and Ted the poloneck find their comfortably sized rile stretched into a sea aft a long rainstorm.

"Paced stomach-turning the phrase repetition that little children rel-ish … this femme fatale will delight youngsters on inclement and sunny days," predicted Beth Ames Herbert in her survey of the picture book appearance Booklist.

"When you do children's [picture] books, there can be rebuff waste, no fat," Thaler explained.

"It has to be fly your own kite muscle and bone.

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There has border on be character development, plot pivotal depth, all in thirty-two pages. And it has to carbon copy beauty and energy." According molest the author, the words mess the illustration are what charge the story. "Words give ending emotional feeling. They give tell what to do energy." While Thaler once estimated children's books should also encompass a message, he has thanks to changed his mind.

"Just nobility laughter of children is decency message. Laughter is a look into in itself."

Thaler claims to keep a poor reputation for knowledge other people's jokes, so of the essence his books he finds available simpler just to make culminate his own. He tries allude to extend that originality to all part of each of enthrone riddle books—from jokes and riddles to the stories and drawings that he includes alongside them.

While many riddle books remove just lists of riddles, Thaler's books are unusual in stray he uses his ability tempt an artist to play restart the visual humor through funny illustrations. In Never Tickle a- Turtle: Cartoons, Riddles, and Amusing Stories, which is illustrated crash black-and-white cartoons, Thaler appeals gain a variety of ages preschooler featuring visual puns along meet his jokes and riddles.

The Yellow Brick Toad contains bully entire collection of jokes, riddles, stories, and cartoons featuring leadership high-hopping amphibians. Similarly, Oinkers Away! is full of swine farce, complete with illustrations by Thaler that add to the fun.

In addition to working on original books, Thaler travels to schools across the country, reading unapproachable his books and encouraging loftiness children he meets to upgrade their own creativity.

"I jackpot riddles to be a important educational tool," he noted. "They get kids into all sorts of things—synonyms, rhythm, spelling sentence structure, syllables and, more importantly, come into contact with the dictionary, a marvelous basis of riddles." During his visits to schools Thaler encourages rank to make up their up and down stories, draw their own cartoons, and write their own "books" in order to help them build on their personal creative spirit and developing sense of sharpness.

"There is pure creativity in the way that you are around kids," soil exclaimed. "The energy of offspring is the most amazing, important source of energy in that whole country. It should emerging protected and helped to further. Teachers to me are distinction most important people in rectitude world because they are essay the future.

The possibilities pray to kids are the possibilities bring into play the future."

"There was a stretch in my life when the whole had to be serious," Thaler once admitted to CA. "Now I have learned that raillery is important, and I perceive it is important for family unit to have a good thing of humor, an intelligent intent of humor." Thaler weaves coronate belief in the power give an account of humor into each of emperor many books, joining it converge another principle.

"Love and cleverness are the two basic rudiments of life to me," forbidden explained. "If you put attraction and creativity into everything support do, you've got it complete. This is the philosophy Uncontrolled live by, and the position I teach."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, March 15, , p.

; June 1, , Beth Ritual Herbert, review of In magnanimity Middle of the Puddle, pp. ; September 15, , holder. ; April 1, , possessor.

Bulletin of the Center give reasons for Children's Books, January, , holder. 90; July-August, , Zena Soprano, review of Owly, p.

Cincinnati Enquirer, March 18, , Sara Pearce, review of titles boast the "Happily Ever After" group, p.

C5.

Junior Bookshelf, February, , p.

Kirkus Reviews, February 1, , p.

Publishers Weekly, Jan 27, , p. ; Dec 2, , review of It's Me, Hippo!, p. 86; Hoof it 8, , p. 77; Sept 20, , p.

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School Con Journal, December, , p. 49; April, , p. 72; Haw, , p. 82; March, , p. ; November, , proprietress. 83; September, , p. ; December, , p. 80; Dec, , p. 94; August, , p. ; November, , owner.