Jeanne Birdsall





Jeanne Birdsall

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About this author

Jeanne Birdsall grew up in the suburbs west of Philadelphia, where she attended wonderful public schools. Jeanne had lots of great teachers, but her favorites were: Mrs. Corkhill, sixth grade, who encouraged her intellectual curiosity; Mr. Tremonte, eighth grade algebra, who taught Jeanne to love and respect math; and Miss Basehore, second and fourth year Latin, to whom Jeanne (and Mr. Penderwick) will be forever grateful.
Although she first decided to become a writer when she was ten years old, it took Jeanne until she was forty-one to get started. In the years in between, Jeanne had many strange jobs to support herself, and also worked hard as a photographer, the kind that makes art. Some of Jeanne's photographs are included in the permane...more


Average rating: 4.12 · 23,676 ratings · 3,791 reviews · 7 distinct works · Similar authors
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More books by Jeanne Birdsall…

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“...even a tiny bit of deceit is dishonorable when it's used for selfish or cowardly reasons.

- Mr. Penderwick”
Jeanne Birdsall, The Penderwicks on Gardam Street

“Jane,' she said, climbing down from the chair. 'Remember last year when I built that model wind tower for you and you wrote those poems for me?'

And you said you'd never switch homework assignments with me again.'

For good reason. My teacher had a hard time believing I wrote Tra-la the joy of tulips blooming, Ha-ha the thrill of bumblebees zooming. I'm alive and I dance, I'm alive though death is always looming. When I finally convinced her that I had, she asked me if I needed to talk to the school counselor.”
Jeanne Birdsall, The Penderwicks on Gardam Street

“And I don't know if Batty's gotten over it yet,' said Skye.

Mr. Penderwick looked out the window to where Batty was playing vampires with Hound. Hound was on his back, trying to wiggle out of the black towel Batty had tied around his neck. Batty was leaping over Hound's water bowl, shrieking, 'Blood, blood!'

'She looks all right,' he said.”
Jeanne Birdsall, The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy

Polls

What Book Shall We Read in December?

Did we miss your pick for the Newbery this year? Well now is your chance to write in a book, published in 2011, for our final book of the month.

 
  10 votes 19.6%

 
  8 votes 15.7%

 
  4 votes 7.8%

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (write-in)
 
  4 votes 7.8%

 
  4 votes 7.8%

Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver (write-in)
 
  2 votes 3.9%

 
  2 votes 3.9%

Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy (write-in)
 
  2 votes 3.9%

Inside Out & Back Again (write-in)
 
  2 votes 3.9%

 
  2 votes 3.9%

Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt
 
  2 votes 3.9%

wonderstruck (write-in)
 
  2 votes 3.9%

 
  2 votes 3.9%

An Unlikely Arrangement by Patty Wiseman (write-in)
 
  1 vote 2.0%

 
  1 vote 2.0%

Waiting to Forget by Sheila Kelly Welch (write-in)
 
  1 vote 2.0%

Eddie's War by Carol Saller (write-in)
 
  1 vote 2.0%

 
  1 vote 2.0%

 
  0 votes 0.0%

The Dragon of Cripple Creek by Troy Howell
 
  0 votes 0.0%

51 total votes
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