Todd strasser author biography for book

(Morton Rhue)

PERSONAL: Born Might 5, 1950, in New York, NY; son of Chester S. (a builder of dresses) and Sheila (a copyeditor; maiden name, Reisner) Strasser; children: Lia, Geoff. Education: Beloit College, B.A., 1974. Hobbies and other interests: Fishing, skiing, and tennis.

ADDRESSES: Office—P. O. Box 859, Larchmont, NY 10538. —[email protected].

CAREER: Freelance author, 1975—. Beloit College, Beloit, WI, faked in public relations, 1973-74; Times Forerunner Record, Middletown, NY, reporter, 1974-76; Compton Advertising, New York, NY, copywriter, 1976-77; Esquire, New York, NY, researcher, 1977-78; Toggle, Inc. Speaker at upper latent schools, middle schools, and at minor and senior high schools, teachers' view librarians' conferences. Lectures and conducts longhand workshops for adults and teenagers.

MEMBER: Cosmopolitan Reading Association, Writers Guild of Ground, Authors Guild, Freedom to Read Basis, PEN.

AWARDS, HONORS:American Library Association's Best Books for Young Adults citations, 1981, plump for Friends till the End: A Novel, and 1982, for Rock 'n' Directory Nights: A Novel; New York Accepted Library's Books for the Teen Quest citations, 1981, for Angel Dust Blues, 1982, for The Wave and Friends till the End, 1983, for Rock 'n' Roll Nights, and 1984, shield Workin' for Peanuts; Friends till honourableness End was chosen a Notable Apprentice Trade Book in the Field guide Social Studies by the National Conclave for Social Studies and the Lowranking Book Council, 1982; Rock 'n' Curl Nights was chosen for the Acton Public Library's CRABbery Award List, 1983; Young Reader Medal nomination from ethics California Reading Association, 1983, for Friends till the End; Book Award go over the top with the Federation of Children's Books (Great Britain), 1983, for The Wave, stake 1984, for Turn It Up!; Incomplete Book Award from the Iowa Books for Young Adult Program, 1985, fend for Turn It Up!; Colorado Blue Trig Award nomination, 1987, for Angel Trash Blues; Edgar Award nomination, Mystery Writers of America, 1998, for The Accident;Washington Irving Award, 1998, for Abe Attorney for Class President; Volunteer State Jotter Award, 1998; New York State Metropolis Award, Rhode Island Teen Book Give, and Washington Irving Children's Choice Game park Award, all 2002, all for Give a Boy a Gun.

WRITINGS:

young adult fiction

Angel Dust Blues, Coward, McCann (New Royalty, NY), 1979.

Friends till the End: Unadulterated Novel, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1981.

(Under pseudonym Morton Rhue) The Wave (novelization based on the television drama ensnare the same title by Johnny Dawkins), Delacorte (New York, NY), 1981.

Rock 'n' Roll Nights: A Novel, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1982.

Workin' for Peanuts, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1983.

Turn It Up! (sequel to Rock 'n' Roll Nights), Delacorte (New York, NY), 1984.

A Further Touchy Subject, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1985.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (novelization homespun on film of the same term by John Hughes), New American Investigation (New York, NY), 1986.

Wildlife (sequel foresee Turn It Up!), Delacorte (New Dynasty, NY), 1987.

The Accident (also see below), Delacorte (New York, NY), 1988.

(novelization based on film of the equal title by Nora Ephron), New Dweller Library (New York, NY), 1989.

Moving Target, Fawcett (New York, NY), 1989.

Beyond greatness Reef, illustrations by Debbie Heller, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1989.

Home Alone (novelization based on film of the changeless title), Scholastic (New York, NY), 1991.

The Diving Bell, illustrated by Debbie Troubler, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1992.

Honey, Side-splitting Blew Up the Kids, Disney Entreat (New York, NY), 1992.

Hocus Pocus, Filmmaker Press (New York, NY), 1993.

Disney's "The Villains" Collection, poems by Mark Rifkin, illustrated by Gil DiCicco, Disney Subdue (New York, NY), 1993.

The Three Musketeers, Disney Press (New York, NY), 1993.

Free Willy, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.

Disney's "It's Magic": Stories from the Films, with poems by Richard Duke, vivid by Philippe Harchy, Disney Press (New York, NY), 1994.

(Adapter) Walt Disney's "Lady and the Tramp," illustrated by Franc Mateu, Disney Press (New York, NY), 1994.

(Adapter) Walt Disney's Peter Pan, graphic by Jose Cardona and Fred Marvin, Disney Press (New York, NY), 1994.

Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventures of River Bill, Disney Press (New York, NY), 1994.

Street Fighter, Newmarket Press (New Dynasty, NY), 1994.

Man of the House, Filmmaker Press (New York, NY), 1995.

How Berserk Changed My Life, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1995.

Girl Gives Outset to Own Prom Date, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1996.

Hey Governor, Get a Life!, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1996.

How I Spent Blurry Last Night on Earth, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1998.

Kidnap Kids, Putnam (New York, NY), 1998.

Kids' Restricted area of Gross Facts and Feats, Watermill Press, 1998.

Star Wars Episode One, Entry, Anakin Skywalker, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.

Give a Boy a Gun, Psychologist & Schuster (New York, NY), 2000.

Con-Fidence, Holiday House (New York, NY), 2002.

Thief of Dreams, Putnam (New York, NY), 2003.

Can't Get There From Here, Saint & Schuster (New York, NY), 2004.

"help! i'm trapped" series

Help! I'm Trapped satisfy the First Day of School, Hypothetical (New York, NY), 1994.

Help! I'm Unfree in My Teacher's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.

Help! I'm Trapped talk to Obedience School, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.

Help! I'm Trapped in Santa's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.

Help! I'm Trapped in My Sister's Body, Collegiate (New York, NY), 1997.

Help! I'm Ambushed in My Gym Teacher's Body, School (New York, NY), 1997.

Help! I'm Ensnared in the President's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.

Help! I'm Trapped suspend Obedience School Again, Scholastic (New Royalty, NY), 1997.

Help! I'm Trapped in magnanimity First Day of Summer Camp, Bookworm (New York, NY), 1998.

Help! I'm At bay in an Alien's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.

Help! I'm Trapped trauma a Movie Star's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.

Help! I'm Trapped attach the Principal's Body, Scholastic (New Dynasty, NY), 1999.

Help! I'm Trapped in Irate Lunch Lady's Body, Scholastic (New Royalty, NY), 1999.

Help! I'm Trapped in integrity Camp Counselor's Body, Scholastic (New Royalty, NY), 1999.

Help! I'm Trapped in natty Professional Wrestler's Body, Scholastic (New Dynasty, NY), 2000.

Help! I'm Trapped in wonderful Vampire's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2000.

Help! I'm Trapped in a Supermodel's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.

"wordsworth" series

Wordsworth and the Cold Cut Catastrophe, illustrated by Leif Peng, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1995.

Wordsworth and the Pound Kidnapping, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1995.

Wordsworth and the Roast Beef Romance, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1995.

Wordsworth and glory Mail-Order Meatloaf Mess, HarperCollins (New Royalty, NY), 1995.

Wordsworth and the Tasty Party Trick, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1995.

The Lip-Smacking Licorice Love Affair, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1996.

"camp run-a-muck" series

Greasy Begrimed Gopher Guts, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.

Mutilated Monkey Meat, Scholastic (New Royalty, NY), 1997.

Chopped-Up Birdy's Feet, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.

"against the odds" series

Shark Bite, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1998.

Grizzly Attack, Pocket Books (New Royalty, NY), 1998.

Buzzards' Feast, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1999.

Gator Prey, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1999.

"here comes heavenly" series

Here Comes Heavenly Litebody, Pocket (New York, NY), 1999.

Dance Magic, Pocket (New York, NY), 1999.

Pastabilities, Pocket (New Royalty, NY), 1999.

Spell Danger, Pocket (New Dynasty, NY), 1999.

"don't get caught" series

Driving representation School Bus, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.

In the Teacher's Lounge, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.

Wearing a Lunch Lady's Hairnet, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.

In the Girl's Locker Room, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.

"impact zone" series

Take Off, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2004.

Cut Back, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2004.

Close Out, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2004.

other

The Experienced Computer Popularity Program, Delacorte (New Royalty, NY), 1984.

The Mall from Outer Space, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1987.

The Man (novel for adults), St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1988.

Over influence Limit (teleplay based on Strasser's The Accident), ABC Afterschool Special, American Pressure group Company (New York, NY), 1990.

Super Mario Bros., Hyperion (New York, NY), 1993.

Also contributor to periodicals, including New Yorker, Esquire, New York Times, and Village Voice.

ADAPTATIONS: Workin' for Peanuts was equipped for cable television as a Habitat Box Office "Family Showcase" presentation, 1985; A Very Touchy Subject was modified for television as an "ABC After-School Special" titled Can a Guy Make light of No?, 1986. The Accident was cut out for for television as an ABC After-School special called Over the Limit. Fкte I Created My Perfect Prom Date was released as a Twentieth Century-Fox major motion picture called Drive Crux Crazy.

WORK IN PROGRESS: Series about awkward age surfers.

SIDELIGHTS: Todd Strasser writes critically ritualistic realistic fiction for preteens and teenagers. In works ranging from Friends plough the End, the story of a-okay young man stricken with leukemia, give somebody no option but to Wildlife, a study of the eradication of a successful rock group, Strasser blends humor and romance with sympathetic subjects to address various concerns endorse teens: drugs, sex, illness, popularity, song. Lacing his work for younger readers with a vein of humor, Strasser has also tantalized even the ultimate reluctant reader to open books in opposition to titles like Hey Dad, Get adroit Life!, Help! I'm Trapped in Clean up Gym Teacher's Body, and Greasy Black Gopher Guts. In addition to sovereign many original works of fiction, Strasser has also written novelizations of uncountable popular motion pictures, including some shun the Disney Studios. His understanding lose the feelings of children and schoolboy has made his works popular fine-tune young people.

Angel Dust Blues appeared amount 1979 and won Strasser critical commendation. The story itself is about, Strasser told Nina Piwoz in Media distinguished Methods, "a group of fairly well-situated, suburban teenagers who get into concern with drugs." It was based sect actual events Strasser had witnessed just as he was growing up. Two grow older later, he published another young-adult fresh, again based on his own recollections. "My second book, Friends till magnanimity End, is about a healthy children's who has a friend who becomes extremely ill with leukemia," he explained to Piwoz. "When I moved want New York, I had a roomy … an old friend of time. Within a few weeks, he became very ill. I spent a epoch visiting him in the hospital, party knowing whether he was going average live or die."

Rock 'n' Roll Nights, Strasser's third novel under his evidence name, was a change of stamp from the serious themes of coronet first two works. "It's about efficient teenage rock and roll band—something check on which I had absolutely no sincere experience," he told Piwoz. "However, Frantic grew up in the 1960s while in the manner tha rock and roll was really go off 'national anthem.' I relate much holiday to rock stars than to politicians. I always wanted to be joke a rock band, as did quarrelsome about everybody I knew." "I determine the kind of music teens lend an ear to to may change, or what they wear may change," Strasser continued, "but dealing with being popular, friends elite the opposite sex, or questions conduct operations morality and decency … [I don't think] those things really ever accomplish. I hate to say this, on the other hand I think authors tell the harmonized stories—just in today's language and cut today's settings." Strasser continued the tall story of the band "Coming Attractions" quick-witted two sequels, Turn It Up! slab Wildlife.

In his more recent works, Strasser continues to write hard-hitting, realistic folkloric about teenagers and their problems. Rent example, The Accident, which Strasser equipped for ABC-TV's After-School Special under rank title Over the Limit, deals add a drunken-driving incident in which triad of four high-school swimming stars utter killed. The surviving teen commits child to understanding what actually happened interpretation night of the accident, in top-hole novel that, in the opinion goods Horn Book reviewer Margaret A. Weed factory, "reads well and competently uses position troublesome occurrence of drunk driving elitist teenage death to provoke thought countryside discussion on multifaceted issues."

Strasser has very produced a large number of buoyant books for middle graders. The Promenade from Outer Space is about aliens who have chosen, for mysterious cause of their own, to construct shopping centers on Earth. Hey Dad, Wicker a Life! finds twelve-year-old Kelly ahead younger sister Sasha haunted by their deceased father. Ghostly Dad proves march be a great help around excellence house—he makes the girls' beds, tidies their room, does their homework, bear even helps out on the come down with field. Booklist contributor Debbie Carton cryed the work a "lighthearted and hardly ever poignant ghost story" that features "appealing, believable characters and a satisfying plot." Equally laudatory in Bulletin of greatness Center for Children's Books, Deborah Author described Hey, Dad, Get a Life! as "touchingly yet surprisingly cheerful," captivated called it "a compassionate and objective tale of a family's adjustment garland loss."

Several novels reveal Strasser's more unstable, humorous side. Girl Gives Birth accomplish Own Prom Date finds ardent naturalist Nicole taking time off from redeeming the world to transform her raunchy next-door neighbor Chase into the shoddy prom date. Praising the novel's "goofy plot twists" and "effervescent dialogue," adroit Kirkus Reviews critic noted that Strasser's "high humor doesn't detract" from potentate "understated message about nonconformity and self-acceptance." The author's "Help! I'm Trapped …" books position their young protagonists put in everything from the unwieldy body prop up Santa Claus to the summer settlement from hell. In Help! I'm Beguiled in Obedience School, for example, Jake's dog, Lance, switches bodies with Jake's friend Andy, and while Andy excels at most things doggy—although he not in any way quite acquires a taste for harass food—Jake spends his time in in the flesh form chasing squirrels and barking not later than school. Calling Strasser's tale "briskly paced," Booklist contributor Chris Sherman wrote lapse the "easy, breezy" story would request to reluctant readers. School Library Journal contributor Cheryl Cufari predicted that readers will relate to the "predicaments expose which Strasser's energetic boys find living soul and enjoy this light entertaining read."

Strasser once told CA: "Since I've dense [many] books about teenagers, people many times ask me how I know what today's teens are like. It's literal that almost twenty years have passed since I qualified for that quite good group, so I suppose the skepticism has some merit. I think magnanimity single most important thing I dent to keep up with teens go over accept invitations to speak at blastoff high and high schools all topple the country. This year, for regard, I visited schools in Alaska, Ioway, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Colorado. To such a degree accord I'm not only able to deduct up with teens, but with pubescence from all over the country.

"Another issue I'm often asked is why Beside oneself concentrate solely on books for juvenescence. Well, actually, I don't. In birth next few months I will broadcast a juvenile as well as breath adult novel. I guess I at the outset wrote a lot of books mention teens because that was where Uncontrollable had my first success and mattup the most confident. But as Side-splitting grow older, I find my interests widening not only towards writing books for older people, but for junior ones as well. I'd like cause somebody to think that the day will winner when I will write books sustenance people of all ages, from span to eighty-three.

"The other day, someone who didn't know me well said turn this way because I was a writer Berserk must be a 'free spirit' opinion lead a wonderful life. At primary I wanted to tell him type was completely wrong, but then Frenzied thought about it and decided yes was only half wrong. In uncluttered way I am a free soothe, in that I am free be introduced to pick any idea or topic queue write about it. That, indeed, not bad a wonderful freedom and I rumour grateful to have it. Along be on a par with that freedom, however, comes an bad lot of hard work. Unless ready to react are fortunate enough to be sole of the handful of perpetual favourable writers in this world, you indeed cannot make a living writing a-okay book every two or three epoch. My work is about as initiate to 'nine-to-five' as my schedule allows. Being a writer is great, on the contrary I can't say it's easy."

More lately, Strasser told CA: "Writing has firstly become the default activity of inaccurate life. If the waves aren't rideable, and I'm not doing something set about a friend or loved one, authenticate I'm probably writing. I feel though if I have many more significance for books than I will by any chance have time to write. I dribble the overall contribution of my books will be to encourage, in tedious very small way, people to prize and tolerate each other.

"Two summers no hope, at the age of fifty-two, Uncontrollable went surfing for the first prior. It is now the great pastime of my life, and something both my teenage children love to quickly as well. This past year amazement surfed in Hawaii, California, and epileptic fit and down the East coast superior New York to Florida. I muddle currently writing a series about teenager surfers as well as an matured mystery starring a detective who surfs."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

books

Children's Literature Review, Tome 11, Gale (Detroit, MI), 1986.

Nilsen, Alleen Pace, and Kenneth L. Donelson, Literature for Today's Young Adults, 2nd issue, Scott, Foresman (Glenview, IL), 1985.

Roginski, Jim, Behind the Covers: Interviews with Authors and Illustrators of Books for Family and Young Adults, Libraries Unlimited (Littleton, CO), 1985.

St. James Guide to Leafy Adult Writers, 2nd edition, St. Criminal Press (Detroit, MI), 1999.

periodicals

Best Sellers, Hawthorn, 1983, p. 75; June, 1984, possessor. 118.

Booklist, May 1, 1995, p. 1564; October 1, 1996, p. 344; Oct 1, 2000, Michael Cart, review salary Give a Boy a Gun, proprietor. 337.

Book Report, November, 1993, Annette Thorson, "Author Profile: Todd Strasser," p. 30.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, February, 1980, p. 120; June, 1995, p. 361; February, 1999,p. 219.

English Journal, September, 1982, p. 87; January, 1985; December, 1985; December, 1986; November, 1987, p. 93; March, 1988, p. 85.

Horn Book, April, 1980, p. 178; Apr, 1983, p. 175; May-June, 1985, holder. 321; March/April, 1986, Todd Strasser, "Stalking the Teen," pp. 236-239; January, 1990, p. 90.

Journal of Adolescent and Male Literacy, March, 2002, Devon Clancy Sanner, review of Give a Boy well-ordered Gun, p. 547.

Journal of Youth Advice in Libraries, fall, 1988, pp. 64-70.

Kirkus Reviews, May 15, 1992, p. 676; September 1, 1998, p. 1293; Dec 1, 2002, review of Con-Fidence, possessor. 1775; March 1, 2003, review end Thief of Dreams, p. 399.

Library Journal, January, 1988, p. 100.

Media and Methods, February, 1983.

New Yorker, January 24, 1977, p. 28.

New York Times, October 2, 1983; June 19, 1985.

Publishers Weekly, Nov 27, 1981, p. 88; April 24, 1987, p. 73; December 4, 1987, p. 63; November 25, 2002, examination of Con-Fidence, p. 69; February 24, 2003, review of Thief of Dreams, p. 73.

School Library Journal, January, 1980, p. 81; March, 1982, p. 160; August, 1983, p. 80; August, 1984,p. 87; April, 1985, p. 100; Feb, 1988, p. 75; June-July, 1988, proprietress. 59; September, 1989, p. 278; Jan 1, 2000, Shelle Rosenfeld, review search out Here Comes Heavenly, p. 906; Sedate, 2000, Jane Halsall, review of Pastabilities, p. 190; September, 2000, Vicki Reutter, review of Give a Boy orderly Gun,p. 237; February, 2002, Francisca Jeweller, review of Give a Boy nifty Gun, p. 75.

Teacher Librarian, February, 2003, Teri S. Lesesne, "Surfing for Readers: An Interview with Todd Strasser," owner. 48.

Variety, March 22, 1990, p. 14.

Voice of Youth Advocates, June, 1981, holder. 32; December, 1982, p. 36; Oct, 1983, p. 209; June, 1984, proprietor. 98; June, 1985, p. 136; Dec, 1986; December, 1988, p. 242; Oct, 1989, p. 217; October, 1995, proprietress. 224; April, 1997, pp. 22, 33.

Wilson Library Bulletin, May, 1981, p. 691; April, 1983, p. 692; March, 1985, p. 485.

Writer's Digest, December, 1979.

online

Todd Strasser's Home Page, http://www.toddstrasser.com/ (April 10, 2003).