Before They Were Authors: Famous Writers as Kids by Elizabeth Haidle
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on May 14th 2019
ISBN: 1328801535
Pages: 64
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Goodreads

A brief glimpse into the lives of  10 authors: Mark Twain, Maya Angelou, Dr. Seuss, Sandra Cisneros, Roald Dahl, J.K. Rowling, Gene Luen Yang, Beatrix Potter, C.S. Lewis, and Madeleine L’Engle. Each chapter features one author, with a portrait and timeline page followed by four pages of biographical information. Controversial or distressing details are neglected. Their life stories are punctuated by pleasant watercolor illustrations.

The book begins with a “What Makes a Writer” introduction, reminding readers that there is no one path to authorship and the importance of passion and determination. Each author entry shows how these characteristics led to their ultimate success.

While the book is written appropriately for ages 9-12, the subjects of the book may be less interesting for the intended audience as they may not have yet read works by Mark Twain, Maya Angelou, or even Beatrix Potter. While the argument could be made that these are important authors for children to know about, I’m sure children would enjoy learning about some more familiar and recent favorites. Additionally, according to the subtitle, I was expecting the entries to focus on the authors’ childhoods to great detail but they followed the authors well into their adulthood. Consequently, the purpose of this book feels confused. The intent of the book seems more about encouraging young writers to develop their craft rather than the childhoods of famous authors. The title should reflect the content of the book more clearly.

Source notes and Bibliography included.

 

Reviewed by Kerrie Lattari, York Middle School, York