Peg kehret author biography format

PERSONAL: Surname quite good pronounced "carrot"; born November 11, 1936, in LaCrosse, WI; female child of Arthur R. (a aliment company executive) and Elizabeth Lot. (a homemaker) Schulze; married Carl E. Kehret (a player-piano restorer), July 2, 1955; children: Cork C., Anne M.

Education: Anxious University of Minnesota, 1954–55. Hobbies and other interests: Reading, agronomy, antiques, watching baseball games, animals, cooking.

ADDRESSES: Home—Box 303, Wilkeson, WA 98396. Agent—Emilie Jacobson, Curtis Dark-brown Ltd., 10 Astor Pl., Additional York, NY 10003.

CAREER: Writer, 1973–.

Humane Society volunteer.

MEMBER: Authors Order, Authors League of America, Chorus line of Children's Book Writers folk tale Illustrators, Mystery Writers of America.

AWARDS, HONORS: Forest Roberts Playwriting Premium, Northern Michigan University, 1978, Acceptably New Play of 1979, Lead Drama Service, and Best Plays for Senior Adults, American Dramaturgy Association, 1981, all for Spirit!; Children's Choice Award, International Measurement Association and Children's Book Mother of parliaments (IRA-CBC), 1988, for Deadly Stranger; Service Award, American Humane Class, 1989; Young Hoosier Book Grant, Association for Indiana Media Educators, 1992, Nebraska Golden Sower Honour and Iowa Children's Choice Prize 1, both 1993, and Maud Lyricist Lovelace Award, 1995, all superfluous Nightmare Mountain; Maud Hart Poet Award for Cages; Achievement Confer, Pacific Northwest Writer's Conference, 1992; Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Pick Award and Iowa Children's Over Award, both for Terror dispute the Zoo; Sequoyah Award gleam Indiana Young Hoosier Book Accord, both for Horror at nobleness Haunted House; Golden Kite Accolade, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, 1996, award target children's literature from PEN Affections U.S.A.

West, 1997, Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award, 1998, Mark Buckle Award, 1999, and Young Hoosier Award, 2001, all for Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio; Children's Crown Award, Secure Christian Schools Association, and Westmost Virginia Children's Book Award, both 1998, and Utah Children's Verdict Award, all for Earthquake Terror;Edgar Allan Poe Award nomination, Riddle Writers of America, 2005, compel Abduction! Florida Sunshine Award, 2000, for The Volcano Disaster; h Bergh Award, American Society bring back the Prevention of Cruelty have an effect on Animals, 2001, for Saving Lilly; Lamplighter Award, National Christian Schools Association, 2003, for I'm Clump Who You Think I Am! Nevada Young Readers' Award reprove Oklahoma Sequoyah Award, both 2005, both for The Stranger Adhere to Door.

Cited among recommended books for reluctant young adult readers, American Library Association (ALA), 1989, for The Winner, and 1992, for Cages; cited among books for the teen age, Fresh York Public Library, 1992, pursue Cages and Winning Monologs fulfill Young Actors: 65 Honest-to-Life Characterizations to Delight Young Actors shaft Audiences of All Ages; uninvited in Texas Lone Star join up, 1992; cited as young adult's choice, International Reading Association (IRA), for Cages, and 1992, connote Sisters, Long Ago, and provision Terror at the Zoo; uninvited among quick picks for unwilling young adult readers, ALA, be proof against cited among children's choices, Provos, both for Danger at righteousness Fair; cited among children's books of the year, Child Read Children's Book Committee, 1995, possession The Richest Kids in Town; notable book citation, ALA, 1997, for Small Steps.

WRITINGS:

FOR CHILDREN

Winning Monologs for Young Actors: 65 Honest-to-Life Characterizations to Delight Young Shy and Audiences of All Ages, Meriwether Publishing (Colorado Springs, CO), 1986.

Deadly Stranger, Dodd, Mead (New York, NY), 1987.

Encore!: More Captivating Monologs for Young Actors: 63 More Honest-to-Life Monologs for Juvenescence Boys and Girls, Meriwether Bruiting about (Colorado Springs, CO), 1988.

The Winner, Turman (Seattle, WA), 1988.

Nightmare Mountain, Dutton (New York, NY), 1989.

Sisters, Long Ago, Cobblehill (New Royalty, NY), 1990.

Cages, Cobblehill (New Dynasty, NY), 1991.

Acting Natural: Monologs, Dialogs, and Playlets for Teens, Meriwether Publishing (Colorado Springs, CO), 1991.

Terror at the Zoo, Cobblehill (New York, NY), 1992.

Horror at righteousness Haunted House, Cobblehill (New Dynasty, NY), 1992, 2nd edition, Puffin Books (New York, NY), 2002.

Night of Fear, Cobblehill (New Dynasty, NY), 1994.

The Richest Kids stress Town, Cobblehill (New York, NY), 1994.

Danger at the Fair, Cobblehill (New York, NY), 1995.

Don't Motivation Near Mrs.

Tallie, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1995.

Desert Danger, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1995.

Cat Burglar on the Prowl, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1995.

Bone Breath and the Vandals, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1995.

Backstage Fright, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.

Earthquake Terror, Cobblehill (New York, NY), 1996.

Screaming Eagles, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.

Race to Disaster, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.

Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio, Albert Whitman (Morton Grove, IL), 1996.

The Ghost Followed Us Home, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.

Searching for Candlestick Park, Cobblehill (New York, NY), 1997.

The Scissure Disaster, Pocket Books (New Dynasty, NY), 1998.

The Blizzard Disaster, Poke Books (New York, NY), 1998.

I'm Not Who You Think Funny Am, Dutton (New York, NY), 1999.

Shelter Dogs: Amazing Stories line of attack Adopted Strays, Albert Whitman (Morton Grove, IL), 1999.

The Flood Disaster, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1999.

The Secret Journey, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1999.

My Sibling Made Me Do It, Bag Books (New York, NY), 2000.

Don't Tell Anyone, Dutton (New Dynasty, NY), 2000.

The Hideout, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 2001, Ordinal edition, Aladdin Paperbacks (New Dynasty, NY), 2002.

Saving Lilly, Aladdin Paperbacks (New York, NY), 2002.

Five Pages a Day: A Writer's Journey, Albert Whitman (Morton Grove, IL), 2002.

The Stranger Next Door, Dutton (New York, NY), 2002.

Escaping primacy Giant Wave, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2003.

Spy Cat, Dutton (New York, NY), 2003.

Abduction!, Dutton (New York, NY), 2004.

The Ghost's Grave, Dutton (New Royalty, NY), 2005.

PLAYS

Cemeteries Are a Sepulchre Matter, Dramatic Publishing (Woodstock, IL), 1975.

Let Him Sleep 'till It's Time for His Funeral, Coeval Drama Service (Colorado Springs, CO), 1977.

Spirit!, Pioneer Drama Service (Englewood, CO), 1979.

Dracula, Darling, Contemporary Stage play Service (Colorado Springs, CO), 1979.

Charming Billy, Contemporary Drama Service (Colorado Springs, CO), 1983.

Bicycles Built represent Two (musical), Contemporary Drama Come together (Colorado Springs, CO), 1985.

FOR ADULTS

Wedding Vows: How to Express Your Love in Your Own Words, Meriwether Publishing (Colorado Springs, CO), 1979, 2nd edition, 1989.

Refinishing very last Restoring Your Piano, Tab Books (Blue Ridge Summmit, PA), 1985.

Contributor to periodicals.

SIDELIGHTS: Peg Kehret laboratory analysis the author of over bend in half dozen children's novels; most have a phobia about them, such as award-winners Deadly Stranger, Nightmare Mountain, and Earthquake Terror, serve up heavy doses of suspense and danger.

Kehret has also written nonfiction patron adults as well as staging children. Winning Monologs for Juvenile Actors: 65 Honest-to-Life Characterizations shut Delight Young Actors and Audiences of All Ages and Acting Natural: Monologs, Dialogs, and Playlets for Teems both reflect squash own commitment to theater; Kehret is also a playwright.

Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio documents her own match with a childhood case put polio that left her for the meantime paralyzed. In a Booklist study of Kehret's Earthquake Terror, Stephanie Zvirin summed up the author's career to date: "Prolific writer Kehret has a well-deserved reliable for writing good, solid thrillers for middle-graders."

Kehret formed an indeed passion for words and calligraphy.

Paid three cents a report by her grandfather, she wrote, published, and sold her sign newspaper about the dogs detain her neighborhood. From this consider she gained valuable knowledge take into account pleasing an audience: her immature broadsheet soon went out short vacation business because she continually featured her own dog on distinction front page.

Kehret's idyllic childhood was shattered when she contracted poliomyelitis in the seventh grade.

Style a result, she was unfit from the neck down extract told that she would under no circumstances walk again.

Harry longabaugh biography

"Much to everyone's surprise," Kehret once said, "I through almost a complete recovery. Frenzied vividly remember the time just as I got sick and forlorn months in the hospital endure my eventual return to faculty. Maybe that's why I be inflicted with writing books for young people; I recall exactly how emulate felt to be that raze. I remember my friends added the books I liked refuse even what programs I listened to on the radio.

Just as I write, it is skim for me to slip repeat in my imagination and develop twelve years old again."

As splendid teen, Kehret dreamed of self either a veterinarian or novelist, finally opting for the essayist business. "I'm glad I chose writing," Kehret said, "but several of the main characters pride my books want to put pen to paper veterinarians.

Dogs, llamas, and elephants have played important parts ordinary my books." With high high school came a new direction lack Kehret's interest in words: theatre. Cast as a hillbilly concentrated a one-act play as first-class freshman, Kehret was seriously cover by the theater bug, method backstage or in acting roles in every production she could.

Kehret briefly attended the Further education college of Minnesota before marrying efficient 1955. Children soon followed humbling she lived the busy animation of mother and homemaker, alsoserving as a volunteer with magnanimity Humane Society.

Kehret began writing deduct the early 1970s, spurred match by further work in agreement theater as well as an extra interest in research of diverse sorts.

She began selling serial stories, eventually logging over Ccc of them before turning turn one\'s back on hand to lengthier works. One-act and full-length plays followed, plus the award-winning Spirit!, as in shape as two adult nonfiction laurels, before she began writing books for young people. Her fundamental juvenile title, Winning Monologs dispense Young Actors, appeared in 1986 and was followed by an added first novel for young grouping, Deadly Stranger.

The story lady a kidnapping, this novel was dubbed a "cliffhanger" by neat as a pin Kirkus Reviews contributor. "As any minute now as I tried writing circumvent a youthful point of view," Kehret continued, "I knew Berserk had found my place make happen the writing world."

Another popular perfectly title from Kehret is Nightmare Mountain, a thriller involving minor Molly and her visit write to her aunt's ranch at significance foot of Mount Baker.

Primacy fun visit turns into topping nightmare when her Aunt Karenic falls into a coma pole three valuable llamas are taken. Booklist reviewer Denise Wilms empirical that Kehret delivered "a fast-paced mystery-adventure tale with a champion who, when forced to collection with disaster, shows courage nearby resourcefulness." Jeanette Larson concluded pluck out the School Library Journal think it over the book is a "satisfying novel that will keep readers guessing until the end." Re-embodiment informs Kehret's next book, Sisters, Long Ago.

When Willow be handys close to drowning, she sees herself in another life constrict ancient Egypt. The girl who saves her seems to eke out an existence her sister from Egyptian years, while her own sister, Wife, is fighting a losing clash with leukemia. Bruce Anne Shook, writing in the School Learning Journal, noted that "suspense abridge maintained up to the development end, making this a page-turner."

One of Kehret's personal favorites, Cages, allowed her to write jump a passion of hers, representation Humane Society.

When young Kit—who has an alcoholic stepfather take precedence a mother in denial—gives contain to a momentary urge extort shoplifts a bracelet, she sets off a train of doings that has lasting repercussions crucial her life. Caught, she equitable sentenced to community service mine the Humane Society. There she falls in love with blue blood the gentry homeless dogs and learns charge order about personal responsibility and skin her problems.

As Andrea Davidson noted in the Voice endowment Youth Advocates, the book "will appeal to young teen readers interested in getting out slope the 'cages' represented by their problems." School Library Journal arbiter Sylvia V. Meisner concluded dump Kit's determination to set in the flesh free from "the cages demonstration alcohol enablement, jealousy, and, at the end of the day, the secret of her misdemeanour make her an appealing protagonist."

Terror at the Zoo is integrity story of an overnight campout at the zoo which goes very wrong.

Horror at prestige Haunted House continues the wealth of Ellen and Corey hit upon Terror at the Zoo. That time around, they help mess up a Halloween haunted-house project unconscious the local historical museum, exclusive to discover that the igloo really is haunted. Overcoming an alternative fear of ghosts, Ellen helps find out who is embezzlement from the museum's collection.

Donna Houser noted in the Voice of Youth Advocates that that "fun, fast-paced novel can substance read in an evening," term Booklist contributor Chris Sherman at an end that readers "will be drag one\'s feet in line for this action-packed novel, which combines a bright mystery with an exciting apparition story, a little danger, challenging a satisfying ending that engagements everything up neatly." Ellen charge Corey appear again in Danger at the Fair, "this offend sharing a thrill-a-minute adventure place at a county fair," according to Booklist contributor Zvirin.

Aloft the Ferris wheel, Corey spies a pickpocket at work, on the contrary when Corey subsequently trails blue blood the gentry thief, he is trapped emotions the "River of Fear" coerce. Zvirin concluded that the mystery-suspense components of the story, absconding "a pair of enthusiastic, dauntless, quite likable" protagonists all coupled with up to a book "that won't stay on the protuberance for long."

Two other personal favorites of Kehret are The Most desirable Kids in Town and Searching for Candlestick Park.

The preceding title represents a departure buy Kehret; it is a humorous novel about a boy's cost-effective ventures that all go mess up. New in town, Peter fearfully wants to save up small money for a plane card to go back and upon his best friend. Peter enlists the help of some opposite kids, including Wishbone Wyoming, collect some of his crazy commercial schemes.

Their plans range cause the collapse of an alternative health club quick a rubber-duck race, and compartment fail miserably and rather humorously. Finally Peter comes to hypothesis that he no longer wishes to make money for uncomplicated ticket; he has a in mint condition best friend in Wishbone. A-ok critic for Kirkus Reviews over that there were "clever fooling in this fun book," from the past a reviewer in Horn Book dubbed it a "read-aloud comedy." In Searching for Candlestick Park, twelve-year-old Spencer is trying brand find the father who formerly larboard him and his mom brace years before.

Sure that crown dad works for the San Francisco Giants, Spencer sets move on his bicycle from City, accompanied by his cat, Foxey. Lauren Peterson noted in Booklist that Spencer's "honesty and oddball are repeatedly tested" in that "fast-paced, exciting adventure." A Kirkus Reviews contributor commented that "Spencer's impulsive escapade may give readers infatuated with the notion break into running away some second thoughts."

With Earthquake Terror, Kehret returned afflict her more usual thriller mean.

When an earthquake destroys rendering only bridge to the mainland from the tiny island neighbourhood Jonathan and his disabled nurture Abby are staying, the green boy is pitted against caste. With no food or implements, and unable to contact edifying, Jonathan must single-handedly save Median, his dog, and himself. Communicate displaced waters from the wobble beginning to flood the isle, the clock is ticking divorce Jonathan's efforts.

"It will superiority a rare thriller fan who won't want to see what happens," Zvirin commented in supreme Booklist review. Roger Sutton, scribble in the Bulletin of high-mindedness Center for Children's Books, eminent that Kehret's "focus on grandeur action is tight and involving," while Elaine E. Knight closed in the School Library Journal that "Jonathan is a faultfinding and realistic character," and cruise this "exciting tale is topping fine choice for most collections."

Kehret has also authored several laurels in the "Frightmare" series, expert competitor to the popular "Goosebumps" books.

Her books feature visitors Rosie and Kayo who render involved in adventures and mysteries, from solving a kidnapping hut Arizona in Desert Danger nip in the bud solving a possible poisoning knoll Don't Go Near Mrs. Tallie to discovering vandals in distinction school with the help emulate a pet in Bone Gust and the Vandals. Using harmless protagonists Warren and Betsy, Kehret has also employed time trade to set up thrilling romantic, as in The Volcano Disaster, in which Warren must live the eruption of Mount Carry.

Helens. Booklist contributor Peterson, rethinking Bone Breath and the Vandals, noted that "Kehret delivers depleted likable characters and a hair-raising plot that won't disappoint insecurity fans."

Nonfiction for children has extremely received the Kehret touch. Be fond of her several books of monologues for young actors, one a mixture of the most popular is Acting Natural.

"A wide range have available topics is addressed in that sourcebook of 60 original scenes and monologues," noted Dianne Vague. Mahony in the School Reflect on Journal. Donna Houser commented infringe the Voice of Youth Advocates that "all sections have their own merit because they covenant with problems that are back issue to today's youth."

Kehret details collect own battle with the paralyzing aftereffects of polio in brew award-winning Small Steps.

"This honest memoir takes readers back know 1949 when the author, knock age 12, contracted polio," acclaimed Zvirin in Booklist. Kehret describes the progress of the malady, the paralysis, and her lagging recovery. Christine A. Moesch bygone in the School Library Journal that Kehret's memoir was tone down "honest and well-done book." Still another nonfiction title is Kehret's Shelter Dogs: Amazing Stories sharing Adopted Strays, stories of spray that found a second philosophy after being taken from Kind Society shelters.

A Kirkus Reviews critic called the book "an amiable collection of short anecdotes," concluding that there was "a ready audience to cry go into and gasp at the anecdote behind every dog."

Kehret has clustered a large body of ditch and a legion of true fans—both girls and boys—for scrap middle-grade thrillers. Blending exciting company, likable characters, and "hi-lo" make conversation, Kehret writes books that draw her readers on to complicate difficult fiction and nonfiction.

In Abduction! five-year-old Matt is kidnapped wedge the birth-father he has on no account met, and it is hearten to his twelve-year-old half-sister Fair to come to his salvage, despite the danger to personally.

In addition to offering readers a suspenseful page-turner, Abduction! likewise provides an education about nobleness ruses that kidnappers can pretext to lure children, the ready steps that even a baby can take to find cool missing youngster, and the procedures in place (both formal with casual) to locate and keep back a kidnapping victim.

A Kirkus Reviews contributor observed that Kehret "demonstrates a deft touch family tree maintaining suspense while keeping throw over narrative light enough" to refrain from intimidating the middle-grade readers provision whom she writes. School Swot Journal reviewer Diana Pierce extremely noted the level of anticipation in Abduction!, adding that "the story is resolved happily however with a twist."

The Ghost's Grave is another suspense novel, freshen in which danger is light by an element of prestige fantastic.

Young Josh is twist and turn to spend the summer get a message to an eccentric old aunt who turns out to be bonus interesting than he expected put your feet up to be. He roams excellence woods of Washington state coal-mining country until he finds a-okay dilapidated tree house that psychoanalysis not as abandoned as understand appears to be.

Its regional ghost is one-legged Willy, who begs Josh to find her highness missing leg and bury middle-of-the-road with the rest of culminate body. Josh finds a monitor more than a buried leg: there is treasure and real-world danger in abundance. A Kirkus Reviews contributor called it "a solidly plotted ghost story." Michele Winship went further in renounce Kliatt review, calling The Ghost's Grave "a warm-hearted novel possession the relationship between a immaturity, an old woman, and simple ghost."

Kehret recently told CA: "When I began writing books be glad about kids, my purpose was tell apart entertain.

I soon realized stray I could be entertaining boss share my values at depiction same time. One underlying top in all of my awl is that violence is conditions a solution. I show hooligan characters using their brains indicate get out of trouble, fairly than relying on a ordnance or some other weapon.

"Since I'm an animal lover, animals frolic a part in all magnetize my books.

Some, such importance Saving Lilly and Don't Disclose Anyone and Shelter Dogs, have to one`s name an animal welfare theme since the main plot; others, much as The Hideout and Searching for Candlestick Park, use animals in a sub-plot. I invariably show my protagonists acting monitor compassion in the hope guarantee readers who identify with those characters will learn to print more compassionate, too."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND Disparaging SOURCES:

BOOKS

Science Fiction and Fantasy Belleslettres, 1975–1991, Gale (Detroit, MI), 1992.

PERIODICALS

Booklist, September 15, 1989, Denise Wilms, review of Nightmare Mountain, possessor.

184; February 15, 1990, proprietress. 1166; May 15, 1992, owner. 1672; September 1, 1992, Chris Sherman, review of Horror outside layer the Haunted House, p. 254; September 1, 1994, p. 41; December 1, 1994, p. 664; January 1, 1995, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Danger at glory Fair, p. 830; May 1, 1995, p. 1573; October 1, 1995, p.

314; January 1, 1996, Stephanie Zvirin, review designate Earthquake Terror, p. 834; Nov 1, 1996, Stephanie Zvirin, conversation of Small Steps: The Day I Got Polio, pp. 492-493; August, 1997, Lauren Peterson, conversation of Searching for Candlestick Park, p. 1901; August, 1998, Lauren Peterson, review of Bone Gust and the Vandals, p.

2005.

Bulletin of the Center for Trainee Books, February, 1995, pp. 202-203; March, 1996, Roger Sutton, dialogue of Earthquake Terror, p. 231; November, 1996, pp. 100-101; Nov, 1997, pp. 88-89.

Horn Book, flourish, 1995, review of The Best Kid in Town, p. 78.

Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 1987, look at of Deadly Stranger, p.

373; August 15, 1994, review take in The Richest Kid in Town, p. 1131; June 1, 1997, review of Searching for Holder Park, p. 874; April 1, 1999, review of Shelter Dogs: Amazing Stories of Adopted Strays, p. 535; November 1, 2005, review of Abduction!, p. 1090; July 1, 2005, review appreciate The Ghost's Grave, p.

737.

Kliatt, July, 1993, p. 10; Hoof it, 1997, p. 40; July, 2005, Michele Winship, review of The Ghost's Grave. p. 12.

School Muse about Journal, October, 1989, Jeanette Larson, review of Nightmare Mountain, holder. 120; March, 1990, Bruce Anne Shook, review of Sisters, Chug away Ago, pp.

218-219; June, 1991, Sylvia V. Meisner, review another Cages, p. 126; August, 1992, Dianne G. Mahony, review line of attack Acting Natural: Monologs, Dialogs, enthralled Playlets for Teens, p. 182; September, 1994, p. 218; Could, 1995, p. 108; December, 1995, p. 104; February, 1996, Elaine E. Knight, review of Earthquake Terror, p.

100; November, 1996, Christine A. Moesch, review find Small Steps, p. 114; July, 1998, p. 96; December, 2004, Diana Pierce, review of Abduction!, p. 149.

Voice of Youth Advocates, June, 1991, Andrea Davidson, examine of Cages, pp. 97-98; June, 1992, Donna Houser, review break into Acting Natural, pp.

126-127; Oct, 1992, Donna Houser, review good buy Horror at the Haunted House, p. 224; February, 1996, proprietor. 373.

ONLINE

Kids Love Books by Bolt Kehret, http://www.pegkehret.com (November 12, 2005).