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Laura Krauss Melmed c/o HarperCollins Books
"When I eat pickles, my elbow tickles." According to family lore I shouted out my first original poem after being tucked into bed one night at the age of three. I guess the sound of words fascinated me even then. I know I fell in love with books quite early and that my parents had a lot to do with it. Although they weren't college graduates, they loved literature and art. Our apartment in New York City had shelves full of good books and walls hung with prints by Picasso and Diego Rivera. Since our neighborhood was teeming with baby boom kids like me, I always had playmates despite being an only child. But at night behind our apartment door, there was only one rather quiet little girl to distract my father from the book he'd burrowed into after supper. He taught me to love reading by example. My mother played a more active role. Every week she walked me to the Forest Hills Branch of the New York Public Library. Every night at bedtime she read me a story. When I learned to read in Mrs. McLoin's first grade class at P.S. 101 it was like being handed a golden key - the key to our school library located in a tower at the top of a winding stair. There, I found tales of magic like the stories of Hans Christian Anderson, the Rainbow Fairy Books, and The Princess and the Goblins. Once I was allowed to go to the public library on my own, I would stagger home balancing tottery armloads of books. Often, I wistfully chose stories about large families, like The Saturdays and All of a Kind Family. Throughout my childhood I wrote poems, stories and plays that my friends and I performed on the roof of our apartment house. One summer after scaring myself silly reading the stories of Edgar Allen Poe, I made up tales of horror much demanded by my bunkmates after lights out at summer camp. Drawing and painting were favorite activities, often inspired by museum visits with my mom. Fast forward to college, where I majored in sociology and met my husband, Allan. In graduate school in New Orleans I studied early childhood education, then taught Head Start and Kindergarten in the public schools. After moving to Washington, DC, I started working in a different field but it involved writing. Our family grew to include our three children, Stephanie, Jonathan and Michael. I wrote my first picture book to answer Jonathan when he asked me, "What was the first song ever sung?" His question became the book's title and its refrain. Since then I've published many picture books illustrated by some incredibly gifted artists, and have come to think of myself as an author. Sometimes my stories, like Jumbo's Lullaby and A Hug Goes Around, are written in verse because I still enjoy playing with sounds. Others like The Rainbabies and Moishe's Miracle are in the style of the folktales I discovered in the magic-tower library. Lately, I've been writing some nonfiction, too. In my writing room under the eaves of the house, a window faces a grove of locust trees, home to a busy squirrel. Watching her comings and goings, I remind myself that this is not a waste of time. Who knows? Someday the little critter may scurry right into one of my books. Hmm…let me think, now…does anything rhyme with "squirrel"?
My Books
Fright Night Flight
"The moon sails high, the wind moans low, the fright night flight is set to go." It's the spookiest night of the year, so hop aboard for a rollicking, rhyming ride on the wacky witch's jet-fueled broom.
From rosy sun rising to moonlight on the mountain, hugs carry a big, loving family through the mishaps and adventures of an ordinary day. "This is a world where bad things are easily fixed by a hug and the love of family -- a nice, warm sentiment."
Count the Pilgrim and Wampanoag children getting ready for the big feast, together with lots of bunnies and other little animals. And don't forget to look for that clever turkey!
"Lots of smiles and counting practice result in a super read-aloud."
Moishe, a poor but generous milkman, receives a magic Hanukkah gift that serves up both delight and trouble.
"A MOO-raculous book. It will put you in the MOO-d for the holidays."
Under an African moon a mother elephant soothes her restless baby to sleep by imagining the other animals' dreams.
"An appealing goodnight book for young children and their weary parents."
Little Oh, an origami girl, is cherished by her human mother. When the two are accidentally separated, Little Oh rolls off in a teacup to greater adventures and surprises than either of them could have imagined.
"This new work belongs in the company of such standards as The Steadfast Tin Soldier, Pinocchio, The Peach Boy, and Thumbelina…. A flawless work…."
Each mother animal expresses her love to her child in a special way in this rhyming lullaby for the very young.
"A tender lullaby that may come in for wear and tear from the hugs of grateful young readers." A childless woman and her husband find a dozen magical "rainbabies" each no larger than a big toe. With tender care and courage they keep the babies safe from harm. But what will happen when the babies' real mother arrives to claim them?
"Extraordinarily beautiful.... It just plain delights children."
My Books Have Also Won:
For signed copies of my books please visit the Children's Literature website.
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