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Rosalyn Schanzer
11630 Havenner Road Fairfax Station, VA 22039 703-425-5820
roz.schanzer@cox.net 
Author/illustrator Rosalyn Schanzer, who writes books about American history's greatest adventures and tallest tales, can't seem to sit still. That's why she has had a few adventures of her own. This nationally ranked Master's swimmer and traveling photographer has taken pictures of wild African lions and elephants from two feet away and has peered into the eyes of giant Galapagos tortoises as tall as she is. She has swum with sharks, kayaked with whales, hiked the Andes and explored ancient Incan ruins in Peru and Bolivia. And that’s not all. She has rafted through whitewater in lush Costa Rican rainforests, tasted tamarinds in the remote dry forests of Ecuador, photographed legendary golden temples in Thailand and helped to sail a world-famous racing boat from Bermuda to Boston via the Bermuda Triangle. For years, Schanzer painted the pictures for literally hundreds of books, magazine articles, posters, and games for children, but they were all written by other people. Finally, she decided to try a new kind of adventure; if she wanted to do paint the kinds of things she loved the best, she would have to start writing a few books herself. So back in 1994, she began to write and illustrate the first of many highly acclaimed books about famous adventurers from American history.
The list of Schanzer's books below begins with a brand new tale of adventure that's hot off the presses. In his very own words, young Charles Darwin tells the tale of his incredible voyage all the way around the world and then shows us exactly how he solves one of the greatest mysteries of all time.  Books
WHAT DARWIN SAW; THE JOURNEY THAT CHANGED THE WORLD
When Charles Darwin was 22 years old, he was offered the chance of a lifetime - to join the adventurous crew of the Beagle, a sailing ship about to begin a five-year journey round the world. He jumped at the chance! Sail along with Darwin in this deliciously illustrated, meticulously researched graphic novel packed with quotes from his own Beagle Diary, letters, and books. As the ship's naturalist, Darwin discovers gigantic fossils and exotic new animals of every description. He watches volcanoes explode and earthquakes destroy entire towns. He explores jungles dripping with orchids, climbs the highest mountain peaks, and visits tropical islands surrounded by living coral reefs. And he meets people who live differently from anything he could have ever imagined. And as he travels, Darwin begins to unravel a mystery so enormous that it will change the way we look at our world forever! What is this mystery? And how will his solution secure his reputation as one of the greatest scientists of all time? Join Charles Darwin and find out.
JOHN SMITH ESCAPES AGAIN!
Maybe you've heard of John Smith, the guy who was rescued from certain death by Pocahontas. But did you know that this English farmer's son was also America's first superstar? During his amazing life, Smith was a heroic warrior, a slave, a world explorer, a pirate, a president, a prisoner, a peacekeeper, and the writer whose books jump-started the Great American Dream of a better life on these shores. Most surprising of all is that during his day, he must have been the greatest escape artist on the planet! Just in time for the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, this true story recounts the full details of John Smith's eventful life-and tells how he escaped from danger over and over and over again. "Students of history will most appreciate the new light shed on this plucky voyager, but adventure fans will also be swept up in his escapades." "The adventurer John Smith...here receives a beguiling tribute as 'America's first genuine superstar.'...A larger-than-life figure well worth rediscovering...Perhaps the greatest service rendered by the illustrations is their myth-busting portrayal of Pocahontas as a genuine little girl, head mostly shaved except for one long braid, face painted red." "Schanzer’s fact-filled text, complemented by colorful illustrations, ably makes her case that Smith was 'America’s first genuine superstar.'"
”Schanzer has done extensive research for both her text and her engaging cartoon illustrations. Children will be delighted...A great choice for all collections.”
GEORGE VS. GEORGE; THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AS SEEN FROM BOTH SIDES
Was King George III a "Royal Brute?" American patriots said so. But others hailed him as "the Father of the People." Was George Washington a traitor? The king's supporters thought so. But many celebrated Washington as "the father of his country." Who was right? There are two sides to every story.
"…Schanzer states that her challenge was to "-cram 20 years of history, biography, and philosophy into a picture book that kids could grasp and enjoy." She has been entirely successful… The illustrations are amazing. Almost Brueghelesque in their detail, they show the major players as they actually looked… This is a lovely book, showing historical inquiry at its best: consideration of both sides, a sound research basis, attribution of sources, and interesting writing."
"…an uncommonly balanced view of the American Revolution for younger readers… This carefully researched reminder that the Revolution was an "us vs. us" conflict, not an "us vs. them" conflict should be required reading for all young students of American history." "Visually exciting…vibrant overview of a complicated subject will encourage readers to want to learn more." "Schanzer does a great job showing the American Revolution from both sides. This is a must have for every home and school library!"
HOW BEN FRANKLIN STOLE THE LIGHTNING
Nonfiction; Focuses on Benjamin Franklin's role as an inventor of whimsical gadgets and practical contraptions, with an emphasis on his experiment of flying a kite during a rainstorm.
"this effervescent tribute will give legions of young readers a peerless role model."
"a charming biography of the man who invented the lightning rod…Wonderfully illustrated in bright colors with a cartoon style, this book has many details for a child to investigate.
"...Exceptionally engaging Picture Book...Crackling-with-energy, Full-Color Illustrations."
"Schanzer's bright illustrations and witty language combine in a charming portrait of this larger-than-life, good-humored man."
"Well conceived and crafted, this fresh view is particularly welcome."
"Schanzer's lively writing and drawing style again make history come alive. Exhilarating!"
DAVY CROCKETT SAVES THE WORLD
Davy Crockett stops the evil Halley's Comet from destroying the world, and wins the heart of feisty Sally Sugartree in the process.
"Schanzer's lickety-split pace and picaresque prose are equal parts swagger and sass, and her vibrant, color drenched paintings extend the spirited tone."
THE OLD CHISHOLM TRAIL; A COWBOY SONG
Rollicking illustrated version of the legendary song whose many verses were made up by cowboys herding cattle up the Old Chisholm Trail.
ESCAPING TO AMERICA; A TRUE STORY
Author tells how her father's family escaped from war in Poland in 1921 to seek a better life in America.
"Steerage has been described in many books, but never so clearly for this younger age group... Schanzer draws pictures with words as well as with her art."
GOLD FEVER; TALES FROM THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH
The story of the California Gold Rush that began in 1848 is told by the lively prospectors themselves, using excerpts from their letters, journals, and newspaper articles.
"The strongest of several books published this year to mark the sesquicentennial of the Gold Rush…The multiracial aspect of Gold Rush society is well portrayed and not sanitized…And it's fun to boot, packed with amusing anecdotes as well as hard facts…History at its most entertaining."
HOW WE CROSSED THE WEST; THE ADVENTURES OF LEWIS AND CLARK
Through quotes from the traveler's own journals, you'll relive hair-raising adventures and narrow escapes as Lewis and Clark make the famous Voyage of Discovery that opened the West. Received starred reviews from School Library Journal and Publisher's Weekly, which called it "a must-have for anyone with an interest in American History."
EZRA'S QUEST; FOLLOW THAT DOG
To find his stolen dog, a boy must make his way through a series of colorful, complex picture mazes, each of which is packed with information about life in medieval times. Rhyming text.
EZRA IN PURSUIT; THE GREAT MAZE CHASE
A boy and his dog pursue three bank robbers through the Wild West of 1774 via a series of complex, humorous picture mazes packed with information about the American frontier. Rhyming text.
Other Books Illustrated by Rosalyn Schanzer
THE TRUE-OR-FALSE BOOK OF CATS
Author: Patricia Lauber Publisher: National Geographic Society ISBN (Hardcover): 0-7922-3440-5 ISBN (Paperback): 0-7922-6694-3
THE TRUE-OR-FALSE BOOK OF HORSES
Author: Patricia Lauber Publisher: HarperCollins ISBN: 0-688-16919-8
THE TRUE-OR-FALSE BOOK OF DOGS
Publisher: HarperCollins 2003 ISBN #: 0-06-029767-0 Author: Patricia Lauber ~Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Best Book Award for 2004
MACCABBEE JAMBOREE
TEN GOOD RULES WHERE IS THE AFIKOMEN ALL ABOUT HANUKKAH I CAN CELEBRATE MY FIRST JEWISH WORD BOOK IN THE SYNAGOGUE BIBLE HEROES I CAN BE IT HAPPENED IN SHUSHAN Publisher, all of the above: Kar-Ben PublishingA complete listing for each of the above can be made available upon request. Links To work with Rosalyn Schanzer, see our Speakers Bureau.
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The writing has turned out to be more fun (and more challenging) than Schanzer ever imagined. How could she tempt readers to step into the past? First she became a detective. Her job was to ferret out highly accurate and unusual research that few people have found before. That way she could offers peeks at the juiciest journals, letters, and songs of real people who lived through wild adventures long ago. And she could mix heroic deeds with funny stories and small everyday events so that the stars of her books weren't just wooden statues. One time, she wrote a hilarious tall tale to introduce a southern superhero, and another time, she uncovered a more serious saga from her very own ancestors that told about their escape from war-torn Poland in 1921. In a couple of early books, she even invited kids to step directly into the pictures in her stories. How? By daring them to solve colorful, rollicking picture mazes that wound through the scenery from days of yore. (The dead ends were truly perilous!)
