Dodds, Dayle Ann 1952–

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Dodds, Dayle Ann 1952–

PERSONAL: Born June 14, 1952, in Ridgewood, NJ; daughter of Theodore (a lawyer) and Edith (a homemaker; maiden name, Moog) Bruinsma; married Glen Dodds (an architect), December 6, 1976; children: Jaime, Greg. Education: California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, B.S.

ADDRESSES: Agent—c/o Author Mail, Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 19 Union Square W., New York, NY 10003.

CAREER: Writer. Teacher and teacher's aide for kindergarten, first through third grades, and art classes in Palo Alto, CA, 1975–78; administrative assistant for a publishing company in Palo Alto, CA, 1978–80; freelance proofreader, 1980–82; writer, 1989–.

MEMBER: Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

WRITINGS:

FOR CHILDREN

Wheel Away!, illustrated by Thatcher Hurd, Harper (New York, NY), 1989.

On Our Way to Market, illustrated by John Gurney, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1991.

Do Bunnies Talk?, illustrated by Arlene Dubanevich, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1992.

The Color Box, illustrated by Giles Laroche, Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 1992.

Sardines, illustrated by Jerry Smath, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1993.

The Shape of Things, illustrated by Julie Lacome, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1994.

Sing, Sophie!, illustrated by Rosanne Litzinger, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1994.

Someone Is Hiding: A Lift-the-Flap Counting Game, illustrated by Jerry Smith, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 1994.

Ghost and Pete, Random House (New York, NY), 1995.

The Great Divide, illustrated by Tracy Mitchell, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1999.

Pet Wash, illustrated by Tor Freeman, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2001.

The Kettles Get New Clothes, illustrated by Jill McElmurry, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2002.

Where's Pup?, illustrated by Pierre Pratt, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2003.

Henry's Amazing Machine illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker, Farrar, Straus & Giroux (New York, NY), 2004.

Minnie's Diner: A Multiplying Menu, illustrated by John Manders, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2004.

Hello, Sun!, illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2005.

Too Many Pets, illustrated by Marylin Hafner, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2006.

The Prince Won't Go to Bed, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (New York, NY), 2007.

SIDELIGHTS: Dayle Ann Dodds is the author of a number of children's books, many of which are targeted at preschool and early elementary-aged students. In a review of Where's Pup?, Ann Ketcheson of Resource Links wrote: "Dodds … knows how to keep her young readers entertained."

Sing, Sophie! is about a cowboy hat-wearing girl who is trying to sing the songs she has written, but no one in her family wants to listen. That is, until a thunderstorm disturbs her little brother Jacob. Her song distracts him, making everyone happy. A Publishers Weekly reviewer noted: "There is such upbeat cheer in each of Sophie's country and western laments."

The hero at the center of Henry's Amazing Machine has enjoyed building objects from an early age. Beginning at the age of six, he started construction on the title machine, which grows in size and eventually pushes his family out of his home. Though his family makes him stop building it because of the crowds the machine has attracted, a chance meeting with a carnival owner gives the machine, the carnival, and Henry a new life. Marge Loch-Wouters of the School Library Journal claimed: "Dodd's text has a rhythm and pace that begs to be read aloud."

With Minnie's Diner: A Multiplying Menu, Dodds combines a lesson on multiplication with a trip to a diner. The five brothers McFay are working on their father's farm, until hunger compels them to head to Minnie's Diner to eat. One by one, the brothers place their order, with each doubling the order of the previous brother. Their meal is almost ended when their father finds them and wants them to return to their chores, but decides to eat there himself. Martha V. Parravano, reviewing the book in the Horn Book Magazine, stated: "The text succeeds on all counts, with a clearly laid out concept, a jaunty rhyme scheme, and a chantable refrain."

Hello, Sun! chronicles the attempts of a young girl and her pet cat to dress for the weather. The pair has to change each time they open the door until their clothes finally match the climate and they can play outside. In Booklist, Carolyn Phelan commented: "The easy rhymes and bouncing rhythms of the verse set a brisk pace for the story."

Dodds once commented: "I enjoyed reading stories of fantasy most of all. Grimm's Fairy Tales were probably my favorite, especially 'The Twelve Dancing Princesses,' who sneaked off into the night without being caught and danced their shoes to pieces. I was the youngest child in my family, and in many of Grimm's tales, the youngest child grew to become the smartest after all the others failed. I also loved the story of the tablecloth that became filled with luscious food when the boy commanded 'Spread yourself.' What a wonderful treasure that would be to own! I read The Wizard of Oz over and over and the tales of Hans Christian Andersen, then my tastes took a turn to the whimsical and humorous. I loved Homer Price's misadventures, especially the donut-making machine that went out of control and the ball of string that grew bigger and bigger. I carried this love for cumulative building and 'out-of-control' happenings into my own stories later on.

"It wasn't until college that the thought of writing books for children came to me. A class on children's literature sparked a longing to relive the excitement of the stories of my youth. I found myself reading children's books once again.

"I am now working on a middle grade novel, which I hope to complete sometime soon. But I haven't given up on picture books. I have a few ideas up my sleeve, and as long as children keep enjoying my books, I will keep writing them!"