Dussling, Jennifer 1970-

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DUSSLING, Jennifer 1970-

PERSONAL: Born May 8, 1970, in Lima, PA; daughter of John and Ricky (Pfeifer) Dussling. Education: University of Delaware, B.A.; College of William and Mary, M.A.

ADDRESSES: Home—Highland Park, NJ. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Kane Press, 240 W. 35th St., Suite 300, New York, NY 10001.

CAREER: Writer; children's book editor.

AWARDS, HONORS: Big-Three Book Award, Nottingham City Libraries (Nottingham, England), 2003, for A Very Strange Doll's House.

WRITINGS:

FOR CHILDREN

Finger Painting, illustrated by Carrie Abel, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1995.

In a Dark, Dark House, illustrated by Davy Jones, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1995.

Under the Sea, illustrated by Marcos Monteiro, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1995.

Bossy Kiki, illustrated by Matthew Fox, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1996.

Stars, illustrated by Mavis Smith, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1996.

Kermit's Teeny Tiny Farm, illustrated by Rick Brown, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1996.

Creep Show, illustrated by Jeff Spackman, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1996.

Don't Call Me Names, illustrated by Tom Brannon, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1996.

A Very Strange Doll's House, Macmillan Children's Books (London, England), 1996, published as A Very Strange Dollhouse, illustrated by Sonja Lamut, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1996.

Don't Call Me Names! illustrated by Tom Brannon, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1996.

The Princess Lost Her Locket, illustrated by Jerry Smath, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1996.

Muppet Treasure Island, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1996.

Top Knots: The Ultimate Bracelet and Hair-wrapping Kit, illustrated by Edward Heins, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1996.

The Bunny Slipper Mystery, illustrated by Joe Ewers, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1997.

A Simple Wish, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1997.

Bug Off!, illustrated by Amy Wummer, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1997.

The Dinosaurs of the Lost World, Jurassic Park, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1997.

A Dozen Easter Eggs, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1997.

Jewel the Unicorn, illustrated by Rebecca McKillip Thornburgh, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1997.

Construction Trucks, illustrated by Courtney, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1998.

Tall Tale Trouble, illustrated by Lyndon Mosse, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1998.

Small Soldiers: The Movie Storybook, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1998.

A Heart for the Queen of Hearts, illustrated by Lynn Adams, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1998.

Slinky, Scaly Snakes, Dorling Kindersley (New York, NY), 1998.

The Magic Carpet Ride, illustrated by Jerry Smath, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1998.

Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!, Dorling Kindersley (New York, NY), 1998.

Pink Snow and Other Weird Weather, illustrated by Heidi Petach, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1998.

Gargoyles: Monsters in Stones, illustrated by Peter Church, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1999.

Giant Squid: Mystery of the Deep, illustrated by Pamela Johnson, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 1999.

The 100-Pound Problem, illustrated by Rebecca Mc-Killip Thornburgh, Kane Press (New York, NY), 2000.

Planets, illustrated by Denise Ortakales, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2000.

Dinosaur Eggs, illustrated by Pamela Johnson, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2000.

(Adapter) L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables, illustrated by Lydia Halverson, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2001.

Looking at Rocks, illustrated by Alan Drew-Brook-Cormack and Tim Haggerty, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2001.

The Rainbow Mystery, illustrated by Barry Gott, Kane Press (New York, NY), 2002.

Lightning: It's Electrifying, illustrated by Lori Osiecki, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2002.

Gotcha! illustrated by John A. Nez, Kane Press (New York, NY), 2003.

Fair Is Fair! illustrated by Diane Palimisciano, Kane Press (New York, NY), 2003.

SIDELIGHTS: Jennifer Dussling, a children's book editor for a New York City publishing house, is also a prolific author of children's picture books and early readers, with more than thirty titles to her credit since1995. She has written movie storybooks based on such popular films as Muppet Treasure Island and Small Soldiers, as well as titles in the "All Aboard Reading" and "Science Solves It" series, an adaptation of the novel Anne of Green Gables for younger readers, and a number of stand-alone picture books.

While growing up outside of Philadelphia, Dussling read avidly, but dreamed of becoming an artist. In college she studied both art and English literature, paving her way to a career in children's book publishing. Among her titles are several books about insects, including Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! for the "Eyewitness Readers" series. According to Patricia Manning of School Library Journal, Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! is a "chatty" book with the visually interesting, "user-friendly format" made famous by Dorling Kindersley Publishing. Also in this series is Dussling's Slinky, Scaly Snakes, which Jackie C. Horne called a "good" beginner nonfiction book in her Horn Book Guide review. Another "bug book," this time part of the "Eek! Stories to Make You Shriek" series, is Bug Off! Several reviewers doubted the book's ability to make anyone "shriek," and in Horn Book Guide Maeve Visser Knoth termed the early reader merely "serviceable."

In the "All Aboard Reading" series Dussling is responsible for several titles, including Planets, a "satisfying" introduction to our solar system featuring "kidfriendly examples" to quote Booklist contributor Gillian Engberg. Another title in this series is Gargoyles: Monsters in Stone, about the fanciful water-spouts featured in Gothic architecture. Writing in School Library Journal, Lisa Smith thought the text somewhat "choppy" yet the work generally "adequate" overall, while Booklist reviewer Ilene Cooper deemed Gargoyles a "fine treatment of an intriguing topic" and gave the book a starred review. For the "Science Solves It" series, Dussling contributed The Rainbow Mystery in which Annie and her friend Mike discover the science secret behind the rainbows that form on Annie's wall when the sun shines. Praising this work, Carolyn Phelan explained in her Booklist review that not only do the stories and illustrations appeal, they go over the top in showing the solve-the-mystery aspect of scientific investigation.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, October 1, 1999, Ilene Cooper, review of Gargoyles: Monsters in Stone, p. 365; December 1, 2000, Gillian Engberg, review of Planets, p. 735; September 15, 2002, Carolyn Phelan, review of Rainbow Mystery, p. 239.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, July, 1996, p. 368.

Horn Book Guide, spring, 1998, Maeve Visser Knoth, review of Bug Off!, p. 55; spring, 1999, Danielle J. Ford, review of Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!, p. 110; fall, 1999, Jackie C. Horne, review of Slinky, Scaly Snakes, p. 344; fall, 2001, Harry Clement Stubbs, review of Planets, p. 354; fall, 2001, Carolyn Shute, review of Anne of Green Gables, p. 293.

School Library Journal, January, 1999, Patricia Manning, review of Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!, p. 114; August, 1996, pp. 121, 134; February, 1998, Gale W. Sherman, review of Bug Off!, p. 85; November, 1999, Lisa Smith, review of Gargoyles, p. 136.