FREDERICKS, Anthony D. 1947–

PERSONAL:

Born February 25, 1947, in Los Angeles, CA; son of James B. (a lawyer) and Virginia D. (a homemaker) Fredericks; married Phyllis Disher (an artist), November 27, 1971; children: Rebecca, Jonathan. Education: University of Arizona, B.A., 1970; Kutztown State College, M.Ed., 1975; Lehigh University, Ed.D., 1980.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Dover, PA. Office—Department of Education, York College, York, PA 17405. Agent—(children's books) Sandy Ferguson Fuller, ALP Arts Co., 221 Fox Rd., Golden, CO 80403; (trade books) Kim Lionetti, Bookends LLC, 136 Long Hill Rd., Gillette, NJ 07933. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

U.S. Coast Guard, Alameda, CA, reading instructor, 1970-76; reading specialist for a public school district in Catasauqua, PA, 1976-87; York College, York, PA, professor of education, 1987—. Visiting professor at colleges and universities, including Pennsylvania State University, College of Alameda, and Reading Area Community College, between 1973 and 1987. South Central Reading Council, president-elect, 1990-92; Reading Teacher, member of editorial advisory board, 1991-93.

MEMBER:

International Reading Association, National Science Teachers Association, National Wildlife Federation, Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society, Keystone State Reading Association.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Innovative Teaching Award, Pennsylvania State Education Association, 1981; certificate of achievement, Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators, 1985.

WRITINGS:

for children

Simple Nature Experiments with Everyday Materials, illustrated by Frances W. Zweifel, Sterling Publishing (New York, NY), 1995.

Weird Walkers, illustrated by Kay Povelite, NorthWord Press (Minnetonka, MN), 1996.

Surprising Swimmers, illustrated by Kay Povelite, NorthWord Press (Minnetonka, MN), 1996.

Exploring the Rain Forest: Science Activities for Kids, illustrated by Shawn Berlute-Shea, Fulcrum (Golden, CO), 1996.

Clever Camouflagers, illustrated by Kay Povelite, NorthWord Press (Minnetonka, MN), 1997.

Exploring the Oceans: Science Activities for Kids, illustrated by Shawn Shea, Fulcrum (Golden, CO), 1998.

Elephants for Kids, NorthWord Press (Minnetonka, MN), 1999.

Slugs, illustrated by Gerry Ellis, Lerner Publications (Minneapolis, MN), 1999.

Cannibal Animals, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1999.

Animal Sharp Shooters, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1999.

(With Kathy Feeny and Winnie MacPherson) Wild Animals, NorthWord Press (Minnetonka, MN), 2000.

(With Kathy Feeny) Forest Animals, NorthWord Press (Minnetonka, MN), 2000.

Elephant: Elephant Magic for Kids, Gareth Stevens (Milwaukee, WI), 2000.

Exploring the Universe: Science Activities for Kids, illustrated by Shawn Shea, Fulcrum (Golden, CO), 2000.

Moose, illustrated by John F. McGee, NorthWord Press (Minnetonka, MN), 2000.

(With Sneed Collard) Amazing Animals, NorthWord Press (Minnetonka, MN), 2000.

Under One Rock: Bugs, Slugs, and Other Ughs, illustrated by Jennifer DiRubbio, Dawn Publications (Nevada City, CA), 2001.

Zebras, photographs by Gerry Ellis, Lerner Publications Co. (Minneapolis, MN), 2001.

(With Patricia Lantier) The Wonder of Elephants, illustrated by John F. McGee, Gareth Stevens (Milwaukee, WI), 2001.

(With Muriel Mandel, Louis V. Loeschnig, and E. Richard Churchill) 365 Super Science Experiments with Everyday Materials, Sterling Publishing (New York, NY), 2001.

Bloodsucking Creatures, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 2002.

Fearsome Fangs, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 2002.

In One Tidepool: Crabs, Snails, and Salty Tails, illustrated by Jennifer DiRubbio, Dawn Publications (Nevada City, CA), 2002.

Tsunami Man: Learning about Killer Waves with Walter Dudley, University of Hawaii Press (Honolulu, HI), 2002.

Around One Cactus: Owls, Bats, and Leaping Rats, Dawn Publications (Nevada City, CA), 2003.

Near One Cattail: Turtles, Logs, and Leaping Frogs, Dawn Publications (Nevada City, CA), 2005.

On One Flower: Butterflies, Ticks, and a Few More Icks, Dawn Publications (Nevada City, CA), 2006.

The Tsunami Quilt, Sleeping Bear Press (Chelsea, MI), 2007.

other

Your Child and Reading: A Practical Guide for Parents, Fredericks Publishing (Dover, PA), 1981.

Raising Bookworms: A Parent's Guide to Reading Success, R and E Publications (Saratoga, CA), 1983.

The Reading Comprehension Idea Book, Scott, Foresman (Glenview, IL), 1984.

(With David Taylor) Parent Programs in Reading: Guidelines for Success, International Reading Association (Newark, DE), 1985.

(With Elaine P. LeBlanc) The Reading Motivation Idea Book, Scott, Foresman (Glenview, IL), 1985.

(With Elaine P. LeBlanc) Letters to Parents: Over 200 Ideas for Building Reading Skills, Addison-Wesley (New York, NY), 1986.

(With Mary Brigham) Parent Letters for Early Learning, Scott, Foresman (Glenview, IL), 1987.

The Vocabulary Idea Book, Scott, Foresman (Glenview, IL), 1987.

(With Brad Cressman and Robert Hassler) The Science Discovery Book: Grades 4-6, Scott, Foresman (Glenview, IL), 1987.

Think about It! Science Problems of the Day, Creative Publications (Sunnyvale, CA), 1987.

The Gifted Reader Handbook, Scott, Foresman (Glenview, IL), 1988.

The Whole Earth Geography Book, Scott, Foresman (Glenview, IL), 1990.

(With Isaac Asimov) The Complete Science Fair Handbook: Grades 4-8, Scott, Foresman (Glenview, IL), 1990, 2nd edition, Pearson Publishing (Parsippany, NJ), 2001.

Science Brainstretchers: Creative Problem Solving Activities in Science, Scott, Foresman (Glenview, IL), 1991.

Kid's Choice Libraries: Teacher's Resource Guide, Scott, Foresman (Glenview, IL), 1991.

Social Studies through Children's Literature: An Integrated Approach, illustrated by Rebecca N. Fredericks, Teacher Ideas Press (Englewood, CO), 1991.

The Integrated Curriculum: Books for Reluctant Readers, Grades 2-5, illustrated by Anthony A. Stoner, Teacher Ideas Press (Englewood, CO), 1992, 2nd edition, 1998.

Involving Parents through Children's Literature: Grades 1-2, Teacher Ideas Press (Englewood, CO), 1992.

(With Dean Cheesebrough) Science for All Children: Elementary Science Methods, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1993.

(With Anita Meinbach and Liz Rothlein) Thematic Units: An Integrated Approach to Teaching Science and Social Studies, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1993.

Involving Parents through Children's Literature: Preschool and Kindergarten, Teacher Ideas Press (Englewood, CO), 1993.

Involving Parents through Children's Literature: Grades 3-4, Teacher Ideas Press (Englewood, CO), 1993.

Involving Parents through Children's Literature: Grades 5-6, Teacher Ideas Press (Englewood, CO), 1993.

Letters to Parents in Science, Scott, Foresman (Glenview, IL), 1993.

Frantic Frogs and Other Frankly Fractured Folktales for Reader's Theatre, Teacher Ideas Press (Englewood, CO), 1993.

(With Anita Meinbach and Liz Rothlein) The Complete Guide to Thematic Units: Creating the Integrated Curriculum, Christopher-Gordon (Norwood, MA), 1995, 2nd edition, 1999.

(With Anita Meinbach and Liz Rothlein) More Thematic Units for Creating the Integrated Curriculum, Christopher-Gordon (Norwood, MA), 1996.

(With Bonnie Blake-Kline and Janice Kristo) Teaching the Integrated Language Arts: Process and Practice, Addison-Wesley (Reading, MA), 1997.

From Butterflies to Thunderbolts: Discovering Science with Books Kids Love, illustrated by R N. Fredericks, Fulcrum (Golden, CO), 1997.

The Librarian's Complete Guide to Involving Parents through Children's Literature, Teacher Ideas Press (Englewood, CO), 1997.

Tadpole Tales and Other Totally Terrific Treats for Readers Theatre, Teacher Ideas Press (Englewood, CO), 1997.

(With Elaine P. LeBlanc) Letters to Parents in Reading, Addison-Wesley (Reading, MA), 1998.

Science Challenge: Daily Science Investigations; An Investigative Science Problem for Every Day, Scott, Foresman (Glenview, IL), 1998.

Science Adventures through Children's Literature: A Thematic Approach, Teacher Ideas Press (Englewood, CO), 1998.

Geography Brainstretchers: Creative Problem-Solving Activities in Geography, Addison-Wesley (Reading, MA), 1999.

Silly Salamanders and Other Slightly Stupid Stuff for Readers Theatre, Teacher Ideas Press (Englewood, CO), 2000.

MORE Social Studies through Children's Literature: An Integrated Approach, Teacher Ideas Press (Englewood, CO), 2000.

Science Discoveries on the Net: An Integrated Approach, Libraries Unlimited (Englewood, CO), 2000.

Social Studies Discoveries on the Net: An Integrated Approach, Libraries Unlimited (Englewood, CO), 2000.

Investigating Natural Disasters through Children's Literature: An Integrated Approach, Teacher Ideas Press (Englewood, CO), 2001.

Readers Theatre for American History, Teacher Ideas Press (Englewood, CO), 2001.

The Complete Phonemic Awareness Handbook: More than 300 Playful Activities for Early Reading Success, Rigby Education (Crystal Lake, IL), 2001.

Guided Reading in Grades 3-6: 300+ Guided Reading Strategies, Activities, and Lesson Plans for Reading Success, Rigby Education (Crystal Lake, IL), 2001.

Science Fiction Readers Theatre, Teacher Ideas Press (Westport, CT), 2002.

Guided Reading in Grades K-2: Reading Strategies, Activities, and Lesson Plans for Reading Success, Rigby Education (Barrington, IL), 2003.

Redefining the Three R's: Relax, Refocus, Recharge, Rigby Best Teachers Press (Barrington, IL), 2003.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Success as a Teacher, Alpha (New York, NY), 2005.

Teaching Comprehension in PreK-K, Harcourt Achieve (Austin, TX), 2006.

Teaching Comprehension in Grades 1-2, Harcourt Achieve (Austin, TX), 2006.

Creative Activities for Gifted Readers: Grades 3-6, Goodyear Publishing (Tucson, AZ), 2006.

Creative Activities for Gifted Readers: Grades K-2, Goodyear Publishing (Tucson, AZ), 2007.

Comprehend It—Write Now!, Goodyear Publishing (Tucson AZ), 2007.

Much More Social Studies through Children's Literature, Teacher Ideas Press (Westport, CT), 2007.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Teaching College, Alpha (New York, NY), 2007.

Columnist, "Talking with Parents" and "Whole Language Newsletter for Parents," Teaching K-8, 1982-93; "For the Elementary Teacher," Reading Today, 1989-91; "Working with Parents," Reading Teacher, 1989-91; and "The Book Nook," Reading Today, 1991-93. Contributor of more than 100 articles to education and reading journals.

SIDELIGHTS:

Anthony D. Fredericks once told CA: "I guess I always wanted to be a writer, ever since Mrs. MacDonald returned a story I had written in sixth grade with 'very creative and imaginative' written in large letters across the front. I've discovered that writing is some of the most creative work I've ever done—it allows me to tackle a subject and work on it until it's interesting and useful to others. I like nothing better than taking an idea and 'running with it' in several different directions, but I also know that good writing is hard, hard work … and I wouldn't give it up for anything!

"As a children's author, I have been influenced by a number of nonfiction writers. Some of those authors include Seymour Simon, Laurence Pringle, Patricia Lauber, and a few lesser-known nonfiction writers. I guess every book I've read has had some sort of influence on me in terms of how it is presented, the subject matter, the tone, and the information it shares with readers. I read more than fifty books a year (adult and children's), and I've found that the more books I read, the better my own writing becomes.

"For me, writing for children is a passion. I write for three to four hours every single day. I've found that I'm at my creative best early in the morning. I like nothing better than getting up at five o'clock, throwing on some old clothes, grabbing a cup of coffee, and sitting down in front of my computer to write. Later in the morning I might revise one or two previous drafts or even start a new project. Usually I will have about six to nine different projects in the works at any one time. Some will be nearing completion while others will be in their initial stages of development. By having many different manuscripts in different stages of development at the same time, I've found that I never lose interest and can keep the creativity flowing nonstop.

"For me, one of the greatest thrills about being a children's author is the opportunity to visit schools and students all across the country. Talking with kids, sharing ideas about the creative process, and helping students appreciate the excitement of good books in their lives is always exhilarating. I love to provide kids with unique insights about the writing process and how ideas are transformed into published materials. I am also well prepared to answer the three most important questions asked of every children's author: 'Where do you get your ideas?' 'How old are you?' and 'How much money do you make?'

"Put me with any group of kids and I … well, I behave like a kid! Perhaps that's because I'm a former classroom teacher and reading specialist, but I like to think it's because I'm still a nine-year-old boy trapped inside an adult body! I sincerely welcome opportunities to talk with youngsters about the books I've written (my secret life as an author), the books I'm currently writing, the books I'm going to write (someday), and perhaps the books somebody else wrote that I wish I'd written (I'm seriously thinking about changing my name to Bill Martin, Jr.). I especially enjoy providing students with an exciting and dynamic look into the life of a children's author (kids are always amazed to discover that authors walk and talk just like real people), how writing has become a passion for me, and how the creative process works. As a former elementary teacher I always try to make connections between what I currently do and the writing process taking place inside students' classrooms. My ultimate goal is to stimulate the reading habit for every student."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

periodicals

Booklist, March 1, 1998, John Peters, review of Tadpole Tales and Other Totally Terrific Treats for Readers Theatre, p. 1143.

Childhood Education, winter, 1994, Robert L. Gilstrap, review of Thematic Units: An Integrated Approach to Teaching Science and Social Studies, p. 113.

Horn Book Guide, fall, 1996, review of Simple Nature Experiments with Everyday Materials, p. 328.

Instructor, September, 1984, review of The Reading Comprehension Idea Book, p. 474; August, 1988, review of The Gifted Reader Handbook, p. 64.

School Library Journal, April, 1986, review of Letters to Parents: Over 200 Ideas for Building Reading Skills, p. 42; November, 1997, Patricia N. McClune, review of The Librarian's Complete Guide to Involving Parents through Children's Literature, p. 43; February, 1998, Jessica Foster, review of From Butterflies to Thunderbolts: Discovering Science with Books Kids Love, p. 43.

Science Activities, spring, 1999, review of Exploring the Oceans: Science Activities for Kids, p. 37.

Science Books and Films, March, 1999, review of Exploring the Oceans, p. 77.