Rubel, Nicole 1953-

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RUBEL, Nicole 1953-

PERSONAL: Born April 29, 1953, in Miami, FL; daughter of Theodore (an importer) and Janice (an importer; maiden name, Berman) Rubel; married Richard C. Langsen (a family therapist), May 25, 1987. Education: Tufts University, Medford, MA, and Boston Museum School of Fine Arts, B.S. (joint degree), 1975. Hobbies and other interests: Hiking, horseback riding, gardening, and spending time with pets Cougar (Siamese cat), Fang (a Corgi), Dancer and Steamer (horses), and Lilly and Pansy (sheep).

ADDRESSES: Home—Aurora, OR. Agent—c/o Pippin Properties, Inc., 155 E. 38th St., Ste. 2H, New York, NY 10016. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Painter, illustrator, and writer. Designer of toys and greeting cards. Exhibitions: Boston Public Library, 1977, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, 1979, Belmont Library, 1979, Brookline Public Library, 1979, American Illustrators Graphic Association Traveling Show, 1979, Master Eagle Gallery, New York City, 1981 and 1984, Justin Schiller Gallery, New York City, 1981, Key Biscayne Library, 1990, and Gresham City Hall, 1995.

AWARDS, HONORS: Children's Books Showcase Award for Outstanding Graphic Design, 1977, for illustrating Rotten Ralph; award from American Book Association, and award from American Institute of Graphic Arts, both 1979; American Bookseller's "pick of the lists," 1984, for Rotten Ralph, and 1992, for It Came from the Swamp and Grizzly Riddles; Parent's Choice Award, Parent's Choice Foundation, 2001, for Rotten Ralph Helps Out; American Booksellers Association Kids' Pick of the List, Junior Library Guild Selection, both for A Cowboy Named Ernestine; Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Book Award, 2005, for Twice As Nice.

WRITINGS:

FOR CHILDREN; AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR

Bruno Brontosaurus, Avon (New York, NY), 1983, published as Pete Apatosaurus, Bantam (New York, NY), 1991.

Me and My Kitty, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1983.

I Can Get Dressed, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1984.

Bernie the Bulldog, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1984.

Pirate Jupiter and the Moondogs, Dial (New York, NY), 1985.

Uncle Henry and Aunt Henrietta's Honeymoon, Dial (New York, NY), 1986.

It Came from the Swamp, Dial (New York, NY), 1988.

Goldie, Harper (New York, NY), 1989.

Goldie's Nap, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1991.

The Ghost Family Meets Its Match, Dial (New York, NY), 1992.

Conga Crocodile, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1993.

Cyrano the Bear, Dial (New York, NY), 1995.

No School for Penelope Pig, Troll (Mahwah, NJ), 1997.

A Cowboy Named Ernestine, Dial (New York, NY), 2001.

No More Vegetables!, Farrar, Straus & Giroux (New York, NY), 2002.

It's Hot and Cold in Miami, Farrar, Straus & Giroux (New York, NY), 2002.

Grody's Not So Golden Rules, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2003.

Ham and Pickles: First Day of School, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2006.

"SAM AND VIOLET" SERIES; FOR CHILDREN; AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR

Sam and Violet Are Twins, Avon (New York, NY), 1981.

Sam and Violet Go Camping, Avon (New York, NY), 1981.

Sam and Violet's Christmas Story, Avon (New York, NY), 1981.

Sam and Violet's Birthday Book, Avon (New York, NY), 1982.

Sam and Violet's Get Well Story, Avon (New York, NY), 1985.

Sam and Violet's Bedtime Mystery, Avon (New York, NY), 1985.

ILLUSTRATOR; FOR CHILDREN

Jack Gantos, Sleepy Ronald, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1976.

Jack Gantos, Fairweather Friends, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1977.

Jack Gantos, Aunt Bernice, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1978.

Willy's Raiders, Parents Magazine Press (New York, NY), 1978.

The Perfect Pal, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1979.

Greedy Greeny, Doubleday (New York, NY), 1979.

The Werewolf Family, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1980.

Swamp Alligator, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1980.

Steven Kroll, Woof! Woof!, Dial (New York, NY), 1982.

Michaela Muntean, The House that Bear Built, Dial (New York, NY), 1984.

Michaela Muntean, Alligator's Garden, Dial (New York, NY), 1984.

Michaela Muntean, Little Lamb Bakes a Cake, Dial (New York, NY), 1984.

Michaela Muntean, Monkey's Marching Band, Dial (New York, NY), 1984.

Patty Wolcott, This Is Weird, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1986.

Richard C. Langsen, When Someone in the Family Drinks Too Much: A Guide for Children, Dial (New York, NY), 1996.

Marilyn Singer, The One and Only Me, HarperFestival (New York, NY), 2000.

ILLUSTRATOR; "ROTTEN RALPH" SERIES; FOR CHILDREN; WRITTEN BY JACK GANTOS

Rotten Ralph, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1975.

Worse than Rotten Ralph, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1979.

Rotten Ralph's Rotten Christmas, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1984.

Rotten Ralph's Trick or Treat, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1986.

Rotten Ralph's Show and Tell, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1989.

Happy Birthday Rotten Ralph, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1990.

Not So Rotten Ralph, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1994.

Rotten Ralph's Rotten Romance, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1997.

Rotten Ralph's Halloween Howl, HarperFestival (New York, NY), 1998.

Back to School for Rotten Ralph, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1998.

The Christmas Spirit Strikes Rotten Ralph, HarperFestival (New York, NY), 1998.

Rotten Ralph's Thanksgiving Wish, HarperFestival (New York, NY), 1999.

Wedding Bells for Rotten Ralph, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1999.

Rotten Ralph Helps Out, Farrar, Straus & Giroux (New York, NY), 2001.

Practice Makes Perfect for Rotten Ralph, Farrar, Straus & Giroux (New York, NY), 2002.

Best in Show for Rotten Ralph, Farrar, Straus & Giroux (New York, NY), 2005.

ILLUSTRATOR; "RIDDLES" SERIES; FOR CHILDREN; WRITTEN BY KATY HALL AND LISA EISENBERG

Grizzly Riddles, Dial (New York, NY), 1989.

Batty Riddles, Dial (New York, NY), 1993.

Bunny Riddles, Dial (New York, NY), 1997.

Mummy Riddles, Dial (New York, NY), 1997.

Dinosaur Riddles, Dial (New York, NY), 1999, published as Dino Riddles, 2002.

OTHER

Getting Married: A Guide for the Bride to Be, St. Martin's (New York, NY), 1988.

Twice as Nice: What It's Like to Be a Twin, Farrar, Straus & Giroux (New York, NY), 2005.

Contributor of illustrations to periodicals, including Boston, Instructor, Redbook, and Scholastic Pre-K.

ADAPTATIONS: Rotten Ralph was adapted for audio cassette, 1988, and for television, the Disney Channel, 1996; It Came from the Swamp, Pirate Jupiter and the Moondogs, and Goldie were all adapted for CD-ROM, 1995–96.

SIDELIGHTS: Nicole Rubel is an author-illustrator of children's books and is well known for her illustrations for the "Rotten Ralph" series by Jack Gantos. She has also created a score of self-illustrated picture books, among them the popular "Sam and Violet" books about twin kittens. Funny tales are what Rubel specializes in: stories that blend off-beat, wry humor with distinctively colorful and richly detailed illustrations. Her illustrations feature zany cats, argumentative alligators, overly artful bears, and brazen bull dogs, and have earned her respect as one of the best illustrators working in children's books.

Rubel collaborated with children's author Jack Gantos on various titles, among them is the "Rotten Ralph" series. All these books deal with "the exploits of the truly terrible cat belonging to a little girl, Sarah, who has the patience of a saint," according to a Publishers Weekly commentator describing the series. The series takes Ralph through the hoops of Christmas, birthdays, romance, Halloween, and show and tell, to mention just some of the adventures. From the outset, it was clear that Rubel had captured the essence of the naughty cat in her illustrations. In Kirkus Reviews a critic noted that, with the third title in the series, Rotten Ralph's Rotten Christmas, "Rubel's antic, naive illustrations keep this open display of sibling rivalry at a delectable, cathartic remove—while the conjunction with Christmas doubles the stakes." A reviewer for Horn Book noted that Rubel's "energetic illustrations are a marvel."

In Rotten Ralph's Trick or Treat Gantos and Rubel send Sarah and her cat to a Halloween costume party dressed as each other. When Ralph performs as usual—stealing all the candy and pouring the goldfish bowl into the punch—all the party-goers blame Sarah, and the two are asked to leave. Ralph is unrepentant, and it is this very trait that "has great appeal for children," according to a critic in Publishers Weekly. Sarah, however, still loves him—what else can you do with a rotten cat?

In the fifth story, Rotten Ralph's Show and Tell, Sarah takes Ralph to school for show and tell after he ruins her other plans—breaking the strings on her violin and decorating himself with her stamp collection. At school, Ralph continues his antics by ringing the dismissal bell early. Ellen Fader, writing in Horn Book, commented that "Rubel's trademark illustrations, bright and flat in a cartoonlike style, supply the humorous details that make Ralph's unrepentant antics all the more outrageous." Reviewing the book in Publishers Weekly, a commentator noted that "readers will be cheered by the cat's awful antics."

Ralph continues to wreck Sarah's best laid plans in Happy Birthday, Rotten Ralph, but for once shows some remorse as Sarah tricks him with a surprise party. Hanna B. Zeiger noted in Horn Book that Rubel's "wildly bright, cartoonlike drawings once again capture Ralph's rotten antics to perfection." Booklist critic Stephanie Zvirin particularly commented on Rubel's "busy, brightly colored paintings, done in child-appealing primitive style," which "are a perfect match for the text." Of Not So Rotten Ralph, Zvirin wrote in Booklist that "Rubel's naive artwork, busy with pattern and witty detail, is as good as ever," and a Publishers Weekly reviewer commented on Rubel's "electrically colored, eccentrically patterned illustrations." Valentine's Day provides the venue for a further escapade, Rotten Ralph's Rotten Romance, in which antisocial Ralph rubs himself in garbage so as to be left alone at a party that Sarah drags him to.

Rubel has also teamed up with other authors besides Jack Gantos. She worked with Katy Hall and Lisa Eisenberg, for example, on the "Riddle" series of books, featuring a different animal for each title. Highlighted animals have included bats, bears, and bunnies, each providing a variety of riddles from the silly to the sophisticated. Booklist critic Zvirin, reviewing Bunny Riddles, noted that while Rubel's cartoons do not necessarily provide clues to the solution of the riddles, they are a "strong, colorful complement to the goofy conundrums and are loaded with clever details." In collaborative efforts with Michaela Muntean, Rubel did the illustrations for The House that Bear Built, Alligator's Garden, Little Lamb Bakes a Cake, and Monkey's Marching Band.

On a more serious note, Rubel has also teamed up with her family-therapist husband on the illustrations for his When Someone in the Family Drinks Too Much: A Guide for Young Children. Marsha McGrath, writing in the School Library Journal, felt the book was "a reassuring approach to a problem that affects so many children in today's society." A reviewer for Publishers Weekly called the book a "highly accessible title on a troublesome topic," and commented that "this picture book by a husband-and-wife team could be of inestimable value to children struggling with alcoholism in their families."

Independently, Rubel has produced a number of titles as both an author and illustrator. Starting in 1981 with her "Sam and Violet" books about twin cats, she has continued to write and illustrate books that feature real issues for children splashed with a sense of humor and colorful pictures. Rubel's relationship to her twin sister inspired her "Sam and Violet" books. With the first two titles in the series, Sam and Violet Are Twins and Sam and Violet Go Camping, she established a style of illustration that is "vibrant and rough-hewn," according to George Shannon in the School Library Journal. Nancy Palmer, reviewing Sam and Violet's Birthday Book in the School Library Journal, enjoyed Rubel's "original, attention-holding pictures" with their "wonderfully patterned interiors." Rubel has commented that she was influenced by the work of the painter Henri Matisse, and such influence can be seen especially in the rich ornamentation of her interiors.

More felines are to be found in Rubel's 1983 title, Me and My Kitty, but with Bruno Brontosaurus, Rubel began to go further afield for animal inspiration. A takeoff on the ugly duckling theme, this book with its "bright and simple pictures … will have high child appeal," according to Lauralyn Levesque in the School Library Journal. The counting book Pirate Jupiter and the Moondogs features a tough bulldog and his crew of moondogs, who search the galaxies for treasure. Jean Hammond Zimmerman noted in the School Library Journal that "Rubel's use of black ink and colored markers is well suited to the text." A critic for Publishers Weekly remarked that with "trenchant wit and mad cartoony types … Rubel has attracted an army of boys and girls who will embrace this blast-off into space."

Crocodiles and alligators have inspired several Rubel titles. Uncle Henry and Aunt Henrietta's Honeymoon is a bedtime reminiscence about the honeymoon of these two green crocodiles, described as "a humorous romp" by Denise M. Wilms in Booklist. A Kirkus Reviews contributor felt that the book would "tickle funny bones" and that "Rubel's one-of-a-kind illustrations enhance her series of yarns with bold, eye-catching colors throughout." Alfie the alligator is the star of It Came from the Swamp, the story of a baseball-playing critter who gets hit by a line drive and subsequently suffers from amnesia. He does not realize he is an alligator and leaves the Everglades to cause havoc in the civilized world of humans. Phillis Wilson observed in Booklist that "Rubel's cartoon illustrations are awash with humor and sun-drenched vitality." With the drum-playing crocodile in Conga Crocodile, Rubel "introduces yet another obstreperous fellow—and again displays her wry sense of humor," according to a Publishers Weekly reviewer.

Additionally, Rubel has featured a mischievous chick called Goldie in Goldie and Goldie's Nap, and a clutch of ghosts in The Ghost Family Meets Its Match. In the latter book, the Ghost family has been successful for a century in scaring people away from their haunted house, but as the title implies, they meet their match with new tenants, the Merry family, who have their own surprise to share. Horn Book critic Mary M. Burns, while commenting that the "premise of the story is clever, matched by detailed, framed illustrations which expand the tongue-in-cheek humor of the text," concluded that The Ghost Family Meets Its Match is "a winning answer to requests for 'scary stories that aren't too scary'" Anna Biagioni Hart noted in the School Library Journal that the "book is sure to be a favorite."

Rubel puts a new twist on the Cyrano story with Cyrano the Bear, in which the brave sheriff of the title does not want to let Roxanne, the town librarian, know he has been writing love poems to her. Denia Hester, reviewing the story in Booklist, concluded that the "illustrations, scintillating watercolors punched-up with black-ink outlines, create a handsome setting for this funny tale." A Publishers Weekly contributor felt that Rubel includes a "pleasing profusion of detail in her art," and that she also "stuffs the narrative with plenty of plot elements."

Among Rubel's more recent written and illustrated projects are A Cowboy Named Ernestine, No More Vegetables!, and Grody's Not So Golden Rules. In the first of these, Rubel tells the story of mail-order bride Ernestine O'Reilly, who comes to America to meet her future husband only to find out that he is much less than what she hoped for and that his family is filthy and unmannered as well. Ernestine runs away from the marriage, changes her name to Ernest, and masquerades as a man as she becomes a cowboy and rodeo rider. "Rubel's words and pictures work together to bring this Wild West romp to life," noted Steven Engelfrield in the School Library Journal. No More Vegetables! explores young Ruthie's intense dislike of vegetables. After helping out in her mother's garden and finally resorting to eating vegetables when the dog eats her lunch, Ruthie is surprised to learn that many vegetables taste good. A Kirkus Reviews contributor commented that the author's "crude, but colorful and busy lines match Ruthie's determination." Linda M. Kenton observed in the School Library Journal that "the humor and satisfactory ending are sure to please." The author features an untidy dog who is messy and just wants to stay up late and watch television in Grody's Not So Golden Rules. "Each spread features a lifestyle suggestion, quaintly framed in a yellow border, and an ineffectual plea from a horrified authority figure,"wrote a Publishers Weekly contributor. Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, writing in the School Library Journal, concluded that adults will find this to be a "true child-pleaser."

Rubel took a break from children's fiction to relate her own experiences with her sister in her book Twice as Nice: What It's Like to Be a Twin. This work includes illustrations and photographs to accompany the author discussions about how twins are formed and conveys various facts about twins. She also provides information on famous twins, as well as anecdotes from her own life as a twin. Booklist critic Ilene Cooper called the book a "pleasurable, playful way to learn about a subject that is always of interest."

Although she has embarked on many of her own projects, Rubel has continued to collaborate with other writers as well, including Gantos, for whom she still creates the Rotten Ralph stories. Among the more recent titles in the series are Wedding Bells for Rotten Ralph, Rotten Ralph Feels Rotten, and Practice Makes Perfect for Rotten Ralph.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Silvey, Anita, editor, Children's Books and Their Creators, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1995.

PERIODICALS

Arithmetic Teacher, September, 1988, Timothy J. Touzel, review of Pirate Jupiter and the Moondogs, p. 54.

Booklist, May 15, 1983, review of Me and My Kitty, p. 1221; May 1, 1986, Denise M. Wilms, review of Uncle Henry and Aunt Henrietta's Honeymoon, p. 1317; October 15, 1988, Phillis Wilson, review of It Came from the Swamp, p. 414; October 1, 1989, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Happy Birthday, Rotten Ralph, p. 348; April 1, 1991, review of Goldie's Nap, p. 1576; June 15, 1992, Stephanie Zvirin, review of The Ghost Family Meets Its Match, p. 1851; December 1, 1993, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Batty Riddles, p. 701; March 1, 1994, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Not So Rotten Ralph, p. 1269; June 1, 1995, Denia Hester, review of Cyrano the Bear, pp. 1788-1789; November 15, 1996, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Bunny Riddles, pp. 593, 596; August, 1997, Hazel Rochman, review of Mummy Riddles, p. 1909; August, 1998, Michael Cart, review of Back to School for Rotten Ralph, p. 2014; June 1, 1999, Ilene Cooper, review of Wedding Bells for Rotten Ralph, p. 1841; April 1, 2001, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of A Cowboy Named Ernestine, p. 1480; May 1, 2001, Gillian Engberg, review of Wedding Bells for Rotten Ralph, p. 1689; March 1, 2002, Gillian Engberg, review of Practice Makes Perfect for Rotten Ralph, p. 1136; December 15, 2002, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of No More Vegetables!, p. 769; March 1, 2003, Tim Arnold, review of Grody's Not So Golden Rules, p. 1203; July, 2004, Jennifer Mattson, review of Rotten Ralph Feels Rotten, p. 1850; November 15, 2004, Ilene Cooper, review of Twice as Nice: What It's Like to Be a Twin, p. 578.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, June, 2003, review of Grody's Not So Golden Rules, p. 420.

Childhood Education, spring, 2003, review of No More Vegetables!, p. 52; spring, 2005, Isabel Killoran, review of Grody's Not So Golden Rules, p. 167.

Children's Book Review Service, spring, 1985, review of Pirate Jupiter and the Moondogs, p. 127; December, 1988, review of It Came from the Swamp, p. 41; January, 1990, review of Goldie, p. 53.

Children's Bookwatch, October, 2002, review of No More Vegetables!, p. 6;

Design (Bombay, India), May, 1983, Kenneth Marantz, review of Me and My Kitty, p. 46.

Emergency Librarian, May, 1982, review of Sam and Violet's Birthday Book, p. 28.

Horn Book, November-December, 1984, review of Rotten Ralph's Rotten Christmas, p. 279; September-October, 1988, Ann A. Flowers, review of It Came from the Swamp, p. 619; July, 1989, review of Goldie, p. 36; November-December, 1989, Ellen Fader, review of Rotten Ralph's Show and Tell, p. 759; November-December, 1989, Mary M. Burns, review of Grizzly Riddles, p. 767; January-February, 1991, Hanna B. Zeiger, review of Happy Birthday, Rotten Ralph, p. 94; fall, 1991, review of Goldie's Nap, p. 238; January-February, 1993, Mary M. Burns, review of The Ghost Family Meets Its Match, pp. 77-78; spring, 1993, review of The Ghost Family Meets Its Match, p. 45; August, 1994, p. 479; spring, 1994, review of Conga Crocodile, p. 51; fall, 1995, review of Cyrano the Bear, p. 280; September, 2001, review of Rotten Ralph Helps Out, p. 582; fall, 2001, review of A Cowboy Named Ernestine, p. 272; Ma-June, 2002, Betty Carter, review of Practice Makes Perfect for Rotten Ralph, p. 330; June 15, 2002, review of No More Vegetables, p. 887; fall, 2003, review of Grody's Not So Golden Rules, p. 339.

Instructor, November, 1979, review of Greedy Greeny, p. 128; October, 1980, Allan Yeager, review of The Werewolf Family, p 32; January, 1981, Allan Yeager, review of Rotten Ralph, p. 110; September, 1982, review of Sam and Violet's Birthday Book, p. 20.

Junior Bookshelf, August, 1986, review of Uncle Henry and Aunt Henrietta's Honeymoon, p. 143.

Kirkus Reviews, March 15, 1983, review of Me and My Kitty, September 1, 1984, review of Rotten Ralph's Rotten Christmas, p. J60; February 15, 1986, review of Uncle Henry and Aunt Henrietta's Honeymoon, p. 306; September 1, 1992, review of The Ghost Family Meets Its Match, p. 1140; December 15, 2000, review of A Cowboy Named Ernestine, p. 1765; February 1, 2002, review of Practice Makes Perfect for Rotten Ralph, p. 180; June 15, 2002, review of No More Vegetables!, p. 887; October 1, 2004, review of Twice as Nice, p. 967.

New York Times, December 2, 1984, review of Rotten Ralph's Rotten Christmas, p. 53.

New York Times Book Review, December 2, 1984, review of Rotten Ralph's Rotten Christmas, p. 53; October 26, 1986, review of Rotten Ralph's Trick or Treat, p. 48.

Parenting, April, 1992, Leonard S. Marcus, review of Rotten Ralph's Show and Tell, p. 30.

Parents, December, 1991, review of Goldie's Nap, p. 176.

Publishers Weekly, February 2, 1976, review of Rotten Ralph, p. 99; July 5, 1976, review of Sleepy Ronald, p. 91; September 17, 1979, review of Greedy Greeny, p. 146; November 19, 1979, review of The Perfect Pal, p. 78; July 18, 1980, review of Swampy Alligator, p. 62; February 11, 1983, review of Woof, Woof, p. 70; April 8, 1983, review of Me and My Kitty, p. 59; August 5, 1983, review of Bruno Brontosaurus, p. 92; August 10, 1984, review of Rotten Ralph's Rotten Christmas, p. 82; May 24, 1985, review of Pirate Jupiter and the Moondogs, p. 70; March 21, 1986, review of Uncle Henry and Aunt Henrietta's Honeymoon, p. 86; August 22, 1986, review of Rotten Ralph's Trick or Treat, p. 95; February 27, 1987, review of Pirate Jupiter and the Moondogs, p. 166; January 15, 1988, review of Uncle Henry and Aunt Henrietta's Honeymoon, p. 99; August 14, 1988, review of It Came from the Swamp, p. 73; August 11, 1989, review of Goldie, pl 456, and review of Rotten Ralph's Show and Tell, pp. 457-458; June 29, 1990, review of Happy Birthday, Rotten Ralph, p. 100; April 20, 1992, review of It Came from the Swamp, p. 58; July 27, 1992, review of The Ghost Family Meets Its Match, p. 61; July 5, 1993, review of Conga Crocodile, p. 71; January 10, 1994, review of Not So Rotten Ralph, pp. 61-62; May 29, 1995, review of Cyrano the Bear, p. 84; June 17, 1996, review of When Someone in the Family Drinks Too Much, pp. 64-65; November 25, 1996, review of Rotten Ralph's Rotten Romance, p. 75; July 26, 1999, review of Bunny Riddles, p. 93; January 22, 2001, review of A Cowboy Named Ernestine, p. 323; July 2, 2001, review of Rotten Ralph Helps Out, p. 76; July 1, 2002, review of No More Vegetables, p. 78; April 14, 2003, review of Grody's Not So Golden Rules, p. 70.

School Library Journal, May, 1978, review of Aunt Bernice, p. 54; October, 1979, review of The Perfect Pal, p. 54; November, 1979, Mary B. Nickerson, review of Greedy Greeny, p. 65; May, 1980, review of Willy's Raiders, p. 878; November, 1981, George Shannon, reviews of Sam and Violet Go Camping and Sam and Violet Are Twins, p. 81; May, 1982, Nancy Palmer, review of Sam and Violet's Birthday Book, p. 80; September, 1983, review of Woof, Woof, p. 108; October, 1983, Candy Colborn, review of Me and My Kitty, p. 108; February, 1984, Lauralyn Levesque, review of Bruno Brontosaurus, pp. 63-64; October, 1984, review of Rotten Ralph's Rotten Christmas, p. 173; May, 1985, review of I Can Get Dressed, p. 82; October, 1985, Jean Hammond Zimmerman, review of Pirate Jupiter and the Moondogs, pp. 161-162; May, 1986, Ruth Semrau, review of Uncle Henry and Aunt Henrietta's Honeymoon, p. 84; October, 1986, John Peters, review of Rotten Ralph's Trick or Treat, p. 160; December, 1986, review of Pirate Jupiter and the Moondogs, p. 338; January, 1989, Helen Gregory, review of It Came from the Swamp, p. 66; November, 1989, John Peters, review of Goldie, p. 92; November, 1989, John Philbrook, review of Rotten Ralph's Show and Tell, p. 80; January, 1990, Joan McGrath, review of Grizzly Riddles, p. 95; October, 1990, Leslie Barban, review of Happy Birthday, Rotten Ralph, p. 92; June, 1991, Kathy Piehl, review of Goldie's Nap, p. 89; November, 1992, Anna Biagioni Hart, review of The Ghost Family Meets Its Match, p. 77; September, 1993, Denise Furgione, review of Batty Riddles, p. 223; November, 1993, Virginia Opocensky, review of Congo Crocodile, p. 90; April, 1994, Cynthia K. Richey, review of Not So Rotten Ralph, p. 102; July, 1995, Ruth Semrau, review of Cyrano the Bear, p. 68; July, 1996, review of When Someone in the Family Drinks Too Much, p. 79; November, 1997, Eunice Weech, review of Mummy Riddles, p. 107; June, 1999, Jane Marino, review of Wedding Bells for Rotten Ralph, p. 94; July, 2000, Shanla Brookshire, review of The One and Only Me, p. 87; March, 2001, Steven Engelfrield, review of A Cowboy Named Ernestine, p. 76; June, 2001, Teresa Bateman, review of Happy Birthday, Rotten Ralph, p. 76; February, 2002, Patricia Manning, review of Dino Riddles, p. 120; August, 2002, Linda M. Kenton, review of No More Vegetables!, p. 166; July, 2003, Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, review of Grody's Not So Golden Rules, p. 105; November, 2004, Joy Fleishhacker, review of Twice as Nice, p. 130.

Times Educational Supplement, March 6, 1987, review of Pirate Jupiter and the Moondogs, p. 37.

Tribune Books (Chicago, IL), review of No More Vegetables!, p. 5.

Wilson Library Bulletin, September, 1983, Donnarae MacCann, review of Woof, Woof, p. 50; December, 1991, Donnarae MacCann and Olga Richard, review of Goldie's Nap, p. 98.