Bunting, (Anne) Eve(lyn) 1928-
BUNTING, (Anne) Eve(lyn) 1928-
(Evelyn Bolton, A. E. Bunting)
Personal
Born December 19, 1928 in, Maghera, Northern Ireland; came to United States, 1960; became U.S. citizen; daughter of Sloan Edmund (a merchant) and Mary (Canning) Bolton; married Edward Davison Bunting (a medical administrator), April 26, 1951; children: Christine, Sloan, Glenn. Education: Graduated from Methodist College, Belfast, 1945; also attended Queen's University, Belfast. Politics: Democrat Religion: Protestant
Addresses
Home— Pasadena, CA. Agent— c/o Author Mail, Harcourt Brace, 525 B. St., San Diego, CA 92101.
Career
Freelance writer, 1969—. University of California, Los Angeles, teacher of writing, 1978-79; instructor at writing conferences.
Member
PEN International, California Writer's Guild, Southern California Council on Writing for Children and Young People, Society of Children's Book Writers (board member).
Awards, Honors
Barney the Beard named an Honor Book by Chicago Book Clinic; Golden Kite Award, Society of Children's Book Writers, for best fiction book, Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children, and Outstanding Social Science Book for Children from National Council for Social Studies/Children's Book Council, all 1976, all for One More Flight; Children's Book of the Year awards from Child Study Association of America, 1976, for One More Flight, 1979, for The Big Red Barn, 1981, for Goose Dinner and The Waiting Game, 1986, for The Valentine Bears, and 1987, for The Mother's Day Mice and Sixth Grade Sleepover; Winter's Coming named among New York Times Top Ten Books of 1977; Golden Kite award, and Best Fiction Book for Children designation, Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People, both 1977, both for Ghost of Summer; If I Asked You, Would You Stay? selected among American Library Association (ALA) Best Books for Young Adults, 1984; PEN Special Achievement Award, 1984, for contribution to children's literature; Nene Award, Hawaii Association of School Librarians/Hawaii Library Association, 1986, for Karen Kepplewhite Is the World's Best Kisser; School Library Journal Best Books of the Year designation, 1986, for The Mother's Day Mice, and 1989, for The Wednesday Surprise; Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People Award for Excellence in a Series, 1986, for "Lippincott Page Turners" series; Parents' Choice Award, Parents' Choice Foundation, 1988, for The Mother's Day Mice; Virginia Young Readers Award, 1988-89, California Reading Association Young Readers Medal, 1989, and South Carolina Association of School Librarians Young-Adult Book Award, 1988-89, all for Face at the Edge of the World; Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People Award for Outstanding Work of Fiction for Young Adults, 1989, for A Sudden Silence; Oklahoma Library Association Sequoyah Children's Book Award, Missouri Association of School Librarians Mark Twain Award, and Florida Association for Media in Education Sunshine State Young Readers Award, all 1989, all for Sixth Grade Sleepover; ALA Best Book for Young Adults and Recommended Book for Reluctant Young Readers, and New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age, all 1992, all for Jumping the Nail; Smoky Night awarded the Caldecott Medal, 1995, for illustrations by David Diaz; Western Writers of America Storyteller Award, 1995, for Dandelions; Regina Medal for Distinguished Contribution to Children's Literature, Catholic Library Association, 1997; Sydney Taylor Children's Book Award Honor Book in older readers category, Association of Jewish Libraries, 2002, for One Candle.
Writings
FOR CHILDREN
The Once-a-Year Day, Golden Gate (San Carlos, CA), 1974.
The Wild One, Scholastic Book Services (New York, NY), 1974.
(Under name A. E. Bunting) High Tide for Labrador, illustrated by Bernard Garbutt, Golden Gate (San Carlos, CA), 1975.
Barney the Beard, illustrated by Imero Gobbato, Parents' Magazine Press (New York, NY), 1975.
The Skateboard Four, Albert Whitman (Chicago, IL) (Niles, IL), 1976.
One More Flight, illustrated by Diane De Groat, Warne (New York, NY), 1976.
Blacksmith at Blueridge, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1976.
Josefina Finds the Prince, illustrated by Jan Palmer, Garrard (Champaign, IL), 1976.
Skateboard Saturday, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1976.
(With son, Glenn Bunting) Skateboards: How to Make Them, How to Ride Them, Harvey House (New York, NY), 1977.
The Big Cheese, illustrated by Sal Murdocca, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1977.
Winter's Coming, illustrated by Howard Knotts, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1977.
Ghost of Summer, illustrated by W. T. Mars, Warne (New York, NY), 1977.
Cop Camp, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1977.
The Haunting of Kildoran Abbey, Warne (New York, NY), 1978.
Magic and the Night River, illustrated by Allen Say, Harper (New York, NY), 1978.
Going against Cool Calvin, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1978.
The Big Find, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Yesterday's Island, Warne (New York, NY), 1979.
The Big Red Barn, illustrated by Howard Knotts, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1979.
Blackbird Singing, illustrated by Steven Gammell, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1979.
The Sea World Book of Sharks, photographs by Flip Nicklin, Sea World Press (San Diego, CA), 1979.
The Sea World Book of Whales, Sea World Press (San Diego, CA), 1979.
Terrible Things, illustrated by Steven Gammell, Harper (New York, NY), 1980, revised edition published as Terrible Things: An Allegory of the Holocaust, Jewish Publication Society (Philadelphia, PA), 1989.
St. Patrick's Day in the Morning, illustrated by Jan Brett, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1980.
Demetrius and the Golden Goglet, illustrated by Michael Hague, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1980.
The Robot Birthday, illustrated by Marie DeJohn, Dutton (New York, NY), 1980.
The Skate Patrol, Albert Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1980.
The Skate Patrol Rides Again, illustrated by Don Madden, Albert Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1981.
Goose Dinner, illustrated by Howard Knotts, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1981.
The Empty Window, illustrated by Judy Clifford, Warne (New York, NY), 1981.
The Happy Funeral, illustrated by Mai Vo-Dinh, Harper (New York, NY), 1981.
Rosie and Mr. William Star, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1981.
Jane Martin, Dog Detective, illustrated by Amy Schwartz, Garrard (Champaign, IL), 1981.
Jane Martin and the Case of the Ice Cream Dog, Garrard (Champaign, IL), 1981.
The Spook Birds, illustrated by Blanch Sims, Albert Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1981.
The Giant Squid, Messner (New York, NY), 1981.
The Great White Shark, Messner (New York, NY), 1982.
The Skate Patrol and the Mystery Writer, illustrated by Don Madden, Albert Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1982.
Karen Kepplewhite Is the World's Best Kisser, Clario (New York, NY), 1983.
The Traveling Men of Ballycoo, illustrated by Kaethe Zemach, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1983.
The Valentine Bears, illustrated by Jan Brett, Clarion (New York, NY), 1983.
Ghost behind Me, Archway (New York, NY), 1984.
The Man Who Could Call down Owls, illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1984.
Monkey in the Middle, illustrated by Lynn Munsinger, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1984.
Someone Is Hiding on Alcatraz Island, Clarion (New York, NY), 1984.
Surrogate Sister, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1984, published as Mother, How Could You!, Archway (New York, NY), 1986.
Clancy's Coat, illustrated by Lorinda Bryan Cauley, Clarion (New York, NY), 1984.
Face at the Edge of the World, Clarion (New York, NY), 1985.
Sixth Grade Sleepover, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1986.
Scary, Scary Halloween, Clarion (New York, NY), 1986.
The Mother's Day Mice, illustrated by Jan Brett, Clarion (New York, NY), 1986.
Janet Hamm Needs a Date for the Dance, Clarion (New York, NY), 1986.
Will You Be My POSSLQ?, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1987.
Ghost's Hour, Spook's Hour, illustrated by Donald Carrick, Clarion (New York, NY), 1987.
Happy Birthday, Dear Duck, Clarion (New York, NY), 1988.
A Sudden Silence, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1988.
How Many Days to America?: A Thanksgiving Story, illustrated by Beth Peck, Clarion (New York, NY), 1988.
Is Anybody There?, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1988.
The Ghost Children, Clarion (New York, NY), 1989.
No Nap, illustrated by Susan Meddaugh, Clarion (New York, NY), 1989.
The Wednesday Surprise, illustrated by Donald Carrick, Clarion (New York, NY), 1989.
In the Haunted House, illustrated by Susan Meddaugh, Clarion (New York, NY), 1989.
Our Sixth-Grade Sugar Babies, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1990.
Such Nice Kids, Clarion (New York, NY), 1990.
The Wall, illustrated by Ronald Himler, Clarion (New York, NY), 1990.
Night Tree, illustrated by Ted Rand, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1991.
A Turkey for Thanksgiving, illustrated by Diane deGroat, Clarion (New York, NY), 1991.
Fly away Home, illustrated by Ronald Himler, Clarion (New York, NY), 1991.
The Hideout, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1991.
Jumping the Nail, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1991.
Sharing Susan, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1991.
A Perfect Father's Day, Clarion (New York, NY), 1991.
The Mask, Child's World (Mankato, MN), 1992.
Our Teacher's Having a Baby, Clarion (New York, NY), 1992.
The Bicycle Man, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1992.
Coffin on a Case, Harper (New York, NY), 1992.
Summer Wheels, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1993.
The Day before Christmas, Clarion (New York, NY), 1993.
Someday a Tree, Clarion (New York, NY), 1993.
Survival Camp, Child's World (Mankato, MN), 1993.
Red Fox Running, Clarion (New York, NY), 1993.
Night of the Gargoyles, Clarion (New York, NY), 1994.
A Day's Work, Clarion (New York, NY), 1994.
Sunshine Home, Clarion (New York, NY), 1994.
Nasty Stinky Sneakers, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1994.
The in-between Days, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1994.
Flower Garden, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1994.
Smoky Night, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1994.
Dandelions, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1995.
Cheyenne Again, Clarion (New York, NY), 1995.
Once upon a Time, R. C. Own (Katonah, NY), 1995.
Spying on Miss Muller, Clarion (New York, NY), 1995.
Sunflower House, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1996.
Going Home, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1996.
Train to Somewhere, Clarion (New York, NY), 1996.
Trouble on the T-ball Team, Clarion (New York, NY), 1996.
The Blue and the Gray, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
SOS Titanic, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1996.
Market Day, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1996.
I Don't Want to Go to Camp, illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1996.
I Am the Mummy Heb-Nefer, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1997.
Moonstick, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1997.
Secret Place, Clarion (New York, NY), 1997.
Twinnies, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1997.
On Call Back Mountain, illustrated by Barry Moser, Blue Sky (New York, NY), 1997.
My Backpack, illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler, Boyds Mills (Honesdale, PA), 1997.
December, illustrated by David Diaz, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1997.
Ducky, illustrated by David Wisniewski, Clarion (New York, NY), 1997.
The Pumpkin Fair, illustrated by Eileen Christelow, Clarion (New York, NY), 1997.
Your Move, illustrated by James Ransome, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1998.
The Day the Whale Came, illustrated by Scott Menchin, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1998.
So Far from the Sea, illustrated by Chris Soentpiet, Clarion (New York, NY), 1998.
Some Frog!, illustrated by Scott Medlock, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1998.
I Have an Olive Tree, illustrated by Karen Barbour, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1999.
Dreaming of America: An Ellis Island Story, illustrated by Ben Stahl, BridgeWater Books (Mahwah, NJ), 1999.
Butterfly House, illustrated by Greg Shed, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Can You Do This, Old Badger?, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1999.
A Picnic in October, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1999.
Rudi's Pond, illustrated by Ronald Himler, Clarion 9New York, NY), 1999.
Peepers, illustrated by James Ransome, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2000.
Wanna Buy an Alien?, illustrated by Tim Bush, Clarion (New York, NY), 2000.
I Like the Way You Are, illustrated by John O'Brien, Clarion (New York, NY), 2000.
Dear Wish Fairy, illustrated by Steve Bjorkman, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2000.
Doll Baby, illustrated by Catherine Stock, Clarion (New York, NY), 2000.
The Memory String, illustrated by Ted Rand, Clarion (New York, NY), 2000.
Who Was Born This Special Day?, illustrated by Leonid Gore, Atheneum (New York, NY), 2000.
Swan in Love, illustrated by Jo Ellen McAllister-Stammen, Atheneum (New York, NY), 2000.
Too Many Monsters, illustrated by James Bernardin, BridgeWater Books (Mahwah, NJ), 2001.
We Were There, paintings by Wendell Minor, Clarion (New York, NY), 2001.
The Days of Summer, illustrated by William Low, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2001.
Gleam and Glow, illustrated by Peter Sylvada, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2001.
Jin Woo, illustrated by Chris K. Soentpiet, Clarion (New York, NY), 2001.
Riding the Tiger, illustrated by David Frampton, Clarion (New York, NY), 2001.
The Summer of Riley, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2001.
Little Badger: Terror of the Seven Seas, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2001.
Little Badger's Just-about Birthday, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2002.
The Bones of Fred Mcfee, illustrated by Kurt Cyrus, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2002.
One Candle, illustrated by K. Wendy Popp, Joanna Cotler Books (New York, NY), 2002.
Sing a Song of Piglets: A Calendar in Verse, pictures by Emily Arnold McCully, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 2002.
Girls: A to Z, illustrated by Susanne Bloom, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA), 2002.
Little Bear's Little Boat, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter, Clarion (New York, NY), 2003.
My Big Boy Bed, pictures by Maggie Smith, Clarion (New York, NY), 2003.
Anna's Table, illustrated by Taia Morley, NorthWord Press (Chanhassen, MN), 2003.
The Presence, Clarion (New York, NY), 2003.
Snowboarding on Monster Mountain, Cricket Books (Chicago, IL), 2003.
Whales Passing, illustrated by Lambert David, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 2003.
The Wedding, illustrated by Iza Trapani, Whispering Coyote (Watertown, MA), 2003.
I Love You, Too!, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2004.
Contributor of stories to basal readers published by several educational houses, including Heath, Laidlaw Brothers, Lyons & Carnahan, and Rand McNally. Contributor to anthologies, including Cricket's Choice, 1975, and Scribner's Anthology for Young People. Contributor of adult and juvenile stories to magazines.
"MAGIC CIRCLE" SERIES
The Two Giants, Ginn (Lexington, MA), 1972.
A Gift for Lonny, Ginn (Lexington, MA), 1973.
Box, Fox, Ox, and the Peacock, Ginn (Lexington, MA), 1974.
Say It Fast, Ginn (Lexington, MA), 1974.
We Need a Bigger Zoo!, Ginn (Lexington, MA), 1974.
"DINOSAUR MACHINE" SERIES
The Day of the Dinosaurs, illustrated by Judy Leo, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1975.
Death of a Dinosaur, illustrated by Judy Leo, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1975.
The Dinosaur Trap, illustrated by Judy Leo, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1975.
Escape from Tyrannosaurus, illustrated by Judy Leo, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1975.
"NO SUCH THINGS?" SERIES
The Creature of Cranberry Cove, illustrated by Scott Earle, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1976.
The Demon, illustrated by Scott Earle, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1976.
The Ghost, illustrated by Scott Earle, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1976.
The Tongue of the Ocean, illustrated by Scott Earle, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1976.
"EVE BUNTING SCIENCE FICTION" SERIES
The Day of the Earthlings, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Followers, illustrated by Don Hendricks, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Island of One, illustrated by Don Hendricks, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Mask, illustrated by Don Hendricks, Creative Eduction (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Mirror Planet, illustrated by Don Hendricks, Creative Eduction (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Robot People, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Space People, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Undersea People, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
"EVE BUNTING YOUNG ROMANCE" SERIES
Fifteen, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Girl in the Painting, Creative Education (Mancato, MN), 1978.
Just like Everyone Else, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Maggie the Freak, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Nobody Knows but Me, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Oh, Rick, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
A Part of the Dream, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Survival Camp!, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Two Different Girls, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
"LIPPINCOTT PAGE TURNERS" SERIES
The Cloverdale Switch, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1979.
The Waiting Game, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1981.
The Ghosts of Departure Point, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1982.
If I Asked You, Would You Stay?, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1984.
The Haunting of SafeKeep, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1985.
UNDER NAME A. E. BUNTING; "HIGH POINT" SERIES
Pitcher to Center Field, Elk Grove Books (Chicago, IL), 1974.
Surfing Country, Elk Grove Books (Chicago, IL), 1975.
Springboard to Summer, illustrated by Rob Sprattler, Elk Grove Books (Chicago, IL), 1975.
UNDER NAME EVELYN BOLTON; "EVELYN BOLTON HORSE BOOK" SERIES
Stable of Fear, Creative Eduction (Mankato, MN), 1974.
Lady's Girl, Creative Eduction (Mankato, MN), 1974.
Goodbye Charlie, Creative Eduction (Mankato, MN), 1974.
Ride When You're Ready, Creative Eduction (Mankato, MN), 1974.
The Wile Horses, Creative Eduction (Mankato, MN), 1974.
Dream Dancer, Creative Eduction (Mankato, MN), 1974.
Adaptations
How Many Days to America? was adapted as a film, Coronet/MTI Film and Video, 1991; A Face at the Edge of the World was adapted as the television movie A Desperate Exit; The Presence was adapted as an audiobook, Recorded Books, 2003.
Sidelights
The author of over two hundred titles, children's book author Eve Bunting has entertained children in genres ranging from mystery to science fiction to contemporary problem stories. Proficient in picture books, middle-grade readers, and young-adult novels, she has won a flotilla of awards in a career that has spanned over three decades. Featuring African-American, Chinese-American, Japanese, Jewish, Caucasian, Puerto Rican, Hawaiian, and Irish protagonists in her novels and picture books, Bunting strives to make her books all-inclusive. "I like to write for every child," she once wrote in the St. James Guide to Young-Adult Writers. "For every age, for every interest. That is why I have such a variety of books—from pre-school, through the middle grades and beyond. The young adult novels I write border on the true adult novel, but I enjoy keeping my protagonists in their upper teens, where lives are new and filled with challenge, where nothing is impossible." Bunting elaborated on her ability to reach diverse audiences in an interview with a contributor for Top of the News: "There is no special secret to writing for all age levels. You climb inside the head and the heart of the young person in your story. You think like that child. You feel like that child. You are that child."
Bunting was born in Maghera, Northern Ireland, where her father was a well-to-do merchant. When she was nine years old, she was sent to boarding school, where she often entertained the other girls by telling stories and tall tales in the evenings. "It was certainly there that I developed my life-long love of books and reading," she explained in the Junior Literary Guild. Bunting also commented in Writer magazine that her talents benefitted from the fact that "the educational system in Ireland is geared to the 'essay answer' in examinations, and at that I had always excelled." In her St. James Guide to Young-Adult Writers essay, she also noted that "There used to be Shanachies in the Ireland of long ago. The Shanachie was the storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghosts and fairies, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won. Maybe I'm a bit of a Shanachie myself, telling my stories to anyone who'll listen."
In the early 1940s Bunting attended Methodist College in Belfast, Northern Ireland. After graduating in 1945, she studied at Queen's University, Belfast, where she met Edward Davison Bunting, whom she married in 1951. After their marriage, the couple moved to Scotland, where they started their family. In 1959, the Bunting family—which by this time included three children—relocated to the United States, living first in San Francisco, California, then moving south to settle in Pasadena, where the author continues to make her home.
Once in her new country, Bunting noticed that a local community college was offering a class in writing for publication, and she decided to sign up. As she recalled in Writer magazine, "I find myself sometimes thinking what different turns my life might have taken had I not seen that junior college brochure." By 1972, Bunting had published her first book for children, The Two Giants, a book dealing with the legendary Irish and Scottish giants Finn McCool and Culcullan. The book marked the beginning of Bunting's "Magic Circle" series, as well as her prolific career as a children's author.
As she did with The Two Giants, Bunting frequently uses either the stories or the scenery of her native Northern Ireland in her books. She explained in Writer that her book Ghost of Summer "is set in contemporary Northern Ireland with its political upheaval, its senseless hatreds and killings in the name of religion." As she elaborated in the Junior Literary Guild: "I tried to write a story that children would find exciting but that would also show them the insidious horror of prejudice and the tragedy of a people torn apart by old hatreds. I tried to be objective, to be fair in showing both sides of the Irish problem. I hope no child reading it will know if the author is Protestant or Catholic. I hope no child reading it will care. I put into Ghost of Summer the feelings I have for Ireland; the love and the sorrow."In Spying on Miss Muller Bunting mines memories of her days in boarding school in Ireland, spinning a tale about a similar school located in Belfast that takes place during World War II. In her story, the school's once-adored language teacher, Miss Muller is now looked upon by everyone at the school with suspicion because of her German heritage. Her late-night walks also seem to come at the same time as German air raids; thus the girls begin to suspect the teacher of being a spy and start investigating her. Reviewing Spying on Miss Muller, a contributor to Publishers Weekly maintained that there is "much to enjoy here," especially the "school ambience deftly conveyed in numerous small details." Similarly, Horn Book reviewer Martha V. Parravano called the book a "thoughtful, moving, coming-of-age novel . . . portrayed with page-turning immediacy."
With her historical novel SOS Titanic Bunting focuses on fifteen-year-old Barry O'Neill, who is traveling from Ireland to New York on the ill-fated ocean liner. Barry already misses his grandparents, who have raised him for the last ten years, and is anxious about rejoining his parents. Added to this are his apprehensions about the Flynn brothers, who are traveling in steerage and are antagonistic toward him. When tragedy strikes the luxury ship, it is funneled through the emotions and actions of Barry in this "well-wrought historical fiction," as a reviewer for Publishers Weekly described the novel. Booklist critic Debbie Carton also had positive words for SOS Titanic, noting that "Bunting accurately and dramatically describes the ship's sinking and, at the same time, immerses readers in the many human tragedies."
While many of her stories feature Irish themes and settings, Bunting has also set a number of books in her adopted country. Going against Cool Calvin, for instance, concerns a Mexican teenager who is an illegal alien in the United States. She also takes on controversial issues, such as teenage prostitution in If I Asked You, Would You Stay?, "perhaps one of Bunting's most successful books," according to a contributor to the St. James Guide to Young-Adult Writers. This unusual tale features two runaways who manage to turn an uneasy friendship into love. Bunting deals with surrogate motherhood in Surrogate Sister, and teenage suicide in Face at the Edge of the World. Alcoholic abuse and the destruction it wreaks are at the center of her A Sudden Silence. And in Would You Be My POSSLQ, she features a plucky young college freshman who sets up an unusual living arrangement with a Person of the Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters.
As Bunting admitted in Writer: "I can spot a trend long before it comes.... Ninety percent of my story seeds come from something I've read in my daily paper or in my weekly periodical." But in another Writer article, she cautioned against focusing on a particular topic to the detriment of writing a good story: "If you set out to write a book that you don't care about just because the subject matter is 'hot,' you're heading for disappointment."Bunting sometimes uses the picture-book format to illustrate serious themes, as with the book Smoky Night, in which she portrays the 1992 Los Angeles riot through a child's eyes. In other picture books, such as One Candle, she focuses on the Holocaust, while issues surrounding the Vietnam War Memorial are addressed in The Wall. In Gleam and Glow Bunting uses the picture-book format to deal with the devastation wrought by the war in Bosnia. Booklist contributor GraceAnne A. DeCandido found that this picture book for older readers serves as an "effective tale of loss and hope," while in Publishers Weekly a critic wrote that the "image of hope and renewal strikes a strong keynote in Bunting's bittersweet story."
In addition to drawing from current events and history, Bunting can also write out of nostalgia, for thrills and chills, or for just plain fun. In Coffin on a Case! twelve-year-old Henry Coffin, the son of a private investigator, helps a gorgeous high-school girl in her dangerous attempt to find her kidnaped mother. As Henry narrates the story, aiming to emulate the wit and swagger of his hero, Sam Spade, the mystery "unfolds skillfully and swiftly, aided by a breezy, humorous style," commented School Library Journal contributor Connie Tyrrell Burns. "This is a cheerful homage to hard-boiled detecting," noted Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books reviewer Deborah Stevenson, "with its own twists and charm." The Presence: A Ghost Story finds a handsome ghost named Noah haunting a Pasadena churchyard and drawing beautiful young women into an ultimately deadly relationship. When seventeen-year-old Catherine comes to town, grieving the recent death of a close friend, Noah gains her trust by offering to communicate with Catherine's dead friend, but his ultimate goal is evil. Susan Riley, writing in School Library Journal, wrote that with The Presence, "Bunting, long a favorite of teen thrill seekers, has produced another winner in this well-written story of acute loneliness, alienation, romance, the occult, hope, and tragedy."
Lighter in tone are books such as I Don't Want to Go to Camp, a picture book that finds a young girl dreading the prospect of leaving home for the great unknown, and the middle-grade novel Wanna Buy an Alien?, in which Ben gets an intergalactic present for his eleventh birthday. Another eleven year old sets off on an adventure of a different sort in The Summer of Riley. A stray dog comes into William's life just when he needs it most: his grandfather has just died and his parents are separating. But when Riley, the dog, proves to be a hazard to animals on nearby farms, William must sacrifice him to a dog trainer in order to save the dog from being put down. Carol Schene, reviewing the novel for School Library Journal, praised Bunting for capturing "the dilemma of our contemporary society, which wants simple solutions to complex situations, often demands perfection and rejects anything less." A contributor to Publishers Weekly found the novel "heartwarming despite some heavy touches," and Booklist reviewer Chris Sherman praised the book's "bittersweet but satisfying resolution."
Bunting credits much of her books' popularity to her decision to put a well-crafted, entertaining story first. Speaking with Stefanie Weiss of NEA Today, she explained: "I don't ever start off to give a message in my books, although often it must seem as though I do. I like to write about loving and caring and how both can ease everyone's way through life. Maybe that sounds Pollyanish, maybe it's optimism carded to the nth degree, but that's what I want to do."
Biographical and Critical Sources
BOOKS
Children's Literature Review, Gale (Detroit, MI), Volume 28, 1992, Volume 56, 1999, Volume 82, 2003.
Cullinan, Bernice E., and Diane G. Person, editors, Continuum Encyclopedia of Children's Literature, Continuum Publishing (New York, NY), 2001.
St. James Guide to Young-Adult Writers, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1999.
Silvey, Anita, editor, Children's Books and Their Creators, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1995.
PERIODICALS
Booklist, June 15, 1978; March 1, 1984, p. 966; March 15, 1995, Ilene Cooper, review of Spying on Miss Muller, p. 1328; March 15, 1996, Debbie Carton, review of SOS Titanic, p. 1352; July, 2001, Chris Sherman, review of The Summer of Riley, p. 2004; December 15, 2001, GraceAnne A. DeCandido, review of Gleam and Glow, p. 738; October 15, 2003, Ilene Cooper, The Presence: A Ghost Story, p. 404; January 1, 2004, Jennifer Locke, review of Snowboarding on Monster Mountain, p. 852; September 1, 2004, Traci Todd, review of The Presence (audiobook), p. 148.
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, November, 1992, Deborah Stevenson, review of Coffin on a Case!, p. 69.
Early Years, October, 1986.
Horn Book, April, 1984, p. 181; September-October, 1995, Martha V. Parravano, review of Spying on Miss Muller, p. 596.
Junior Literary Guild, March, 1977; March, 1987.
Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2003, review of The Presence, p. 1121.
Kliatt, September, 2003, Claire Rosser, review of The Presence, p. 6
Lion and the Unicorn, June, 1988.
Los Angeles Times, August 10, 1979; February 20, 1995, p. 4.
NEA Today, April, 1995, Stefanie Weiss, "Eve Bunting: Suitable for Children?," p. 7.
New York Times, May 21, 1995, p. 25.
Publishers Weekly, April 3, 1995, review of Spying on Miss Muller, p. 62; February 5, 1996, p. 89; March 18, 1996, review of SOS Titanic, p. 70; August 6, 1999, review of Blackwater, p. 86; April 3, 2000, review of Wanna Buy an Alien?, p. 81; May 21, 2001, review of The Summer of Riley, p. 108; August 20, 2001, review of Gleam and Glow, p. 80; September 29, 2003, review of The Presence, p. 66.
Reading Today, February-March, 2002, Lynne T. Burke, review of Gleam and Glow, p. 32.
School Library Journal, September, 1978; October, 1992, Connie Tyrrell Burns, review of Coffin on a Case!, p. 112; August, 2000, Judith Everitt, review of Wanna Buy an Alien?, p. 177; June, 2001, Carol Schene, review of The Summer of Riley, p. 143; October, 2003, Jennifer Ralston, review of Your Move, p. 97, Susan Riley, review of The Presence, p. 162.
Top of the News, winter, 1986, pp. 132-134.
Writer, April, 1979, Eve Bunting, "New Trends in Children's Books"; April, 1984, Eve Bunting, "What's New in Children's Books?"; September, 1988, Eve Bunting, "Think Picture Book."
ONLINE
BookPage Web site, http://www.bookpage.com/ (September 10, 2004), Alice Cary, "A Talk with Eve Bunting."
KidsRead.com, http://www.kidsread.com/ (September 11, 2004), "Eve Bunting.".
Scoop Web site, http://www.friend.ly.net/scoop/ (September 10, 2004), "Eve Bunting."*
Bunting, Eve 1928- (Evelyn Bolton, A.E. Bunting)
Bunting, Eve 1928- (Evelyn Bolton, A.E. Bunting)
Personal
Born December 19, 1928 in, Maghera, Northern Ireland; immigrated to United States, 1960; became U.S. citizen; daughter of Sloan Edmund (a merchant) and Mary Bolton; married Edward Davison Bunting (a medical administrator), April 26, 1951; children: Christine, Sloan, Glenn. Education: Graduated from Methodist College, Belfast, 1945; also attended Queen's University, Belfast. Politics: Democrat. Religion: Protestant.
Addresses
Home—Pasadena, CA.
Career
Freelance writer, 1969—. University of California, Los Angeles, teacher of writing, 1978-79; instructor at writing conferences.
Member
PEN International, California Writer's Guild, Southern California Council on Writing for Children and Young People, Society of Children's Book Writers (board member).
Awards, Honors
Barney the Beard named an Honor Book by Chicago Book Clinic; Golden Kite Award, Society of Children's Book Writers, and Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children designation, National Council for Social Studies/Children's Book Council, both 1976, both for One More Flight; Children's Book of the Year award, Child Study Association of America, 1976, for One More Flight, 1979, for The Big Red Barn, 1981, for Goose Dinner and The Waiting Game, 1986, for The Valentine Bears, and 1987, for The Mother's Day Mice and Sixth Grade Sleepover; New York Times Top Ten Books of 1977 inclusion, for Winter's Coming; Golden Kite award, and Best Fiction Book for Children designation, Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People, both 1977, both for Ghost of Summer; American Library Association (ALA) Best Books for Young Adults designation, 1984, for If I Asked You, Would You Stay?; PEN Special Achievement Award, 1984, for contribution to children's literature; Nene Award, Hawaii Association of School Librarians/Hawaii Library Association, 1986, for Karen Kepplewhite Is the World's Best Kisser; Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People Award for Excellence in a Series, 1986, for "Lippincott Page Turners" series; Parents' Choice Award, Parents' Choice Foundation, 1988, for The Mother's Day Mice; Virginia Young Readers Award, and South Carolina Association of School Librarians Young-Adult Book Award, both 1988-89, and California Reading Associa-
tion Young Readers Medal, 1989, all for Face at the Edge of the World; Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People Award for Outstanding Work of Fiction for Young Adults, 1989, for A Sudden Silence; Oklahoma Library Association Sequoyah Children's Book Award, Missouri Association of School Librarians Mark Twain Award, and Florida Association for Media in Education Sunshine State Young Readers Award, all 1989, all for Sixth Grade Sleepover; ALA Best Book for Young Adults and Recommended Book for Reluctant Young Readers, and New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age designation, all 1992, all for Jumping the Nail; Caldecott Medal, 1995, for Smoky Night with illustrations by David Diaz; Western Writers of America Storyteller Award, 1995, for Dandelions; Regina Medal for Distinguished Contribution to Children's Literature, Catholic Library Association, 1997; Sydney Taylor Children's Book Award Honor Book in older-readers category, Association of Jewish Libraries, 2002, for One Candle.
Writings
FOR CHILDREN
The Once-a-Year Day, Golden Gate (San Carlos, CA), 1974.
The Wild One, Scholastic Book Services (New York, NY), 1974.
(Under name A.E. Bunting) High Tide for Labrador, illustrated by Bernard Garbutt, Golden Gate (San Carlos, CA), 1975.
Barney the Beard, illustrated by Imero Gobbato, Parents' Magazine Press (New York, NY), 1975.
The Skateboard Four, Albert Whitman (Niles, IL), 1976.
One More Flight, illustrated by Diane De Groat, Warne (New York, NY), 1976.
Blacksmith at Blueridge, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1976.
Josefina Finds the Prince, illustrated by Jan Palmer, Garrard (Champaign, IL), 1976.
Skateboard Saturday, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1976.
(With son, Glenn Bunting) Skateboards: How to Make Them, How to Ride Them, Harvey House (New York, NY), 1977.
The Big Cheese, illustrated by Sal Murdocca, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1977.
Winter's Coming, illustrated by Howard Knotts, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1977.
Ghost of Summer, illustrated by W.T. Mars, Warne (New York, NY), 1977.
Cop Camp, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1977.
The Haunting of Kildoran Abbey, Warne (New York, NY), 1978.
Magic and the Night River, illustrated by Allen Say, Harper (New York, NY), 1978.
Going against Cool Calvin, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1978.
The Big Find, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Yesterday's Island, Warne (New York, NY), 1979.
The Big Red Barn, illustrated by Howard Knotts, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1979.
Blackbird Singing, illustrated by Steven Gammell, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1979.
The Sea World Book of Sharks, photographs by Flip Nicklin, Sea World Press (San Diego, CA), 1979.
The Sea World Book of Whales, Sea World Press (San Diego, CA), 1979.
Terrible Things, illustrated by Steven Gammell, Harper (New York, NY), 1980, revised edition published as Terrible Things: An Allegory of the Holocaust, Jewish Publication Society (Philadelphia, PA), 1989.
St. Patrick's Day in the Morning, illustrated by Jan Brett, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1980.
Demetrius and the Golden Goblet, illustrated by Michael Hague, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1980.
The Robot Birthday, illustrated by Marie DeJohn, Dutton (New York, NY), 1980.
The Skate Patrol, Albert Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1980.
The Skate Patrol Rides Again, illustrated by Don Madden, Albert Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1981.
Goose Dinner, illustrated by Howard Knotts, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1981.
The Empty Window, illustrated by Judy Clifford, Warne (New York, NY), 1981.
The Happy Funeral, illustrated by Mai Vo-Dinh, Harper (New York, NY), 1981.
Rosie and Mr. William Star, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1981.
Jane Martin, Dog Detective, illustrated by Amy Schwartz, Garrard (Champaign, IL), 1981.
Jane Martin and the Case of the Ice Cream Dog, illustrated by Amy Schwartz, Garrard (Champaign, IL), 1981.
The Spook Birds, illustrated by Blanch Sims, Albert Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1981.
The Giant Squid, Messner (New York, NY), 1981.
The Great White Shark, Messner (New York, NY), 1982.
The Skate Patrol and the Mystery Writer, illustrated by Don Madden, Albert Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1982.
Karen Kepplewhite Is the World's Best Kisser, Clarion (New York, NY), 1983.
The Traveling Men of Ballycoo, illustrated by Kaethe Zemach, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1983.
The Valentine Bears, illustrated by Jan Brett, Clarion (New York, NY), 1983.
Ghost behind Me, Archway (New York, NY), 1984.
The Man Who Could Call down Owls, illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1984.
Monkey in the Middle, illustrated by Lynn Munsinger, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1984.
Someone Is Hiding on Alcatraz Island, Clarion (New York, NY), 1984.
Surrogate Sister, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1984, published as Mother, How Could You!, Archway (New York, NY), 1986.
Clancy's Coat, illustrated by Lorinda Bryan Cauley, Clarion (New York, NY), 1984.
Face at the Edge of the World, Clarion (New York, NY), 1985.
Sixth Grade Sleepover, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1986.
Scary, Scary Halloween, Clarion (New York, NY), 1986.
The Mother's Day Mice, illustrated by Jan Brett, Clarion (New York, NY), 1986.
Janet Hamm Needs a Date for the Dance, Clarion (New York, NY), 1986.
Will You Be My POSSLQ?, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1987.
Ghost's Hour, Spook's Hour, illustrated by Donald Carrick, Clarion (New York, NY), 1987.
Happy Birthday, Dear Duck, Clarion (New York, NY), 1988.
A Sudden Silence, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1988.
How Many Days to America?: A Thanksgiving Story, illustrated by Beth Peck, Clarion (New York, NY), 1988.
Is Anybody There?, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1988.
The Ghost Children, Clarion (New York, NY), 1989.
No Nap, illustrated by Susan Meddaugh, Clarion (New York, NY), 1989.
The Wednesday Surprise, illustrated by Donald Carrick, Clarion (New York, NY), 1989.
In the Haunted House, illustrated by Susan Meddaugh, Clarion (New York, NY), 1989.
Our Sixth-Grade Sugar Babies, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1990.
Such Nice Kids, Clarion (New York, NY), 1990.
The Wall, illustrated by Ronald Himler, Clarion (New York, NY), 1990.
Night Tree, illustrated by Ted Rand, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1991.
A Turkey for Thanksgiving, illustrated by Diane deGroat, Clarion (New York, NY), 1991.
Fly away Home, illustrated by Ronald Himler, Clarion (New York, NY), 1991.
The Hideout, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1991.
Jumping the Nail, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1991.
Sharing Susan, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1991.
A Perfect Father's Day, Clarion (New York, NY), 1991.
The Mask, Child's World (Mankato, MN), 1992.
Our Teacher's Having a Baby, Clarion (New York, NY), 1992.
The Bicycle Man, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1992.
Coffin on a Case, Harper (New York, NY), 1992.
Summer Wheels, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1993.
The Day before Christmas, Clarion (New York, NY), 1993.
Someday a Tree, Clarion (New York, NY), 1993.
Survival Camp, Child's World (Mankato, MN), 1993.
Red Fox Running, Clarion (New York, NY), 1993.
Night of the Gargoyles, Clarion (New York, NY), 1994.
A Day's Work, Clarion (New York, NY), 1994.
Sunshine Home, Clarion (New York, NY), 1994.
Nasty Stinky Sneakers, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1994.
The in-between Days, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1994.
Flower Garden, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1994.
Smoky Night, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1994.
Dandelions, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1995.
Cheyenne Again, Clarion (New York, NY), 1995.
Once upon a Time, R.C. Owen (Katonah, NY), 1995.
Spying on Miss Muller, Clarion (New York, NY), 1995.
Sunflower House, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1996.
Going Home, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1996.
Train to Somewhere, Clarion (New York, NY), 1996.
Trouble on the T-ball Team, Clarion (New York, NY), 1996.
The Blue and the Gray, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
SOS Titanic, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1996.
Market Day, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1996.
I Don't Want to Go to Camp, illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1996.
I Am the Mummy Heb-Nefer, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1997.
Moonstick, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1997.
Secret Place, Clarion (New York, NY), 1997.
Twinnies, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1997.
On Call Back Mountain, illustrated by Barry Moser, Blue Sky (New York, NY), 1997.
My Backpack, illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler, Boyds Mills (Honesdale, PA), 1997.
December, illustrated by David Diaz, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1997.
Ducky, illustrated by David Wisniewski, Clarion (New York, NY), 1997.
The Pumpkin Fair, illustrated by Eileen Christelow, Clarion (New York, NY), 1997.
Your Move, illustrated by James Ransome, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1998.
The Day the Whale Came, illustrated by Scott Menchin, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1998.
So Far from the Sea, illustrated by Chris Soentpiet, Clarion (New York, NY), 1998.
Some Frog!, illustrated by Scott Medlock, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1998.
I Have an Olive Tree, illustrated by Karen Barbour, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1999.
Dreaming of America: An Ellis Island Story, illustrated by Ben Stahl, BridgeWater Books (Mahwah, NJ), 1999.
Butterfly House, illustrated by Greg Shed, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Can You Do This, Old Badger?, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1999.
A Picnic in October, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1999.
Rudi's Pond, illustrated by Ronald Himler, Clarion 9New York, NY), 1999.
Peepers, illustrated by James Ransome, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2000.
Wanna Buy an Alien?, illustrated by Tim Bush, Clarion (New York, NY), 2000.
I Like the Way You Are, illustrated by John O'Brien, Clarion (New York, NY), 2000.
Dear Wish Fairy, illustrated by Steve Bjorkman, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2000.
Doll Baby, illustrated by Catherine Stock, Clarion (New York, NY), 2000.
The Memory String, illustrated by Ted Rand, Clarion (New York, NY), 2000.
Who Was Born This Special Day?, illustrated by Leonid Gore, Atheneum (New York, NY), 2000.
Swan in Love, illustrated by Jo Ellen McAllister-Stammen, Atheneum (New York, NY), 2000.
Too Many Monsters, illustrated by James Bernardin, BridgeWater Books (Mahwah, NJ), 2001.
We Were There, paintings by Wendell Minor, Clarion (New York, NY), 2001.
The Days of Summer, illustrated by William Low, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2001.
Gleam and Glow, illustrated by Peter Sylvada, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2001.
Jin Woo, illustrated by Chris K. Soentpiet, Clarion (New York, NY), 2001.
Riding the Tiger, illustrated by David Frampton, Clarion (New York, NY), 2001.
The Summer of Riley, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2001.
Little Badger: Terror of the Seven Seas, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2001.
Little Badger's Just-about Birthday, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2002.
The Bones of Fred McFee, illustrated by Kurt Cyrus, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2002.
One Candle, illustrated by K. Wendy Popp, Joanna Cotler Books (New York, NY), 2002.
Sing a Song of Piglets: A Calendar in Verse, illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 2002.
Girls: A to Z, illustrated by Susanne Bloom, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA), 2002.
Little Bear's Little Boat, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter, Clarion (New York, NY), 2003.
My Big Boy Bed, illustrated by Maggie Smith, Clarion (New York, NY), 2003.
Anna's Table, illustrated by Taia Morley, NorthWord Press (Chanhassen, MN), 2003.
The Presence, Clarion (New York, NY), 2003.
Snowboarding on Monster Mountain, Cricket Books (Chicago, IL), 2003.
Whales Passing, illustrated by Lambert David, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 2003.
The Wedding, illustrated by Iza Trapani, Whispering Coyote (Watertown, MA), 2003.
I Love You, Too!, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2004.
My Special Day at Third Street School, illustrated by Suzanne Bloom, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA), 2004.
That's What Leprechauns Do, illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 2005.
y Red Balloon, illustrated by Kay Life, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA), 2005.
The Lambkins, illustrated by Jonathan Keegan, Joanna Cotler Books (New York, NY), 2005.
The Ghost Children, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 2005.
Reggie, illustrated by D. Brent Burkett, Cricket Books (Chicago, IL), 2006.
Pop's Bridge, illustrated by C.F. Payne, Harcourt (Orlando, FL), 2006.
One Green Apple, illustrated by Ted Lewin, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 2006.
My Robot, illustrated by Dagmar Fehlau, Harcourt (Orlando, FL), 2006.
My Mom's Wedding, illustrated by Lisa Papp, Sleeping Bear Press (Chelsea, MI), 2006.
A Sudden Silence, Harcourt (Orlando, FL), 2007.
S Is for Shamrock: An Ireland Alphabet, illustrated by Matt Faulkner, Sleeping Bear Press (Chelsea, MI), 2007.
The Man with the Red Bag, Joanna Cottler Books (New York, NY), 2007.
Hurry! Hurry!, illustrated by Jeff Mack, Harcourt (Orlando, FL), 2007.
Emma's Turtle, illustrated by Marsha Winborn, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA), 2007.
The Baby Shower, illustrated by Judy Love, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2007.
Baby Can, illustrated by Maxie Chambliss, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA), 2007.
Walking to School: A Story from Northern Ireland, illustrated by Michael Dooling, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 2008.
Our Library, illustrated by Maggie Smith, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 2008.
Mouse Island, illustrated by Dominic Catalano, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA), 2008.
I Loved You before You Were Born, illustrated by Karen Barbour, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 2008.
Flower Garden, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt, Red Wagon Books/Harcourt (Orlando, FL), 2008.
The Banshee, illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 2009.
Contributor of stories to basal readers published by several educational houses, including Heath, Laidlaw Brothers, Lyons & Carnahan, and Rand McNally. Contributor to anthologies, including Cricket's Choice, 1975, and Scribner's Anthology for Young People. Contributor of adult and juvenile stories to magazines.
"MAGIC CIRCLE" SERIES
The Two Giants, Ginn (Lexington, MA), 1972.
A Gift for Lonny, Ginn (Lexington, MA), 1973.
Box, Fox, Ox, and the Peacock, Ginn (Lexington, MA), 1974.
Say It Fast, Ginn (Lexington, MA), 1974.
We Need a Bigger Zoo!, Ginn (Lexington, MA), 1974.
UNDER NAME EVELYN BOLTON; "EVELYN BOLTON HORSE BOOK" SERIES
Stable of Fear, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1974.
Lady's Girl, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1974.
Goodbye Charlie, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1974.
Ride When You're Ready, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1974.
The Wile Horses, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1974.
Dream Dancer, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1974.
UNDER NAME A.E. BUNTING; "HIGH POINT" SERIES
Pitcher to Center Field, Elk Grove Books (Chicago, IL), 1974.
Surfing Country, Elk Grove Books (Chicago, IL), 1975.
Springboard to Summer, illustrated by Rob Sprattler, Elk Grove Books (Chicago, IL), 1975.
"DINOSAUR MACHINE" SERIES
The Day of the Dinosaurs, illustrated by Judy Leo, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1975.
Death of a Dinosaur, illustrated by Judy Leo, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1975.
The Dinosaur Trap, illustrated by Judy Leo, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1975.
Escape from Tyrannosaurus, illustrated by Judy Leo, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1975.
"NO SUCH THINGS?" SERIES
The Creature of Cranberry Cove, illustrated by Scott Earle, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1976.
The Demon, illustrated by Scott Earle, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1976.
The Ghost, illustrated by Scott Earle, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1976.
The Tongue of the Ocean, illustrated by Scott Earle, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1976.
"EVE BUNTING SCIENCE FICTION" SERIES
The Day of the Earthlings, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Followers, illustrated by Don Hendricks, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Island of One, illustrated by Don Hendricks, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Mask, illustrated by Don Hendricks, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Mirror Planet, illustrated by Don Hendricks, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Robot People, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Space People, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Undersea People, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
"EVE BUNTING YOUNG ROMANCE" SERIES
Fifteen, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Girl in the Painting, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Just like Everyone Else, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Maggie the Freak, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Nobody Knows but Me, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Oh, Rick, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
A Part of the Dream, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Survival Camp!, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Two Different Girls, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
"LIPPINCOTT PAGE TURNERS" SERIES
The Cloverdale Switch, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1979.
The Waiting Game, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1981.
The Ghosts of Departure Point, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1982.
If I Asked You, Would You Stay?, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1984.
The Haunting of SafeKeep, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1985.
Adaptations
How Many Days to America? was adapted as a film, Coronet/MTI Film and Video, 1991; A Face at the Edge of the World was adapted as the television movie A Desperate Exit; The Presence was adapted as an audiobook, Recorded Books, 2003.
Sidelights
Prolific writer Eve Bunting has entertained children in genres ranging from mystery to science fiction to contemporary problem stories. Proficient in picture books, middle-grade readers, and young-adult novels, Bunting has won a flotilla of awards in a career that has spanned several decades. "I like to write for every child," she commented in the St. James Guide to Young-Adult Writers. In fact, her novels and picture books feature African-American, Chinese-American, Japanese, Jewish, Caucasian, Puerto Rican, Hawaiian, and Irish protagonists. Bunting elaborated on her ability to reach diverse audiences in an interview with a contributor for Top of the News: "There is no special secret to writing for all age levels. You climb inside the head and the heart of the young person in your story. You think like that child. You feel like that child. You are that child."
Bunting was born in Maghera, Northern Ireland, where her father was a well-to-do merchant. When she was nine years old, she was sent to boarding school, where she often entertained the other girls by telling stories and tall tales in the evenings. "It was certainly there that I developed my life-long love of books and reading," Bunting explained in an essay for the Junior Literary Guild.
In the early 1940s Bunting attended Methodist College in Belfast, Northern Ireland. After graduating in 1945, she studied at Queen's University, Belfast, where she met Edward Davison Bunting, whom she married in 1951. After their marriage, the couple moved to Scotland, where they started their family. In 1959, the Bunting family—which by this time included three children—relocated to the United States, living first in San Francisco, California, and then moving south to settle in Pasadena, where the author continues to make her home.
Once in her new country, Bunting noticed that a local community college was offering a class in writing for publication, and she decided to sign up. By 1972, she had published her first book for children, The Two Giants, which introduces children to the legendary Irish and Scottish giants Finn McCool and Culcullan. The book marked the beginning of Bunting's "Magic Circle" series, as well as her prolific career as a children's author.
As she did with The Two Giants, Bunting frequently uses either the stories or the scenery of her native Northern Ireland in her books. Sometimes, as in Ghost of Summer and her memoir Walking to School: A Story from Northern Ireland, she also addresses the upheaval that can be sparked by religious and political differences. As she elaborated in the Junior Literary Guild, with Ghost of Summer "I tried to write a story that children would find exciting but that would also show … the insidious horror of prejudice and the tragedy of a people torn apart by old hatreds…. I put into Ghost of Summer the feelings I have for Ireland; the love and the sorrow." Walking to School also captures her mixed emotions with regard to Northern Ireland, this time in a picture-book format. While noting that Bunting's story, with its documentary-style paintings by Michael Dooling, will spark questions from younger children, School Library Journal critic Grace Oliff wrote that Walking to School "present[s] … the situation from a child's perspective without demonizing either side."
In Spying on Miss Muller Bunting mines memories of her boarding-school days, spinning a tale about a similar school that takes place in Belfast during World War II. In her story, the school's once-adored language teacher, Miss Muller, is now looked upon with suspicion because of her German heritage. When their teacher's late-night walks seem to coincide with German air raids, Miss Muller's students begin to suspect the woman of being a spy. Reviewing Spying on Miss Muller, a contributor to Publishers Weekly maintained that there is "much to enjoy here," especially the "school ambience deftly conveyed in numerous small details." Similarly, Horn Book reviewer Martha V. Parravano called Bunting's book a "thoughtful, moving, coming-of-age novel … portrayed with page-turning immediacy."
With her historical novel SOS Titanic Bunting focuses on fifteen-year-old Barry O'Neill, who is traveling from Ireland to New York on the ill-fated ocean liner. Barry already misses his grandparents, who have raised him for the last ten years, and he is anxious about rejoining his parents. Added to this are his apprehensions about the Flynn brothers, who are traveling in steerage and are antagonistic toward him. When tragedy strikes the luxury ship, it is funneled through the emotions and actions of Barry in this "well-wrought historical fiction," as a reviewer for Publishers Weekly described the novel. Booklist critic Debbie Carton also had positive words for SOS Titanic, noting that "Bunting accurately and dramatically describes the ship's sinking and, at the same time, immerses readers in the many human tragedies."
While many of her stories feature Irish themes and settings, Bunting also addresses the issues of her adopted country in several novels for teen readers. Going against Cool Calvin, for instance, concerns a Mexican teenager who is an illegal immigrant in the United States. Teenage prostitution is the subject of If I Asked You, Would You Stay?, an unusual tale about two runaways who turn an uneasy friendship into love that the St. James Guide to Young-Adult Writers essayist dubbed "one of Bunting's most successful books." Bunting also deals with surrogate motherhood in Surrogate Sister, and teen suicide in Face at the Edge of the World. Alcohol abuse and the destruction it wreaks are at the center of A Sudden Silence, and in Would You Be My POSSLQ she features a plucky young college freshman who sets up an unusual living arrangement with a Person of the Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters.
Bunting sometimes uses the picture-book format to illustrate serious themes, as with Smoky Night, in which she portrays the 1992 Los Angeles riot through a child's eyes. In other picture books, such as One Candle, she focuses on the Holocaust, while issues surrounding the Vietnam War Memorial are addressed in The Wall. In Gleam and Glow Bunting uses the picture-book format to deal with the devastation wrought by the war in Bosnia. Booklist contributor GraceAnne A. DeCandido found that Gleam and Glow serves as an "effective tale of loss and hope," while in Publishers Weekly a critic wrote that the "image of hope and renewal strikes a strong keynote in Bunting's bittersweet story."
As Bunting admitted in Writer: "I can spot a trend long before it comes…. Ninety percent of my story seeds come from something I've read in my daily paper or in my weekly periodical." The events of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks inspired her novel The Man with the Red Bag, which finds aspiring young mystery writer Kevin Sanders taking a cross-country guided tour with his grandmother. The events of September 11 have recently occurred, and everyone is vigilant. When twelve-year-old Kevin begins to worry that fellow tour member Charles Stavros may be a terrorist because the man's complexion is dark and he carries his red duffle bag everywhere, he and another junior tourist decide to spy on Stavros. While noting that the story ends abruptly, School Library Journal contributor Caitlin Augusta wrote that in The Man with the Red Bag "Bunting does a credible job of exploring the panic and patriotism that filled [U.S.] … society" following 9/11.
In addition to drawing from current events and history, Bunting can also write out of nostalgia, for thrills and chills, or for just plain fun. In Coffin on a Case! twelve-year-old Henry Coffin, the son of a private investigator, helps a gorgeous high-school girl in her dangerous attempt to find her kidnaped mother. As Henry narrates the story, aiming to emulate the wit and swagger of his hero, Sam Spade, the mystery "unfolds skillfully and swiftly, aided by a breezy, humorous style," commented School Library Journal contributor Connie Tyrrell Burns. Coffin on a Case! "is a cheerful homage to hardboiled detecting," noted Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books reviewer Deborah Stevenson, the critic citing the story's "twists and charm."
The Presence: A Ghost Story finds a handsome ghost named Noah haunting a Pasadena churchyard and drawing beautiful young women into an ultimately deadly relationship. When seventeen-year-old Catherine comes to town, grieving the recent death of a close friend, Noah gains her trust by offering to communicate with Catherine's dead friend, but his ultimate goal is evil. Susan Riley, writing in School Library Journal, noted that with The Presence "Bunting … has produced another winner in this well-written story of acute loneliness, alienation, romance, the occult, hope, and tragedy."
Bunting's middle-grade novel Wanna Buy an Alien? finds Ben gets an intergalactic present for his eleventh birthday. Another eleven year old sets off on an adventure of a different sort in The Summer of Riley. Here a stray dog comes into William's life just when he needs it most: his grandfather has just died and his parents are separating. However, when Riley the dog proves to be a hazard to livestock on nearby farms, William must sacrifice him to a dog trainer in order to save the dog from being put down. Carol Schene, reviewing The Summer of Riley for School Library Journal, praised Bunting for capturing "the dilemma of our contemporary society, which wants simple solutions to complex situations, often demands perfection and rejects anything less." A contributor to Publishers Weekly found the middle-grade novel "heartwarming despite some heavy touches," and Booklist reviewer Chris Sherman praised the book's "bittersweet but satisfying resolution."
Geared for even younger readers, the picture book I Don't Want to Go to Camp finds a young girl dreading the prospect of leaving home for the great unknown, while My Red Balloon depicts the mix of worry and anticipation that a young boy feels the day his dad is scheduled to return from his time on tour with the U.S. Navy. In Our Library, which features artwork by Maggie Smith, a group of animals is spurred to action when local librarian Miss Goose announces the closure of the library due to the building's age. A young boy narrates the events surrounding an author visit at his elementary school in My Special Day at Third Street School, a picture book by Bunting that a Publishers Weekly critic explained presents "an insider's look at the creative process" in "enthusiastic verse." An unusual adventurer is the subject of Emma's Turtle, a picture book by Bunting in which an imaginative turtle decides to stray from its pen in Emma's back yard and explore Africa—even though it never actually leaves the neighborhood. Narrating the story in the turtle's "droll voice, Bunting demonstrates how stories can inspire adventures and
imagination," wrote Booklist contributor Shelle Rosenfeld, and in Kirkus Reviews a critic cited illustrator Marsha Winborn for giving Turtle "an impressive range of expressions."
Bunting credits much of her books' popularity to her decision to put a well-crafted, entertaining story first. Speaking with Stefanie Weiss for NEA Today, she explained: "I don't ever start off to give a message in my books, although often it must seem as though I do. I like to write about loving and caring and how both can ease everyone's way through life. Maybe that sounds Pollyannaish, maybe it's optimism carded to the nth degree, but that's what I want to do."
Biographical and Critical Sources
BOOKS
Children's Literature Review, Gale (Detroit, MI), Volume 28, 1992, Volume 56, 1999, Volume 82, 2003.
St. James Guide to Young-Adult Writers, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1999.
Silvey, Anita, editor, Children's Books and Their Creators, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1995.
PERIODICALS
Booklist, March 15, 1995, Ilene Cooper, review of Spying on Miss Muller, p. 1328; March 15, 1996, Debbie Carton, review of SOS Titanic, p. 1352; July, 2001, Chris Sherman, review of The Summer of Riley, p. 2004; December 15, 2001, GraceAnne A. DeCandido, review of Gleam and Glow, p. 738; October 15, 2003, Ilene Cooper, The Presence: A Ghost Story, p. 404; January 1, 2004, Jennifer Locke, review of Snowboarding on Monster Mountain, p. 852; March 15, 2004, Carolyn Phelan, review of My Special Day at Third Street School, p. 1302; July, 2005, Hazel Rochman, review of My Red Balloon, p. 1929; March 15, 2006, Kathy Broderick, review of My Robot, p. 53; April 15, 2006, Michael Cart, review of Pop's Bridge, p. 50; June 1, 2006, Jennifer Mattson, review of One Green Apple, p. 74; February 1, 2007, Gillian Engberg, review of Hurry! Hurry!, p. 46; February 15, 2007, Julie Cummins, review of Baby Can, p. 82; October 1, 2007, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of Emma's Turtle, p. 63; March 15, 2008, Randall Enos, review of Mouse Island, p. 56; September 1, 2008, Kathleen Isaacs, review of Walking to School: A Story from Northern Ireland, p. 101; November 1, 2008, Patricia Austin, review of Our Library, p. 48.
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, November, 1992, Deborah Stevenson, review of Coffin on a Case!, p. 69; July, 1998, review of Your Move, p. 389; July, 2000, review of Swan in Love, p. 393; November, 2001, review of We Were There, p. 95; October, 2002, review of The Bones of Fred McFee, p. 50; September, 2006, review of Pop's Bridge, p. 7; January, 2007, Elizabeth Bush, review of Reggie, p. 204; November, 2007, Deborah Stevenson, review of The Man with the Red Bag, p. 133.
Horn Book, July-August, 1991, Ann A. Flowers, review of Fly away Home, p. 445; September-October, 1995, Martha V. Parravano, review of Spying on Miss Muller, p. 596; July, 1999, review of I Have an Olive Tree, p. 452; March-April, 2007, Lauren Adams, review of Hurry! Hurry!, p. 178.
Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2003, review of The Presence, p. 1121; September 1, 2003, review of My Bib Boy Bed, p. 1120; February 15, 2004, review of My Special Day at Third Street School, p. 174; August 15, 2005, review of My Red Balloon, p. 910; April 15, 2006, review of Pop's Bridge, p. 402; February 1, 2007, review of Hurry! Hurry!, p. 121; August 1, 2007, review of Emma's Turtle; January 15, 2008, review of Mouse Island; July 15, 2008, review of Our Library; August 15, 2008, review of Walking to School.
Kliatt, September, 2003, Claire Rosser, review of The Presence, p. 6.
NEA Today, April, 1995, Stefanie Weiss, "Eve Bunting: Suitable for Children?," p. 7.
Publishers Weekly, April 3, 1995, review of Spying on Miss Muller, p. 62; March 18, 1996, review of SOS Titanic, p. 70; August 6, 1999, review of Blackwater, p. 86; April 3, 2000, review of Wanna Buy an Alien?, p. 81; May 21, 2001, review of The Summer of Riley, p. 108; August 20, 2001, review of Gleam and Glow, p. 80; September 23, 2002, review of The Bones of Fred McFee, p. 23; September 29, 2003, review of The Presence, p. 66; February 9, 2004, review of My Special Day at Third Street School, p. 81; December 12, 2005, review of That's What Leprechauns Do, p. 64.
Reading Today, February-March, 2002, Lynne T. Burke, review of Gleam and Glow, p. 32.
School Library Journal, October, 1992, Connie Tyrrell Burns, review of Coffin on a Case!, p. 112; August, 2000, Judith Everitt, review of Wanna Buy an Alien?, p. 177; June, 2001, Carol Schene, review of The Summer of Riley, p. 143; October, 2003, Jennifer Ralston, review of Your Move, p. 97, Susan Riley, review of The Presence, p. 162; September, 2005, Pamela K. Bomboy, review of My Red Balloon, p. 166; June, 2006, Marianne Saccardi, review of One Green Apple, p. 107, and review of Pop's Bridge, p. 108; March, 2007, Maryann H. Owen, review of Hurry! Hurry!, p. 152; September, 2007, Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, review of Emma's Turtle, p. 158, and Caitlin Augusta, review of The Man with the Red Bag, p. 192; April, 2008, Mary Elam, review of Mouse Island, p. 103; August, 2008, Grace Oliff, review of Our Library, p. 84; September, 2008, Grace Oliff, review of Walking to School, p. 140.
Writer, April, 1979, Eve Bunting, "New Trends in Children's Books"; April, 1984, Eve Bunting, "What's New in Children's Books?"; September, 1988, Eve Bunting, "Think Picture Book."
ONLINE
BookPage Web site,http://www.bookpage.com/ (September 10, 2004), Alice Cary, "A Talk with Eve Bunting."
KidsRead.com,http://www.kidsread.com/ (September 11, 2004), "Eve Bunting."
Scoop Web site,http://www.friend.ly.net/scoop/ (September 10, 2004), "Eve Bunting."
Bunting, (Anne) Eve(lyn) 1928-
BUNTING, (Anne) Eve(lyn) 1928-
(Evelyn Bolton, A. E. Bunting)
PERSONAL: Born December 19, 1928 in, Maghera, Northern Ireland; came to United States, 1960; became U.S. citizen; daughter of Sloan Edmund (a merchant) and Mary (Canning) Bolton; married Edward Davison Bunting (a medical administrator), April 26, 1951; children: Christine, Sloan, Glenn. Education: Graduated from Methodist College, Belfast, 1945; also attended Queen's University, Belfast. Politics: Democrat. Religion: Protestant.
ADDRESSES: Home—Pasadena, CA. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Harcourt Brace, 525 B. St., San Diego, CA 92101.
CAREER: Freelance writer, 1969—. University of California, Los Angeles, teacher of writing, 1978-79; instructor at writing conferences.
MEMBER: PEN International, California Writer's Guild, Southern California Council on Writing for Children and Young People, Society of Children's Book Writers (board member).
AWARDS, HONORS: Barney the Beard named an Honor Book by Chicago Book Clinic; Golden Kite Award, Society of Children's Book Writers, for best fiction book, Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children, and Outstanding Social Science Book for Children from National Council for Social Studies/Children's Book Council, all 1976, all for One More Flight; Children's Book of the Year awards from Child Study Association of America, 1976, for One More Flight, 1979, for The Big Red Barn, 1981, for Goose Dinner and The Waiting Game, 1986, for The Valentine Bears, and 1987, for The Mother's Day Mice and Sixth Grade Sleepover; Winter's Coming named among New York Times Top Ten Books of 1977; Golden Kite award, and Best Fiction Book for Children designation, Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People, both 1977, both for Ghost of Summer; If I Asked You, Would You Stay? selected among American Library Association (ALA) Best Books for Young Adults, 1984; PEN Special Achievement Award, 1984, for contribution to children's literature; Nene Award, Hawaii Association of School Librarians/Hawaii Library Association, 1986, for Karen Kepple-white Is the World's Best Kisser; School Library Journal Best Books of the Year designation, 1986, for The Mother's Day Mice, and 1989, for The Wednesday Surprise; Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People Award for Excellence in a Series, 1986, for "Lippincott Page Turners" series; Parents' Choice Award, Parents' Choice Foundation, 1988, for The Mother's Day Mice; Virginia Young Readers Award, 1988-89, California Reading Association Young Readers Medal, 1989, and South Carolina Association of School Librarians Young-Adult Book Award, 1988-89, all for Face at the Edge of the World; Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People Award for Outstanding Work of Fiction for Young Adults, 1989, for A Sudden Silence; Oklahoma Library Association Sequoyah Children's Book Award, Missouri Association of School Librarians Mark Twain Award, and Florida Association for Media in Education Sunshine State Young Readers Award, all 1989, all for Sixth Grade Sleepover; ALA Best Book for Young Adults and Recommended Book for Reluctant Young Readers, and New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age, all 1992, all for Jumping the Nail; Smoky Night awarded the Caldecott Medal, 1995, for illustrations by David Diaz; Western Writers of America Storyteller Award, 1995, for Dandelions; Regina Medal for Distinguished Contribution to Children's Literature, Catholic Library Association, 1997; Sydney Taylor Children's Book Award Honor Book in older readers category, Association of Jewish Libraries, 2002, for One Candle.
WRITINGS:
for children
The Once-a-Year Day, Golden Gate (San Carlos, CA), 1974.
The Wild One, Scholastic Book Services (New York, NY), 1974.
(Under name A. E. Bunting) High Tide for Labrador, illustrated by Bernard Garbutt, Golden Gate (San Carlos, CA), 1975.
Barney the Beard, illustrated by Imero Gobbato, Parents' Magazine Press (New York, NY), 1975.
The Skateboard Four, Albert Whitman (Chicago, IL) (Niles, IL), 1976.
One More Flight, illustrated by Diane De Groat, Warne (New York, NY), 1976.
Blacksmith at Blueridge, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1976.
Josefina Finds the Prince, illustrated by Jan Palmer, Garrard (Champaign, IL), 1976.
Skateboard Saturday, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1976.
(With son, Glenn Bunting) Skateboards: How to Make Them, How to Ride Them, Harvey House (New York, NY), 1977.
The Big Cheese, illustrated by Sal Murdocca, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1977.
Winter's Coming, illustrated by Howard Knotts, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1977.
Ghost of Summer, illustrated by W. T. Mars, Warne (New York, NY), 1977.
Cop Camp, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1977.
The Haunting of Kildoran Abbey, Warne (New York, NY), 1978.
Magic and the Night River, illustrated by Allen Say, Harper (New York, NY), 1978.
Going against Cool Calvin, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1978.
The Big Find, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Yesterday's Island, Warne (New York, NY), 1979.
The Big Red Barn, illustrated by Howard Knotts, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1979.
Blackbird Singing, illustrated by Steven Gammell, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1979.
The Sea World Book of Sharks, photographs by Flip Nicklin, Sea World Press (San Diego, CA), 1979.
The Sea World Book of Whales, Sea World Press (San Diego, CA), 1979.
Terrible Things, illustrated by Steven Gammell, Harper (New York, NY), 1980, revised edition published as Terrible Things: An Allegory of the Holocaust, Jewish Publication Society (Philadelphia, PA), 1989.
St. Patrick's Day in the Morning, illustrated by Jan Brett, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1980.
Demetrius and the Golden Goglet, illustrated by Michael Hague, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1980.
The Robot Birthday, illustrated by Marie DeJohn, Dutton (New York, NY), 1980.
The Skate Patrol, Albert Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1980.
The Skate Patrol Rides Again, illustrated by Don Madden, Albert Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1981.
Goose Dinner, illustrated by Howard Knotts, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1981.
The Empty Window, illustrated by Judy Clifford, Warne (New York, NY), 1981.
The Happy Funeral, illustrated by Mai Vo-Dinh, Harper (New York, NY), 1981.
Rosie and Mr. William Star, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1981.
Jane Martin, Dog Detective, illustrated by Amy Schwartz, Garrard (Champaign, IL), 1981.
Jane Martin and the Case of the Ice Cream Dog, Garrard (Champaign, IL), 1981.
The Spook Birds, illustrated by Blanch Sims, Albert Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1981.
The Giant Squid, Messner (New York, NY), 1981.
The Great White Shark, Messner (New York, NY), 1982.
The Skate Patrol and the Mystery Writer, illustrated by Don Madden, Albert Whitman (Chicago, IL), 1982.
Karen Kepplewhite Is the World's Best Kisser, Clario (New York, NY), 1983.
The Traveling Men of Ballycoo, illustrated by Kaethe Zemach, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1983.
The Valentine Bears, illustrated by Jan Brett, Clarion (New York, NY), 1983.
Ghost behind Me, Archway (New York, NY), 1984.
The Man Who Could Call Down Owls, illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1984.
Monkey in the Middle, illustrated by Lynn Munsinger, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1984.
Someone Is Hiding on Alcatraz Island, Clarion (New York, NY), 1984.
Surrogate Sister, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1984, published as Mother, How Could You!, Archway (New York, NY), 1986.
Clancy's Coat, illustrated by Lorinda Bryan Cauley, Clarion (New York, NY), 1984.
Face at the Edge of the World, Clarion (New York, NY), 1985.
Sixth Grade Sleepover, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1986.
Scary, Scary Halloween, Clarion (New York, NY), 1986.
The Mother's Day Mice, illustrated by Jan Brett, Clarion (New York, NY), 1986.
Janet Hamm Needs a Date for the Dance, Clarion (New York, NY), 1986.
Will You Be My POSSLQ?, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1987.
Ghost's Hour, Spook's Hour, illustrated by Donald Carrick, Clarion (New York, NY), 1987.
Happy Birthday, Dear Duck, Clarion (New York, NY), 1988.
A Sudden Silence, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1988.
How Many Days to America?: A Thanksgiving Story, illustrated by Beth Peck, Clarion (New York, NY), 1988.
Is Anybody There?, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1988.
The Ghost Children, Clarion (New York, NY), 1989.
No Nap, illustrated by Susan Meddaugh, Clarion (New York, NY), 1989.
The Wednesday Surprise, illustrated by Donald Carrick, Clarion (New York, NY), 1989.
In the Haunted House, illustrated by Susan Meddaugh, Clarion (New York, NY), 1989.
Our Sixth-Grade Sugar Babies, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1990.
Such Nice Kids, Clarion (New York, NY), 1990.
The Wall, illustrated by Ronald Himler, Clarion (New York, NY), 1990.
Night Tree, illustrated by Ted Rand, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1991.
A Turkey for Thanksgiving, illustrated by Diane deGroat, Clarion (New York, NY), 1991.
Fly away Home, illustrated by Ronald Himler, Clarion (New York, NY), 1991.
The Hideout, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1991.
Jumping the Nail, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1991.
Sharing Susan, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1991.
A Perfect Father's Day, Clarion (New York, NY), 1991.
The Mask, Child's World (Mankato, MN), 1992.
Our Teacher's Having a Baby, Clarion (New York, NY), 1992.
The Bicycle Man, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1992.
Coffin on a Case, Harper (New York, NY), 1992.
Summer Wheels, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1993.
The Day before Christmas, Clarion (New York, NY), 1993.
Someday a Tree, Clarion (New York, NY), 1993.
Survival Camp, Child's World (Mankato, MN), 1993.
Red Fox Running, Clarion (New York, NY), 1993.
Night of the Gargoyles, Clarion (New York, NY), 1994.
A Day's Work, Clarion (New York, NY), 1994.
Sunshine Home, Clarion (New York, NY), 1994.
Nasty Stinky Sneakers, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1994.
The In-Between Days, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1994.
Flower Garden, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1994.
Smoky Night, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1994.
Dandelions, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1995.
Cheyenne Again, Clarion (New York, NY), 1995.
Once upon a Time, R. C. Own (Katonah, NY), 1995.
Spying on Miss Muller, Clarion (New York, NY), 1995.
Sunflower House, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1996.
Going Home, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1996.
Train to Somewhere, Clarion (New York, NY), 1996.
Trouble on the T-ball Team, Clarion (New York, NY), 1996.
The Blue and the Gray, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
SOS Titanic, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1996.
Market Day, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1996.
I Don't Want to Go to Camp, illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1996.
I Am the Mummy Heb-Nefer, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1997.
Moonstick, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1997.
Secret Place, Clarion (New York, NY), 1997.
Twinnies, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1997.
On Call Back Mountain, illustrated by Barry Moser, Blue Sky (New York, NY), 1997.
My Backpack, illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler, Boyds Mills (Honesdale, PA), 1997.
December, illustrated by David Diaz, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1997.
Ducky, illustrated by David Wisniewski, Clarion (New York, NY), 1997.
The Pumpkin Fair, illustrated by Eileen Christelow, Clarion (New York, NY), 1997.
Your Move, illustrated by James Ransome, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1998.
The Day the Whale Came, illustrated by Scott Menchin, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1998.
So Far from the Sea, illustrated by Chris Soentpiet, Clarion (New York, NY), 1998.
Some Frog!, illustrated by Scott Medlock, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1998.
I Have an Olive Tree, illustrated by Karen Barbour, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1999.
Dreaming of America: An Ellis Island Story, illustrated by Ben Stahl, BridgeWater Books (Mahwah, NJ), 1999.
Butterfly House, illustrated by Greg Shed, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Can You Do This, Old Badger?, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1999.
A Picnic in October, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1999.
Rudi's Pond, illustrated by Ronald Himler, Clarion (New York, NY), 1999.
Peepers, illustrated by James Ransome, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2000.
Wanna Buy an Alien?, illustrated by Tim Bush, Clarion (New York, NY), 2000.
I Like the Way You Are, illustrated by John O'Brien, Clarion (New York, NY), 2000.
Dear Wish Fairy, illustrated by Steve Bjorkman, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2000.
Doll Baby, illustrated by Catherine Stock, Clarion (New York, NY), 2000.
The Memory String, illustrated by Ted Rand, Clarion (New York, NY), 2000.
Who Was Born This Special Day?, illustrated by Leonid Gore, Atheneum (New York, NY), 2000.
Swan in Love, illustrated by Jo Ellen McAllister-Stammen, Atheneum (New York, NY), 2000.
Too Many Monsters, illustrated by James Bernardin, BridgeWater Books (Mahwah, NJ), 2001.
We Were There, paintings by Wendell Minor, Clarion (New York, NY), 2001.
The Days of Summer, illustrated by William Low, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2001.
Gleam and Glow, illustrated by Peter Sylvada, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2001.
Jin Woo, illustrated by Chris K. Soentpiet, Clarion (New York, NY), 2001.
Riding the Tiger, illustrated by David Frampton, Clarion (New York, NY), 2001.
The Summer of Riley, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2001.
Little Badger: Terror of the Seven Seas, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2001.
Little Badger's Just-about Birthday, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2002.
The Bones of Fred Mcfee, illustrated by Kurt Cyrus, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2002.
One Candle, illustrated by K. Wendy Popp, Joanna Cotler Books (New York, NY), 2002.
Sing a Song of Piglets: A Calendar in Verse, pictures by Emily Arnold McCully, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 2002.
Girls: A to Z, illustrated by Susanne Bloom, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA), 2002.
Little Bear's Little Boat, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter, Clarion (New York, NY), 2003.
My Big Boy Bed, pictures by Maggie Smith, Clarion (New York, NY), 2003.
Anna's Table, illustrated by Taia Morley, NorthWord Press (Chanhassen, MN), 2003.
The Presence, Clarion (New York, NY), 2003.
Snowboarding on Monster Mountain, Cricket Books (Chicago, IL), 2003.
Whales Passing, illustrated by Lambert David, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 2003.
The Wedding, illustrated by Iza Trapani, Whispering Coyote (Watertown, MA), 2003.
I Love You, Too!, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2004.
Contributor of stories to basal readers published by several educational houses, including Heath, Laidlaw Brothers, Lyons & Carnahan, and Rand McNally. Contributor to anthologies, including Cricket's Choice, 1975, and Scribner's Anthology for Young People. Contributor of adult and juvenile stories to magazines.
"magic circle" series
The Two Giants, Ginn (Lexington, MA), 1972.
A Gift for Lonny, Ginn (Lexington, MA), 1973.
Box, Fox, Ox, and the Peacock, Ginn (Lexington, MA), 1974.
Say It Fast, Ginn (Lexington, MA), 1974.
We Need a Bigger Zoo!, Ginn (Lexington, MA), 1974.
"dinosaur machine" series
The Day of the Dinosaurs, illustrated by Judy Leo, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1975.
Death of a Dinosaur, illustrated by Judy Leo, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1975.
The Dinosaur Trap, illustrated by Judy Leo, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1975.
Escape from Tyrannosaurus, illustrated by Judy Leo, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1975.
"no such things?" series
The Creature of Cranberry Cove, illustrated by Scott Earle, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1976.
The Demon, illustrated by Scott Earle, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1976.
The Ghost, illustrated by Scott Earle, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1976.
The Tongue of the Ocean, illustrated by Scott Earle, EMC Corp. (St. Paul, MN), 1976.
"eve bunting science fiction" series
The Day of the Earthlings, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Followers, illustrated by Don Hendricks, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Island of One, illustrated by Don Hendricks, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Mask, illustrated by Don Hendricks, Creative Eduction (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Mirror Planet, illustrated by Don Hendricks, Creative Eduction (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Robot People, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Space People, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Undersea People, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
"eve bunting young romance" series
Fifteen, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
The Girl in the Painting, Creative Education (Mancato, MN), 1978.
Just Like Everyone Else, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Maggie the Freak, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Nobody Knows but Me, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Oh, Rick, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
A Part of the Dream, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Survival Camp!, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
Two Different Girls, Creative Education (Mankato, MN), 1978.
"lippincott page turners" series
The Cloverdale Switch, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1979.
The Waiting Game, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1981.
The Ghosts of Departure Point, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1982.
If I Asked You, Would You Stay?, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1984.
The Haunting of SafeKeep, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1985.
under name a. e. bunting; "high point" series
Pitcher to Center Field, Elk Grove Books (Chicago, IL), 1974.
Surfing Country, Elk Grove Books (Chicago, IL), 1975.
Springboard to Summer, illustrated by Rob Sprattler, Elk Grove Books (Chicago, IL), 1975.
under name evelyn bolton; "evelyn bolton horse book" series
Stable of Fear, Creative Eduction (Mankato, MN), 1974.
Lady's Girl, Creative Eduction (Mankato, MN), 1974.
Goodbye Charlie, Creative Eduction (Mankato, MN), 1974.
Ride When You're Ready, Creative Eduction (Mankato, MN), 1974.
The Wile Horses, Creative Eduction (Mankato, MN), 1974.
Dream Dancer, Creative Eduction (Mankato, MN), 1974.
ADAPTATIONS: How Many Days to America? was adapted as a film, Coronet/MTI Film and Video, 1991; A Face at the Edge of the World was adapted as the television movie A Desperate Exit; The Presence was adapted as an audiobook, Recorded Books, 2003.
SIDELIGHTS: The author of over two hundred titles, children's book author Eve Bunting has entertained children in genres ranging from mystery to science fiction to contemporary problem stories. Proficient in picture books, middle-grade readers, and young-adult novels, she has won a flotilla of awards in a career that has spanned over three decades. Featuring African-American, Chinese-American, Japanese, Jewish, Caucasian, Puerto Rican, Hawaiian, and Irish protagonists in her novels and picture books, Bunting strives to make her books all-inclusive. "I like to write for every child," she once wrote in the St. James Guide to Young-Adult Writers. "For every age, for every interest. That is why I have such a variety of books—from pre-school, through the middle grades and beyond. The young adult novels I write border on the true adult novel, but I enjoy keeping my protagonists in their upper teens, where lives are new and filled with challenge, where nothing is impossible." Bunting elaborated on her ability to reach diverse audiences in an interview with a contributor for Top of the News: "There is no special secret to writing for all age levels. You climb inside the head and the heart of the young person in your story. You think like that child. You feel like that child. You are that child."
Bunting was born in Maghera, Northern Ireland, where her father was a well-to-do merchant. When she was nine years old, she was sent to boarding school, where she often entertained the other girls by telling stories and tall tales in the evenings. "It was certainly there that I developed my life-long love of books and reading," she explained in the Junior Literary Guild. Bunting also commented in Writer magazine that her talents benefitted from the fact that "the educational system in Ireland is geared to the 'essay answer' in examinations, and at that I had always excelled." In her St. James Guide to Young-Adult Writers essay, she also noted, "There used to be Shanachies in the Ireland of long ago. The Shanachie was the storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghosts and fairies, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won. Maybe I'm a bit of a Shanachie myself, telling my stories to anyone who'll listen."
In the early 1940s Bunting attended Methodist College in Belfast, Northern Ireland. After graduating in 1945, she studied at Queen's University, Belfast, where she met Edward Davison Bunting, whom she married in 1951. After their marriage, the couple moved to Scotland, where they started their family. In 1959, the Bunting family—which by this time included three children—relocated to the United States, living first in San Francisco, California, then moving south to settle in Pasadena, where the author continues to make her home.
Once in her new country, Bunting noticed that a local community college was offering a class in writing for publication, and she decided to sign up. As she recalled in Writer magazine, "I find myself sometimes thinking what different turns my life might have taken had I not seen that junior college brochure." By 1972, Bunting had published her first book for children, The Two Giants, a book dealing with the legendary Irish and Scottish giants Finn McCool and Culcullan. The book marked the beginning of Bunting's "Magic Circle" series, as well as her prolific career as a children's author.
As she did with The Two Giants, Bunting frequently uses either the stories or the scenery of her native Northern Ireland in her books. She explained in Writer that her book Ghost of Summer "is set in contemporary Northern Ireland with its political upheaval, its senseless hatreds and killings in the name of religion." As she elaborated in the Junior Literary Guild: "I tried to write a story that children would find exciting but that would also show them the insidious horror of prejudice and the tragedy of a people torn apart by old hatreds. I tried to be objective, to be fair in showing both sides of the Irish problem. I hope no child reading it will know if the author is Protestant or Catholic. I hope no child reading it will care. I put into Ghost of Summer the feelings I have for Ireland; the love and the sorrow."
In Spying on Miss Muller Bunting mines memories of her days in boarding school in Ireland, spinning a tale about a similar school located in Belfast that takes place during World War II. In her story, the school's once-adored language teacher, Miss Muller is now looked upon by everyone at the school with suspicion because of her German heritage. Her late-night walks also seem to come at the same time as German air raids; thus the girls begin to suspect the teacher of being a spy and start investigating her. Reviewing Spying on Miss Muller, a contributor to Publishers Weekly maintained that there is "much to enjoy here," especially the "school ambience deftly conveyed in numerous small details." Similarly, Horn Book reviewer Martha V. Parravano called the book a "thoughtful, moving, coming-of-age novel … portrayed with page-turning immediacy."
With her historical novel SOS Titanic Bunting focuses on fifteen-year-old Barry O'Neill, who is traveling from Ireland to New York on the ill-fated ocean liner. Barry already misses his grandparents, who have raised him for the last ten years, and is anxious about rejoining his parents. Added to this are his apprehensions about the Flynn brothers, who are traveling in steerage and are antagonistic toward him. When tragedy strikes the luxury ship, it is funneled through the emotions and actions of Barry in this "well-wrought historical fiction," as a reviewer for Publishers Weekly described the novel. Booklist critic Debbie Carton also had positive words for SOS Titanic, noting that "Bunting accurately and dramatically describes the ship's sinking and, at the same time, immerses readers in the many human tragedies."
While many of her stories feature Irish themes and settings, Bunting has also set a number of books in her adopted country. Going against Cool Calvin, for instance, concerns a Mexican teenager who is an illegal alien in the United States. She also takes on controversial issues, such as teenage prostitution in If I Asked You, Would You Stay?, "perhaps one of Bunting's most successful books," according to a contributor to the St. James Guide to Young-AdultWriters. This unusual tale features two runaways who manage to turn an uneasy friendship into love. Bunting deals with surrogate motherhood in Surrogate Sister, and teenage suicide in Face at the Edge of the World. Alcoholic abuse and the destruction it wreaks are at the center of her A Sudden Silence. And in Would You Be My POSSLQ, she features a plucky young college freshman who sets up an unusual living arrangement with a Person of the Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters.
As Bunting admitted in the Writer: "I can spot a trend long before it comes…. Ninety percent of my story seeds come from something I've read in my daily paper or in my weekly periodical." But in another Writer article, she cautioned against focusing on a particular topic to the detriment of writing a good story: "If you set out to write a book that you don't care about just because the subject matter is 'hot,' you're heading for disappointment."
Bunting sometimes uses the picture-book format to illustrate serious themes, as with the book Smoky Night, in which she portrays the 1992 Los Angeles riot through a child's eyes. In other picture books, such as One Candle, she focuses on the Holocaust, while issues surrounding the Vietnam War Memorial are addressed in The Wall. In Gleam and Glow Bunting uses the picture-book format to deal with the devastation wrought by the war in Bosnia. Booklist contributor GraceAnne A. DeCandido found that this picture book for older readers serves as an "effective tale of loss and hope," while in Publishers Weekly a critic wrote that the "image of hope and renewal strikes a strong keynote in Bunting's bittersweet story."
In addition to drawing from current events and history, Bunting can also write out of nostalgia, for thrills and chills, or for just plain fun. In Coffin on a Case! twelve-year-old Henry Coffin, the son of a private investigator, helps a gorgeous high-school girl in her dangerous attempt to find her kidnaped mother. As Henry narrates the story, aiming to emulate the wit and swagger of his hero, Sam Spade, the mystery "unfolds skillfully and swiftly, aided by a breezy, humorous style," commented School Library Journal contributor Connie Tyrrell Burns. "This is a cheerful homage to hard-boiled detecting," noted Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books reviewer Deborah Stevenson, "with its own twists and charm." The Presence: A Ghost Story finds a handsome ghost named Noah haunting a Pasadena churchyard and drawing beautiful young women into an ultimately deadly relationship. When seventeen-year-old Catherine comes to town, grieving the recent death of a close friend, Noah gains her trust by offering to communicate with Catherine's dead friend, but his ultimate goal is evil. Susan Riley, writing in School Library Journal, wrote that with The Presence, "Bunting, long a favorite of teen thrill seekers, has produced another winner in this well-written story of acute loneliness, alienation, romance, the occult, hope, and tragedy."
Lighter in tone are books such as I Don't Want to Go to Camp, a picture book that finds a young girl dreading the prospect of leaving home for the great unknown, and the middle-grade novel Wanna Buy an Alien?, in which Ben gets an intergalactic present for his eleventh birthday. Another eleven-year-old sets off on an adventure of a different sort in The Summer of Riley. A stray dog comes into William's life just when he needs it most: his grandfather has just died and his parents are separating. But when Riley, the dog, proves to be a hazard to animals on nearby farms, William must sacrifice him to a dog trainer in order to save the dog from being put down. Carol Schene, reviewing the novel for School Library Journal, praised Bunting for capturing "the dilemma of our contemporary society, which wants simple solutions to complex situations, often demands perfection and rejects anything less." A contributor to Publishers Weekly found the novel "heartwarming despite some heavy touches," and Booklist reviewer Chris Sherman praised the book's "bittersweet but satisfying resolution."
Bunting credits much of her books' popularity to her decision to put a well-crafted, entertaining story first. Speaking with Stefanie Weiss of NEA Today, she explained: "I don't ever start off to give a message in my books, although often it must seem as though I do. I like to write about loving and caring and how both can ease everyone's way through life. Maybe that sounds Pollyanish, maybe it's optimism carded to the nth degree, but that's what I want to do."
BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:
books
Children's Literature Review, Thomson Gale (Detroit, MI), Volume 28, 1992, Volume 56, 1999, Volume 82, 2003.
Cullinan, Bernice E., and Diane G. Person, editors, Continuum Encyclopedia of Children's Literature, Continuum Publishing (New York, NY), 2001.
St. James Guide to Young-Adult Writers, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1999.
Silvey, Anita, editor, Children's Books and Their Creators, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1995.
periodicals
Booklist, June 15, 1978; March 1, 1984, p. 966; March 15, 1995, Ilene Cooper, review of Spying on Miss Muller, p. 1328; March 15, 1996, Debbie Carton, review of SOS Titanic, p. 1352; July, 2001, Chris Sherman, review of The Summer of Riley, p. 2004; December 15, 2001, GraceAnne A. DeCandido, review of Gleam and Glow, p. 738; October 15, 2003, Ilene Cooper, The Presence: A Ghost Story, p. 404; January 1, 2004, Jennifer Locke, review of Snowboarding on Monster Mountain, p. 852; September 1, 2004, Traci Todd, review of The Presence (audiobook), p. 148.
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, November, 1992, Deborah Stevenson, review of Coffinona Case!, p. 69.
Early Years, October, 1986.
Horn Book, April, 1984, p. 181; September-October, 1995, Martha V. Parravano, review of Spying on Miss Muller, p. 596.
Junior Literary Guild, March, 1977; March, 1987.
Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2003, review of The Presence, p. 1121.
Kliatt, September, 2003, Claire Rosser, review of The Presence, p. 6
Lion and the Unicorn, June, 1988.
Los Angeles Times, August 10, 1979; February 20, 1995, p. 4.
NEA Today, April, 1995, Stefanie Weiss, "Eve Bunting: Suitable for Children?," p. 7.
New York Times, May 21, 1995, p. 25.
Publishers Weekly, April 3, 1995, review of Spying on Miss Muller, p. 62; February 5, 1996, p. 89; March 18, 1996, review of SOS Titanic, p. 70; August 6, 1999, review of Blackwater, p. 86; April 3, 2000, review of Wanna Buy an Alien?, p. 81; May 21, 2001, review of The Summer of Riley, p. 108; August 20, 2001, review of Gleam and Glow, p. 80; September 29, 2003, review of The Presence, p. 66.
Reading Today, February-March, 2002, Lynne T. Burke, review of Gleam and Glow, p. 32.
School Library Journal, September, 1978; October, 1992, Connie Tyrrell Burns, review of Coffinona Case!, p. 112; August, 2000, Judith Everitt, review of Wanna Buy an Alien?, p. 177; June, 2001, Carol Schene, review of The Summer of Riley, p. 143; October, 2003, Jennifer Ralston, review of Your Move, p. 97, Susan Riley, review of The Presence, p. 162.
Top of the News, winter, 1986, pp. 132-134.
Writer, April, 1979, Eve Bunting, "New Trends in Children's Books"; April, 1984, Eve Bunting, "What's New in Children's Books?"; September, 1988, Eve Bunting, "Think Picture Book."
online
BookPage Web site, http://www.bookpage.com/ (September 10, 2004), Alice Cary, "A Talk with Eve Bunting."
KidsRead.com, http://www.kidsread.com/ (September 11, 2004), "Eve Bunting."
Scoop Web site, http://www.friend.ly.net/scoop/ (September 10, 2004), "Eve Bunting."*