 Shirley Climo
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/climo.htm
To write children's books always seemed the most wonderful goal in the world to me - and the most natural. One of my earliest memories is rocking in a creaky wicker porch swing while my mother, a children's author, tried out various versions of her stories. Long before I could read, I'd begun telling my own tales to anyone willing to listen. When I was sixteen, my first magazine story for children was published. Since then, when I wasn't scribbling grocery lists and PTA bulletins, I have written over eighteen books for children and numerous articles and stories.
I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and attended DePauw University in Indiana, but I've spent most of my life in California. As newlyweds, my husband and I trekked to the San Francisco area. Here we've raised three children, a half dozen dogs, a clutch of cats, a horse, and a straggle of chickens. Each new addition provided story material, and several two-legged and four-legged household members have found their way into print. I've done picture books for the just-in-school set, story collections for middle graders, non-fiction and novels for preteens. But I never stray too far or too long from the favorite folktales of my childhood.
One of my early heroes was the folklorist, Andrew Lang. A rainbow of his books was on my shelf: The Blue Fairy Book, the Red, Green, Yellow, Orange, Pink, Violet - even the Brown. In their pages I found a whole geography of world folktales - and I'm still looking. Researching folklore fascinates me, and retelling it to entertain today's young people without losing yesterday's flavor is both a challenge and a pleasure. A century ago, Professor Lang said, "Nobody can write a new fairy tale; you can only mix up and dress the old stories and put characters into new dresses."
Books by Shirley Climo:
The Cobweb Christmas (1982)
Full-color pictures by Joe Lasker
In this retelling of the German legend that explains the tradition of decorating Christmas trees with tinsel, an old woman who lives at the edge of a forest wishes each year for something magical to happen on Christmas Eve. And, because of some shy but curious spiders, magic does take place on one special snowy Eve.
"A story told in the lilting rhythms of an authentic folk tale ... [with] paintings that glow with light and color." -- The Horn Book.
Ages 4-8.
The Egyptian Cinderella (1989)
Full-color pictures by Ruth Heller
Rhodopes, a mistreated slave girl in sixth-century B.C. Egypt is chosen by the pharaoh to be his queen.
"A stunning combination of fluent prose and exquisitely wrought illustrations [through which] Climo has woven a mixture of fact and myth with clarity and eloquence. This will certainly be a winner for story hours, as well as a useful resource for the study of Cinderella through the ages and throughout the world." - starred review, School Library Journal.
Ages 4-8
Notable 1989 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies (National Council for the Social Studies/Children's Book Council).
King of the Birds (1988)
Full-color pictures by Ruth Heller
"When the birds realize they need a ruler, Owl decides that 'Whoever flies highest and longest shall be king.' Wren challenges Eagle and wins the honor by using his brain.
This attractive volume will bring this engaging, smoothly told tale [with bright, often stunning paintings] to a new audience. Children will be captivated with this story of why Wren has such a drab color and why his tail points straight to the sky." - School Library Journal
Ages 4-8.
Notable 1988 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies (National Association for the Social Studies/Children's Book Council).
The Little Red Ant and the Great Big Crumb
Illustrated by Francisco X. Mora
A small red ant finds a delicious crumb in a Mexican cornfield, but is afraid that she's not strong enough to move it herself. She goes from one creature to the next, looking for help, and is surprised to discover who is the strongest of all.
"A satisfying Mexican version of the rock-scissors-paper fable, accompanied by simple but expressive pictures.... Mora's watercolor pictures zoom down to the insect's level, eliminating most details and leaving only the subtle shading of animals' bodies, leaves, and corn stalks. The Spanish words sprinkled throughout can usually be understood in context, but a glossary is appended just in case."- School Library Journal
Ages 4-8
Stolen Thunder A Norse Myth
Illustrated by Alexander Koshkin
This is a dramatic and humorous retelling of the Norse myth about the God of Thunder and his recovery of his magic hammer, Mjolnir, from the Frost Giant Thrym.
"In this spirited Norse myth, a conflict rages between two larger-than-life characters.... Climo carefully sets the stage, establishing setting and characters. Her dramatic text, jammed with snappy dialogue and colorful emotions is framed in gold. The lovely full-and half-page paintings, also neatly framed, heighten the distinctive characters and the fast-moving plot.... This book is a gem, guaranteed to spark interest in mythology. Use as a read-aloud and as a resource for mythology units and recommend it for pleasure reading." - ALA Booklist
Ages 6-10
Atalanta's Race A Greek Myth
Illustrated by Alexander Koshkin
Rejected by her royal father and raised by a woodsman, Atalanta becomes a great athlete. A young man wins her heart and hand in a race, but in their happiness, they forget to thank the gods who in revenge change them into lions.
The Korean Cinderella (1993)
Full-color pictures by Ruth Heller
In this version of the Cinderella story, set in ancient Korea, a stepchild named Pear Blossom is sorely mistreated by her stepmother and stepsister. Then she is chosen by a young magistrate to be his wife.
"The tale is retold in a vigorous, rather dramatic style. Heller offers bold montages of figures and patterns in a striking array of intense colors. An attractive setting for a worthy variant."-Kirkus Reviews.
Ages 4-8
Notable 1994 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies
(National Association for the Social Studies/Children's Book Council)
Someone Saw A Spider: Facts and Folktales (1985)
Pictures by Dirk Zimmer
"Fact-filled and fun, [here is] a feast of words and images ... [celebrating] the spider with a host of tales, facts and folklore ... [ranging from] spider charms and cures to spider friends and foes. Climo is to be praised for her sparkling retellings and Zimmer's drawings lend the perfect finishing touches to an enchanting book."- Kirkus Reviews.
Ages 9-12
1986 Teachers' Choices
(National Council of Teachers of English)
Children's Books of 1985
(Library of Congress)
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