Mark Rowan
Post #1869 – 20051005
October 5, 2005
Hello Captain Pinkwater. To start off, I just want to thank you for all the years of wonderful books. I credit them with making me the smart, weird, social misfit I am today.
I sure did love The Artsy Smartsy Club, so I created a tiny online tribute to the art that inspired it. The files there are only “a copy of a copy”, but it helps those of us with no art history education learn about the stuff.
I’d be eternally gratified if you’d check it out at www.geocities.com/misterplug/artsysmartsy.html
Thank you.
Mark “He was daft” Rowan
Daniel replies:
That's wonderful research, and a wonderful page you made. I am especially grateful to have been introduced to the fine chicken art of Alan McNiel (Sleeping Chicken).
Dave Cunningham
Post #1870 – 20051005
October 5, 2005
this is long overdue. though i do think that procrastination is an overlooked virtue in many regards. i first found daniel manus pinkwater in his work ‘the big orange splot’ in a sale bin at a fringy bookstore in monterey california in 1976. i scored big and used the book in my substitute teaching gig that transitioned my career change from writing impact statements for nuclear power plants to teaching. teaching has been more powerful, and dmp has helped me wield the power.
fat men from space? gateway drug.
alan mendelson? utterly subversive
worms of kukumlima? rocks.
i read them to my students. principal came to me and said maybe i shouldn’t be reading to the kids in science class…. hmmmm “this is space science, ned” and now i get to read ‘wolf christmas’ my grand-daughter, 4 years old. ‘be a woof, poppop, be a scary woof.’
dmp, you have been my companion through more than 26 years of reading stories to children. i’ve been able to introduce them to borgle, captain rassman and captain roosman, fafnir, the snarkout boys and snarking, not to mention blueberry park and rollzup, clarence yojimbo…. and my son, now 30, lay back in our pond in his pre-teen times and voiced ‘gagunk, safe place’.
thank you ever and always so much for what you’ve brought into our world and my world. it’s a richness that cannot possibly be repaid. i’m just going to keep on doing what i’ve been doing, with your help. a former student,[she was in 7th grade then, now in her 20’s] at her wedding ceremony, leaned into my ear and whispered ‘i named my dog fafnir’ and glanced over at her new husband. she told me in a glance that he could never get it all because he had not shared our time in that book together. a new flavor of…. adultery?
regards,
dave cunningham
Daniel replies:
Thank you for your kind words.
Mary Sophia Novak
Post #1868 – 20050913
September 13, 2005
After the 2004 elections, I decided to flee the country, and have landed in Tokyo, Japan. Here, as frequently happens, I have discovered a whole new stash of things from your books that I originally thought you made up. For instance, I’ve just seen acrylic door handles with bits of plant matter in them that remind me of the boring not-tea ceremony in Alan Mendelssohn The Boy From Mars.
If I learned enough about everything, would I know where everything in all of your books comes from? Or do you sometimes make things up using only your own brain?
What should I do if I want to learn enough about everything?
Daniel replies:
I am trying to remember the last time I used my own brain. I know it was before 1970, and after 1959. I think it may have been in 1964, in Kingston, NY.
If you learned enough about everything, you would know everything. Then you would realize it was too crowded in your brain, and you'd have to upload everything to the internet so you would have room to think.
Steven J DeYoung
Post #1867 – 20050907
September 7, 2005
Joyce Carol Oates, or Eudora Welty? Who would you rather have watching your back in an alley fight?
Daniel replies:
I think Oates is smaller, but looks crazier with the glasses--so I'd pick her. But either of them would deter all but the most homicidal.
Jeff
Post #1865 – 20050830
August 30, 2005
I have enjoyed your books and NPR commentaries for years. One especially useful one which I am now passing on to my step-children (as their evil stepological father) is the law of displaced misery. I have never nor will ever advocate owning a French automobile, alas I shall never find money on the street.
Daniel replies:
You miss great joy in not owning a French car. If they ever go allow them into this country again, you should reconsider. Now especially, in these times of expensive fuel, a Renault or Citroen makes economic sense--if it isn't running, it can't burn any gasoline--see how clever?
Jiva
Post #1866 – 20050830
August 30, 2005
I have been searching for years for the book i used to read to my daughter [now 29 yrs old!) which was her absolute favourite ever. I thought it was a pinkwater book but have been unable to find out if so and which one. All i remember is the happy frogs singing ‘gagunk bright stars’. If anyone can tell me the title of this book i would be so very grateful. thank you…
Daniel replies:
That would be Wizard Crystal--way out of print, but copies turn up. I sort of like it myself. Try Bookfinder, there are a few copies available there. --Ed
Tonical Person
Post #1864 – 20050825
August 25, 2005
Hello!!! My dorky friends and i have got around to generating a dorky website for our word “Tonic”!!! Muahaha! go to www.freewebs.com/spreadthetonic. Check it out when you have the chance!
(P.S. Being a dork is much too exciting!!! But still fun!)
Daniel replies:
And not a word about Dr. Brown's Cel-ray, known to the cognoscente as Dr. Brown's Celery _Tonic_.
Geoff Lipscomb
Post #1863 – 20050822
August 22, 2005
I am a family practice doctor here on the coast of Alabama. When i was in third grade or so, I found my first book by you. It was at the local book mobile. It was the greatest book I had ever read and it is still my favorite. I just read it again for the umpteenth time a few months ago. It is of course Fat Men From Space. Brilliant. i really love your books and have about 30 of them. I think it would be cool to have a sequel to The Last Guru. I didn’t really get it when i read it as a child, but after my trip to Nepal last year it all made sense.
anyway, I would love to have a doodle (drawing) of a scene from Fat Men to frame and put up in my office – Geoff
Daniel replies:
Sure, I could sell you a drawing.
Cindy Casebeer
Post #1862 – 20050820
August 20, 2005
I recently read “Uncle Boris in the Yukon: and Other Shaggy Dog Stories.” It is wonderful! Have you written (or will you write) another book along these lines? I know you write a lot of terrific books aimed at children. But, adults love your sense of humor and outlook on life, as well.
Thank you very much.
Daniel replies:
Thank you. You might like Hoboken Fish and Chicago Whistle, from Xlibris. Also, adults are permitted to read the kids books.
Susan Newman
Post #1861 – 20050817
August 17, 2005
Thank you for reading my question about your books with controlled vocabulary for dyslexic kids.
You asked whether I was discussing your picture books or novels. I think your “sophisticated” picture books are the perfect vehicle for 7-10 year olds who are struggling to read. The picture book “Morty and Ray” was a treat since it is sophisticated but not too many words on a page. That is the trick for working with struggling readers — they get overwhelmed by too many words a time but are too bright and creative to read books like the Cat sat on the mat! Do you have more books like this? New ones coming out? Thanks for being such an inspiration to young children!
Daniel replies:
There are tons of picture books by me, and by me and Jill, and more coming! I don't know if they are sophisticated--the goal is ""non-boring.""
Denny Stratton
Post #1860 – 20050816
August 16, 2005
I am a 65 yr old grandpa raising a 9 yr old grandson. He has been with us since birth. I have written a story to help him understand my agnostic approach to life as opposed to that of his fundamentalist grandmother. I am not trying to sell my philosophy to him but just want to help him understand who I am. We are very close. Grandma has yet to read my story, but I have shared it with a number of teachers, college professors, friends, and relatives and have been told repeatedly that I definitely should have it published.
My problem is that it doesn’t fit into any convenient niche with regard to subject matter or reading level. I tend to think that it is aimed at that child who still remains sleeping inside the adult.
The story consists of 6,000 words, about a twenty minute read and begins as follows: “Once upon a time, long ago and far away, there lived a strange but beautiful thought.”
Do you have any suggestions as to how I can get my story evaluated as to its marketability.
Daniel replies:
Your story has been evaluated as to its marketability: "" it doesn't fit into any convenient niche with regard to subject matter or reading level."" Publish it yourself through xlibris or one of the other print-on-demand publishers. We live in a corporate world. God be with you.
Random Tonical being
Post #1859 – 20050815
August 15, 2005
Hola!!!!!! You are so tonical!! When I was 6 I read your story “the big orange SPLOT” I read it 25 times in a row. I thought it was the greatest stroy i had ever read. I read it so quickly, I didnt catch your name. now-a-days i read your books al the time! But last night I got this sudden urge to read “the big orange splot” again. Then i realized I had good taste in books even when I was six!
Daniel replies:
Well, you are obviously very tasteical.
Random Tonical person
Post #1858 – 20050815
August 15, 2005
Aloha Pinkwater,
My 4 friends and I are always doing wierd (good) things like our latest fad; the word Tonic So I shall share you the history with you (or at least %25 of my history of the word Tonic)((EEK!)) MOI am feeling very enthusiastic today!!!
I’m urging my friends to read your books as maybe they we’ll be inspired also.
Alas the salsa
weird is good; good is wierd. So if your good your also wierd, but wierd is good…. Normals bad; bad is normal. So if your normal your really bad, and bad is normal.
Daniel replies:
Is that anything like grin-and-tonic?
DJ Barr
Post #1856 – 20050813
August 13, 2005
Soon, I will throw all 350 pounds of me into writing a series of children’s books based on my wife’s wacky sister. Can you recommend any books with young female main characters I can use for inspiration?
Daniel replies:
Look for books by author Jill Pinkwater (my personal favorite).
