Dear Daniel,
I was wondering,what is your favorite book you wrote. My mom also has a question. She knows you have a complete set of fake noses. She wants to know how many you have.
It's the one I am working on now. And my collection of false noses will be complete when I obtain the ceremonial nose of Pericles.
I have just one question which I realized while driving someplace: Did you get the name for the Snark theater from Lewis Carroll’s famous poem about Snark (half snake, half shark) hunting?
From Ben Peberdy
Oh by the way, I’m the brother of Andrew
In part, in part. I also had in mind the Clark Theater in Chicago, a real place very like the Snark, and now gone. I did _not_ know that Jack London's brother had an early biograph or cinema theater in San Francisco known as The Snark. ""Snarky,"" is also used as an adjective connoting sharp or aggressive, or having a pointy nose like a pencil. I wouldn't be surprised if there were some old Norse foundation. I think there are some snark links around here somewhere.
First and foremost, I paid my dues. I DID write you a letter by hand (and it was painfully LONG). Anyhow, thank you for the response.
I recently got my very own copy of FISHWHISTLE. Immediately I turned to the chapter about the stinking snake. (Oh, how I love to bask in the terror of it all!). It thrilled me so, I took the book to school and read it to my fifth graders. They loved it. We all believe that the snake was wrapped around the axle. (Maybe it’s still there.).
Damm thing. Anyway, it was fun. (Also, I misbehaved in a children’s book review committee meeting last week laughing with the head of social studies about the chapter). She and I laughed about how we would never go in the SNAKE HOUSE at the San Diego Zoo when we were growing up. I promised Emily I would send her my book to read the chapter about the snake. Cool story. The fifth graders love it. (They also read all your books, so I think you should email me back). Also, get busy and write another book so I can review it with the San Diego County Office of Education and buy it for about a million kids.
Yours truly, Sandy Gonnerman, the fifth grade teacher who is a Pinkwater groupie and loves the blue moose and hates snakes. (They are important, I know, and I think they should be left be… but I do NOT want to find one in my garage. ) Get BUSY AND WRITE SOMMORE!!!
Don't send me any more handwritten letters. Since email, I have saved enough on postage to buy my own snake. His name is Cecil, (which he can almost say), and his job is to lurk in the grass outside my house. This way I can put aside the anxiety of wondering if there's a snake there--because there is.
Last time I heard from any librarian/educator types it was some of the butt-kicking bullying types who were getting up a petition to have me taken off Scott Simon's radio program because I am not serious enough. So your message is grafitying.
Oh, Cecil has volunteered to deal with the muscle-flexing evil librarians. He has no sense of humor.
This sixty-one year youngster recently purchased “Lizard Music” and your two multi-fingered volumes (one hand/five fingers and four hands/ten fingers). I have finished reading the first two tomes and wanted to thank you for all the belly laughs. As I finish reading your books, I intend to pass them along to my eight year old grandson, whom I hope will also find delight in reading them.
On one of those rare occasions when I was thinking–which I try to keep separated from my daily life–I thunk (as opposed to thought), ‘”Alan Mendelssohn, the Boy from Mars” is my most favorite Pinkwater book, with “The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death” a close second.’ This of course, will probably change as I get into the next set of your books. Other than these, and “Norb”, my experience with your writing has been limited to reading the “The Hoboken Chicken Emergency” with my son, twenty-some.years ago. Now I am hooked and have a lot of catching up to do.
I love the way you and Scott interact with the books on Saturday mornings, and also your occasional visits to harass the Tappet Brothers. Great fun.
Thanks,
John Andrew Kaputa
""Great fun,"" about sums it up for me. And think...I've been doing this since you were around 30!
Dear Daniel Pinkwater,
Within the last couple of months, you reviewed a book of poetry called, I think, “Alligator Tales” (or Tails?). I was going to get it for my grandsons though I might keep it for myself. Who is the author, please? Where is it available? By the way, I really enjoy listening to you on NPR.
It's been some time since I exhorted anybody to try to get their local public radio station to carry Chinwag Theater, my very own radio progam. If you like what you hear me do with Scott Simon on NPR, you'll like Chinwag Theater, because it's similar, with no earthquake, war and famine stories. Starts all over with new people, (and old me), on April 1st. Free to stations. Send 10 letters in different handwriting with made-up signatures to the Program Director at your station.
Oh, and it's ""Alligator Tales,"" by Miles Smeeton. --Ed.
Dear Daniel,
This is regarding your fat premise (premise about fat, not…); you are so right. Here’s why I think so: my husband and I were exceedingly, even unpleasantly, thin people till we met each other at in our late 40’s. We’ve been together 13 years and are still wildly happy and each about 45 pounds “overweight.” It proves that fat equals happiness, n’est pas? Thank you for all the laughs through books and NPR, we love you.
I only know that I tend to be happy, and I am fat. You would know best if fat equals happiness in your own lives--it seems that you and your husband have been enjoying some nice nosh in the past 13 years.
Dear Mr. Pinkwater,
I’ve written to you a few times before and I feel like I am the luckiest person in the whole world because my favorite author (and greatest inspiration) had replied, and I forwarded the letters to several of my friends! (all of whom are sincere and adoring fans)(now that I have forced them to read Alan Mendelsohn)(I bribed them with homemade pie.)
It’s been 17 years since I first laid my hands on a Daniel Pinkwater novel and I haven’t been the same since (thank goodness! I can only imagine what I would have turned out like!) (probably normal…..Ewwwwwwwwww!)
Okay, so I’m 28 years old now.
Did I get what I wanted out of life?
Did I achieve all that I set out to do (by this age)?
Yes. All but one thing….
I never thanked you for the inspiration!
My children will read your novels before they read any Dr. Seuss.
That’s how much I appreciate your silliness!
In fact, if Fonzie met you, he’d give up all his women for you! That’s how cool you are!
Sincerely, sappily, and gratefully yours,
Natasha Shapiro-Shimanovsky (by the way, I took your advice and hyphenated my name when I got married.)
p.s. – I noticed that Matt Groening is a huge fan (shows just how intellingent he is!) And that Marge Simpson’s sister Selma’s second husband’s last name is Terwilliger. Any relation to Flipping Hades?
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday Natasha Shapiro-Shimanovsky!
Happy birthday to you!
Once I heard read an essay about a job you had as a teacher or superviser of and art program at a settlement house. You laid out the rules which were few. The only one I can remember is “Pinkwater passes out the piant.” Is that posted somewhere on this extensive web site? If not could you send it to me.
It's in Hoboken Fish and Chicago Whistle, a book every settlement house art teacher ought to have, (to read while hiding from the kids).
Dear Daniel Pinkwater,
About a month ago, I had this really weird dream, and you were in it! No joke! I only just remembered what the dream was about today! (Funny things, dreams.) In the dream I was exploring an african jungle, when I, and my fellow explorers, came across a small Italian restaurant. (We didn’t seem to think this was too odd at the time.) I ventured inside, and I discovered You were the head waiter!( Apparently business wasn’t good, because in the dream you were passing the time away by chatting with someone.) Pleased, I asked if you were really Daniel Pinkwater, ( Pinkwater I presume?) Upon learning your true identity, I asked if you wanted to go cycling in an abandoned quarry with us. You seemed rather annoyed, and asked if we wanted something Italian to eat. We said no, and rather disappointed, left on our bike trip alone. Then the dream somehow mutated into a nightmare. (I was being chased down a waterfall…) The weirdest thing about it was that I have absolutly no idea why I dreamed it. Maybe It was something I read………
And what was the weird part?
Hello Mr. Pinkwater. Thank you for preserving my sanity and giving me an excuse to a) create a Great Popsicle replica that even now hangs in my room and b) have an easy-to-understand Dada Manifesto to throw at the masses!! I wuv all of your books, especially all Snarkout Boys books, Alan Mendelsohn, and Borgel … and our truly gifted physics teacher is actually jiggy with your explanations of time, space, and the other. Be proud! Said teacher is ex CIA! So, obligatory gushing aside, I have a question which I must ask of you. And it’s good and weird ..
ok …
so here’s the question. do any of your books have a young boy working at or discovering a day-old pizza place? Because in the mists of time I swear I’ve read a godlike story that involved a day-old pizza store, and I can’t find it ever again, and it seemed like your kind of thing. This horrible not causes me great mental anguish. Was I hallucinating a Daniel Pinkwater book?
Yrs.,
Jill “the Alita-chan”.
ps: Okay, more gushing. I did a genuine “Happy Dance” when I saw “4 Fantastic Novels” in the library and checked it out immediately. Once I scrape enough cash together I’m making it mine. Thank you again for existing, and for Dada.
Were you hallucinating a Daniel Pinkwater book? Why not? I do all the time. I don't recall any day-old pizza store story--but the notion is pretty good. If the actual author does not come forward within two weeks, I may choose to regard it as an idea I had, and forgot, and later remembered.
Dear Captain Pinkwater,
Is “The Dada Boys in Collitch” ever going to be published? I read the first chapter in “Young Adults” and would like to find out what happens next.
Thanks.
Carol
It may be published if I ever write it--which I may--or possibly not.
Hello Daniel,
You reviewed a book of poetry by grade school children on NPR a few years ago. It was collected by a poet who taught in schools. I do not see it on your list of books. Could you please remind me of the title.
Pretty sure the title is ""Ten Second Rainshowers.""
Thank you.
I had no idea what was in store for me when I impulsively plucked “The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death” off the library shelf-but it complemented, by title, my other choice of “Kant and the Platypus” so well, that I simply had to read it. And then, two weeks later, to stumble by accident across a web site where I could extend my thanks to you. Well.
Thanks, a great book.
Chris
Who wrote ""Kant and the Platypus?""
Daniel Pinkwater did a piece on NPR several years ago about a trip to Africa. When he returned he was at a party and described his observations of, I believe, emus. A prominent scientist refuted his observations, based on his credentials, rather than direct observation. Mr. Pinkwater stood his ground. I have searched for this story but have not been able to find it. I would love to get the transcript of it or a reference. Thanks.
It was ostriches--and I was showing slides. The scientist, whose field was ornithology, was looking at an actual photograph and, in effect, accusing me of having faked it. You learn, and you learn. The piece might be in ""Hoboken Fish & Chicago Whistle.""
Dear Mr. Pinkwater (I would think I could call you Daniel, couldn’t I?),
I read Alan Mendehlson, the Boy from Mars when I was in 3rd grade, as part of my plan to read every good book in my grade school library. I am now 25 years old, so that must have been what, 200 years ago?
Along with Diane Duane’s “So You Want to Be A Wizard” books, I’d have to say that _Alan Mendehlson_ was the highlight of my endeavor to get through those shelves and shelves of books.
Today I own a library discard copy of it, and I’ve probably read it about a dozen times over the course of the years.
So this little email is to say thanks for helping an outcast with a bit of an odd sense of humor feel more at home (and attempt to trip fellow students telepathically!!!)
Meet you at the Bermuda Triangle for a cup of Fleegix,
Jonathan Cook
You're welcome! I had fun myself.
