Samantha Lentz

May 9, 2000

Dearest Mr. Pinkwater-

I discovered your wonderful prose when I was in first grade. I was introduced to Devil in the Drain and I have been hooked ever since. I am much older now and get really strange looks from the mothers at my public library because I am always in the teen section looking for a new book under your name. Lizard Music is my favorite book and I celebrate summer by reading it every year. Once when I was on vacation in the Virgin Islands, we passed by a tiny shack of a restaurant called “Chicken Man’s Hut!” I was in shock and thought “I bet Daniel Pinkwater would like to know about that hut”

I was wondering if you plan on making a sequel to Lizard Music and how you came up with the idea for that book. Are you writing any new books!!!! I need your stuff to survive- or atleast to stop the looks from mothers in the library.

thanks-

Sincerely,

Samantha Lentz

Erika Bourne

May 8, 2000

Dear Mr. Pinkwater:

A couple of years ago I heard you do a reading on NPR from (I think) one of your books. There was a poem about a guy eating spaghetti. could you tell me which one of your books it is in?

Thanks

Erika Bourne

Waltham, MA

Stefan Jones

May 5, 2000

Dear Captain Pinkwater:

Are you moonlighting for MSNBC?

Last night they ran a story titled:

“Telescope spots huge space bone”

This sounds like a set-up for a Daniel Pinkwater story. Perhaps the giant, metallic, dog-bone-shaped astroid NASA spotted is in fact a generation starship from Mush the space malemute’s homeworld.

Best,

Stefan Jones

Sascha Paladino

May 4, 2000

Dear Mr. Pinkwater:

I grew up reading and being inspired by your books. Now I am sort of an adult and I make theater. I would very much like to adapt one of your books into a theatrical piece. Is this even remotely possible, in terms of rights/permission/how you feel about it? What steps would I need to take?

Thanks,

Sascha Paladino

Meredith Bird Miller

May 2, 2000

Dear Mr. Pinkwater,

I am a children’s librarian here in the great state of New Hampshire. I have two sons, one age 9 and one age 4. We borrowed Wuggie Norple from my library and enjoyed it so much! It is a paperback Scholastic version. I have been practicing telling the story because I like it so much and my four year old keeps asking for it and I can’t keep the book at home, because then, what kind of children’s librarian would I be? Anyway, I would like to write to you and ask your permission to tell this story (after all, it does have a copyright and an author…) because I think it is terrific! It is a lot of fun to tell and I have it down pretty much, except I need to be able to make an “elephant noise.” Now since this is “Laughing Gas Alligator” we are talking about, I could probably come up with something…

I am hoping to develop a program of “cat stories” that I could tell in my library or in other venues(I would like to become a storyteller to help bring in a little more so I can stay a children’s librarian!) Please let me know where I can send you an actual letter on paper. Thanks so much.

Sincerely,

Meredith Bird Miller

P.S. We enjoyed hearing you on “CarTalk”…it’s my favorite radio show.

Marc Follit

May 2, 2000

Dear Mr. Pinkwater, I am writing to you because I am doing a report on you.

Why did you become an author? I need to know about why you smoke a cigar. I am going to read Frankenbagel Monster. Why did you write about bagels? You have written so many books. Where do you get your ideas for them? Will you please email me soon? Thank you.

Debbie Williams

May 1, 2000

Mr. Pinkwater,

My kindergarten class is involved in an author study. I am so excited to get to read The Wuggie Norple, in just two days. I love the book, and each year that I read it, several children respond to it with the same kind of enthusiasm that I do.

Each time I visit Borders or Barnes and Noble, I am disappointed at their selection of your books. I have voiced my disappointment on several occasions, but to no avail. Why is it so difficult to find your books? I do not mind ordering them, but cannot imagine why they are not shelved in the bookstores.

As you can tell, I am a big fan! I have been told that I have a unique sense of humor, and am quite amused by your writings. Thanks for the smiles and the laughs.

Emily Maltese

May 1, 2000

Dear Mr. Pinkwater,

Wow. You have fantastic books. Right know my dad and I are reading Alan Mendohlson boy from Mars in the 5 novels book. Now to tell you a little about myself. I am 10 years old I live in Syracuse/Fayetteville NY I would like it very much if i could meet you. You are such a great writer. I used to live in cold spring across from west point.

How do you come up with such great ideas for books? Thanks for giving ed hume this address so i could write to you.

Thanks for writing such great books,

Emily Maltese

PS my dad and little sis love u 2

BookBeast

May 1, 2000

I wrote to you a while ago about the Dadaist project I was working on.

You asked if I had looked at Dadaist art, or read a book about it. Okay, that requires a medium-size answer. I was into Surrealist art in 9th grade, and my teacher had a book called “Dada and Surrealism.” I would often borrow it and peruse it. When I first read “Young Adult Novel,” I already had a rough idea of what Dadaism was, and I thought, “Hey, I’ve heard of this Dada stuff before!”

Anyway, this book is my main resource for this project. It has many pictures of Dadaist art, as well as an explaination of its philosophy, how it is related to Surrealism, and information on many prominent Dadaists. I am using examples of art from that book in my project, and also as inspirations for my small gallery.

You also asked if I thought the Wild Dada Ducks understood Dadaism. That sounds uncomfortably like the questions my Humanities teacher asks when we discuss what we have been reading. First, I want to apologize if I sound like an evil bloodsucking critic, because I don’t mean to.

I think the Wild Dada Ducks may not take Dadaism as seriously as they think they do, but they seem to understand the philosophy. With the Kevin Shapiro stories, they portray Western society as sick, twisted and evil, just as the Dadaists did through their art. Also, putting a toilet in the trophy case sounds like it was inspired by Marcel duchamp’s “Fountain,” which was simply a urinal turned on its back (Duchamp had a penchant for “readymade” sculptures). The Wild Dada Duck Manifesto is like Tristan Tzara’s Dada Manifesto (was Tzara in inspiration for the Wild Dada Ducks? 🙂 ), because to “normal” people it seems like nonsense. The Wild Dada Ducks’ idea that they must cause the rest of society to ignore and hate them is not exactly a

Dadaist philosophy, but Dadaism was often crafted to shock “right-thinking” individuals. The Dada Ducks may not have understood their art, but they came close.

I know Dadaism was fairly short-lived, but I don’t think it was boring.

Nor do I think it is entirely dead. “Daria” and “The Simpsons” are Dadaist, or at least I think they are. They reflect the sick and twisted elements of American society. And in my search for internet resources I found a site called “Electric Elf Test Kitchen,” a gallery of computer-generated Dadaist art. I am using it as one of my examples.

All hail Kevin Shapiro! 🙂

BookBeast

Aaron Zorn

May 1, 2000

I saw a bumper sticker I think you’ll like, it said:

FAT* PEOPLE ARE HARDER TO KIDNAP

🙂 sincerely, Aaron Zorn

*(or handsome, as the case may be.) 😉

Erin McQuiston

April 30, 2000

Hi Mr. Pinkwater,

I am an elementary school library media specialist. Last week I read your book Author’s Day to my students.(We had had an author visit that went well the week before.) I would like to know when you lived in Hoboken. My grandmother ran a corner store in there. Do you know what flavor ice cream and topping one uses to make a Hoboken sundae? Hint, one begins with c and one begins with p. Thanks for reading this and writing good books.

Coss Rubio

April 29, 2000

Dear Mr.pimkwater,

This is coss awhile ago you gave me some adviece. I asked you if you were making any more snarkout boys and you said no. Then you said that you this may or june your book Werewolf Club. Guess what? I ordered the book from a book store!

Thanks,

Coss Rubio

P.S. YOU SOULD MAKE MORE SNARKOUT BOYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Mad Librarian

April 26, 2000

Dear Sir,

not that I am biased or anything, but DAMN YER GOOD! I just re-read 5 novels for my Young Adult fiction course. I think Young Adult Novel says it all. Btw I can’t find a copy of Java Jack anywhere…any idea where it is sold?

The Mad Librarian

PS We don’t have used books tores here

PPS Louisianna, Iberia Parish has offered me an interview…I am applying all over…any advice as to your favorite location? Does Far wong need a librarian? I am sincere.

Doris Scheff

April 26, 2000

Mr. Pinkwater: your conversations with Scott Simon are witty and your book choices delightful. May I send you my book of children’s poetry (published in England) ? Its title: “Looking at Things”. I have done many readings with children ages 6-10, and have been pleased to find that when I urge them to view the world around them in new ways it stimulates surprising creativity—enthusiastic writings and an interest in sharing same.

Andrew Buhr

April 26, 2000

a few questions from my recent re-re-re-re-re-reading of 5 novels:

(1) in chapter 24 of alan mendelsohn, when Our Heroes go for supper at the bermuda triangle, there’s music playing that sounds “like something between banjos and bells” – did you have some particular sort of music in mind here? if so, i want to hear it.

(2) why do hoboken and rochester get called “hoboken” and “rochester” in your books, but chicago (or variants thereof) gets called “baconburg” or “hogboro”? admittedly, “chicago” isn’t as funny-souding a word as “hoboken”, but it’s still pretty funny.

(3) is mr. jerris in alan meldelsohn modelled on mr. jensen, my grade 7-9 gym teacher? if so, how did you arrange to travel forward in time the requisite 5 or so years to study his habits? and why?

(4) did uncle flipping skip snarking out on february 29th?

i’d like to say that your writings have turned me into the freakish weirdo i am today, but i expect they didn’t. however, i am firmly convinced that they’ve been and are a big help in my continued enjoyment in being the freakish weirdo i am today. thanks muchly.

andrew