Mrs. Irma Townsend
Post #2203 – 20070405
April 5, 2007
I sat in front of you in Nettelhorst Elementary way back in ’49. My father moved us out West for his work with the state of California just a little before the school year’s end. I was Irma Schroe then. You were a fine young man. I didn’t think about you until my grandaughter showed me a few of your picture books and my son showed me the gallery on your website. Do you still pinch girl’s bottoms and run away?
Daniel replies:
I have _never_ pinched girls' bottoms and run away! (Rabbi Friedman, please take note). I remember you clearly, but will refrain from mentioning the escapades that caused your name to be inscribed on certain walls at the Nettelhorst School.
Alice Snowfield
Post #2201 – 20070405
April 5, 2007
You should take up sumo wrestling on Youtube. I’d watch.
Daniel replies:
I abandoned my dreams of sumo long ago. I coulda been a contender.
Jessica Gee
Post #2199 – 20070403
April 3, 2007
Well, Mr. Pinkwater.
My name is Jessica I come from a small town in Michigan. And I write you this letter to thank you for the wonderful bit of chinwag theater I got to hear one summers day many years ago. It was a snippet of you reading Borgel and because of that snippet I fell in love with books again. Long before I had heard of you I used to read Beverely cleary books until one day,I do believe I was in 2-3rd grade at time, the librarian and my teacher made me get a childs book called “Good night moon” after reading that I decided to no longer read if they weren’t going to let me enjoy it. Well, when I heard of your books I was living with my father in Grand rapids he was the one who was the avid listener hee hee. He adores letters from authors that are so wonderful, maybe you should send him one. I can give you his address hee hee. Well, After that my father bought 4 fantastic novels he read all the stories but his favorite was borgel. While I read it and regained a love for humor. In there my favorite has to be Yobgorgle because you know lake Ontario is up my alley lol.
I really feel though that I owe you such a debt and well since no ever visits Michigan unless they have to maybe some day you’ll visit and meet my father by chance I would also be honored to meet you and get to thank you in person.
Well, I would like to thank you for reading my letter and my thoughts.
Your’s truly,
Jessica
Ps. good luck with messing up those librarians out there.
Daniel replies:
Finally! Someone who doesn't go along with the widely-held and, to me, inexplicable notion that Goodnight Moon is some kind of supreme masterpiece of children's literature! Your father sounds cool. Tell him I said hello. I have been to Michigan at least three times, and I enjoyed it. Not all librarians are bad--in fact, I think the good ones are up to more than 50% by now.
Scott Strohmaier
Post #2198 – 20070402
April 2, 2007
i’m looking for any and all children’s books that have to do with a baby bird afraid of learning how to fly. do you have any recommendations. i’ve searched high and low and haven’t found anything.
thanks so very much.
sincerely,
scott strohmaier
Daniel replies:
I love how people think I know all about children's books. Better ask a librarian.
Leopold Holtz
Post #2197 – 20070401
April 1, 2007
Dear Pinkwater man, You are the man.
I think of you while shooting turkeys, in season and in out. You have books that put me in a happy mood. I think I will send you my Triple Threat from Quaker Boy turkey call. It makes the sounds of at least 6 different voiced turkeys. And a drum. I have a big bass drum from band practice from my school in Amsterdam. I love drums and turkeys and shooting the turkeys, my wife and your books, even though you should write more of course about the turkeys and or course the majesty of the drum. Best of Wishes,
Leopold Holtz
Daniel replies:
I guess nobody ever told you that my property is a designated turkey sanctuary.
Nathaniel Rounds
Post #2196 – 20070328
March 28, 2007
Dear Mr. Pinkwater,
I used to read your books like kids drink Coke while a kid. I’m still a kid. A 36 year old, bald kid with kids of my own. When they are old enough to read, they will be required to read Lizard Music and write a ten page essay. I will rate it on a bell curve. So I wrote to you, like all puppy-faced fans did then, and you sent back left-of center, Xeorox letters, and then I interviewed you on the phone for a small newspaper, and I still read you, including the big book due in April, which I will add to my collection, although I have read it online. I have published poems in which odd quirky things appear–not your pickles or chickens or people from space, not the salami snap or shoelace tycoons, but odd enough–thanks to you. Now I am writing a book that has odd elements, very odd. I owe it to your cool work. If you would read a page or two, and I mean a page or two, I would send it to you. I am shamelessly asking my favorite author to do what most authors don’t want to end up doing–reading stuff written by their fans. It’s a bullet that needs to get dodged. So will ya, if I send, say, a bribe?
Doughnuts on the way,
Nathaniel Rounds
Daniel replies:
Nope. I don't read unpublished work, I don't care who you are or how artfully you broach the subject. It's not that I don't want to encourage you, just that opening that particular door would be a mistake. Also a mistake to show partial work to anyone, and unless the thing is written with me in mind as the reader, (a truly preposterous thought), what would be the point of me looking at a little scrap of it? Naturally, I'm happy if reading my stuff makes someone feel like trying to write something too, but that would be somewhere around the very last thing I had in mind when I wrote whatever stuff it may have been.
Larry Tuxbury
Post #2195 – 20070327
March 27, 2007
The folks at the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com) think that you–in an uncredited role–narrated the Jean Shepherd film, “A Christmas Story.” I had always assumed it was Jean Shepherd, himself. Where do you stand on this issue?
Daniel replies:
Yes, sure, of course, it was Shepherd himself. I don't even sound much like him--similar regional accent and pitch maybe. No doubt the people who compiled that database had at best a foggy recollection of what Shepherd sounded like on radio, but had heard me. Shepherd was, or thought he was, often ripped off. He claimed that the Jason Robards character in A Thousand Clowns was him, and the filmmakers had stolen his life. (Why anyone would identify himself as similar to the character, charmingly played by Robards, but a selfish, immature, annoying pain-in-the-neck, is beyond me). Also there was a TV series that bore certain similarities to A Christmas Story with no credit to Shep. There's a certain consistency in the IMDB people getting it wrong.
Martha J. Toomey
Post #2194 – 20070326
March 26, 2007
Good morning! Yes, I am John’s daughter and have sent an old-fashioned letter in the mail for you. He approved of mail, of stamps in general. And when asking a favor one uses the USPS –
PS Does Lulu run away? Our huskies have tried to get to Alaska twice. I think it was her book that inspired them…………
Martha Toomey
Daniel replies:
John Toomey is or was a genuine gentleman, and much superior in every way to most college professors. I gave him a hard time, because of what I am or was, but liked and respected him very much. Huskies run away. It's their thing. Malamutes run away less. God knows what Inuit dogs like Lulu do. Lulu ran away once to show she could do it. We drove around the neighborhood with the windows open listening for the barking of jealous dogs contained behind fences. School was not out yet, or we would have asked kids if they'd seen her, (kids are more apt to notice dogs than adults). We finally heard happy barking. Lulu had dragged the very responsible Labrador, Maxine 1, along with her. (Maxine would never run away on her own, but if Lulu was going, she was going along to look after her). They were visiting a new dog friend on another property, and came galloping to the car when we called. Lulu was elated, and Maxine was relieved. Huskies are also great tunnelers. Good luck with your choice.
Joseph Bertolozzi
Post #2192 – 20070323
March 23, 2007
I met the actual Mr. Plumbean in Wichita if can believe this. I don’t know if you had someone in mind when you wrote the Big Orange Splot, but this is the guy. If you want I can send a couple of jpegs of him and myself in front of his house [with poignantly white and grey-colored houses nextdoor].
I’ve always enjoyed your books and chinwag theater. If you’d like to enjoy some of my music go to www.JosephBertolozzi.com.
Thanks,
Joe
Daniel replies:
Oh, send them! Send them! And we will all listen to your music.
Sam Wittmann
Post #2190 – 20070320
March 20, 2007
I am 11 years old and I think that you are the best author ever, your books a really funny, I like Lizard Music; your website is awesome. You are awesome , YOU ROCK!
Daniel replies:
You do realize that you are awesome too, do you not? You are--I'm smart, I can tell.
James
Post #2191 – 20070320
March 20, 2007
Dear Mr. Pinkwater,
I love your books and I want to be a drawer and a writer. But the thing is that I don’t really get to write what I want to. So I’m writeing that instead of writeing what I want to write. You are a great writer and drawer. So could you tell me what to do?
James
P.S. I love Lizard Music. And how did the chicken man know what Claudia said?
Daniel replies:
I know exactly how you feel. And I can't really give you advice. People who give advice usually tell you what they did or would do--and since they are never you, it might not be the right way. You have to figure it out for yourself. Or....ask an intelligent chicken.
Marji
Post #2189 – 20070320
March 20, 2007
Hi Daniel,
Back in the early days of computers, did you illustrate your books using a Macintosh computer? If so, will you tell us that first title? (I’m a Mac fan!) Do you and Jill still illustrate using Macs?
Thanks,
Marji
Daniel replies:
I did a few, Jolly Roger, a Dog of Hoboken, The Muffin Fiend, The Frankenbagel Monster. (I think Jolly Roger may have been the first book, anyway children's book, illustrated with a computer. I had a very early MacIntosh, at the time there was hardly any software for the machine, and I recall there was a magazine article about my illustrations, and also mention in a book). I stopped using the computer when the publisher I was then dealing with insisted I stop, 'cause they felt it might be cheating to use a machine to make drawings. I explained that I also used a mechanical pencil, but this went over their heads.
J. Mudcat Miller
Post #2188 – 20070319
March 19, 2007
I have this friend who insists I contact you about a children’s book I’ve written. “But Bird,” I protested, “he must get dozens of irritating pleas like this.” “Yes but nonetheless,” he said laconically. “And vouchsafe,” he added. Bird, by the way, wrote the immortal country song “I’m Not Trying to Drown My Sorrows, I’m Just Teaching Them to Swim” and should be on Garrison Keillor’s show every week.
So anyway, there’s this children’s book called “The Beekeeper,” which is beloved by everyone who’s read it (no kidding) and which has come SO CLOSE to being snapped up by a publisher, but not quite. So Bird suggested I write to you for guidance, solace or possibly spare Valium. And here I am. I could go on (and on) but will desist. Any help or counsel would be greatly appreciated.
J. Mudcat Miller
Daniel replies:
Dozens of irritating pleas, yes. But yours is the most irritating in a while. Best of luck with your book!
Ryan
Post #2186 – 20070317
March 17, 2007
Hi Daniel Pinkwater,
I think your books are the best in the world. I have read Five Novels, Four Novels, Once Upon a Blue Moose and Lizard Music which is my favorite of all books in the whole world. Please reply to this! Have you ever really seen a blue moose? You are the coolest guy on earth. You are lucky to have such a cool last name.
Your biggest fan, Ryan
Daniel replies:
Yes, I have seen a moose. It was in the little town of Greenville, Maine. I was putting gas in my car, and a moose walked through the gas station, between the pumps. Natually, I got all excited. ""I saw a moose! I saw a moose!"" I shouted. The old gas station guy didn't even look up from what he was doing. ""Drat!"" he said. ""Mooses coming into town this early means it will be a cold winter.""
Steve DeYoung
Post #2185 – 20070314
March 14, 2007
Memories of scents are said to be very vivid and powerful. Are there any aromas that bring you a rush of nostalgiac comfort or emotion? To that, is it odd that I miss the scent from emptying a wall mounted pencil sharpener grindings? Maybe the coke piles in East Chicago or Whiting IN. Sometimes semi-toxic pungency makes one smile in reflection.
Daniel replies:
I know those smells! Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
