Ohio Authors By Michelle Lyons

Introduction Ohio has many notable authors I will cover six very interesting authors who have an Ohio connection: Arnold Adoff Carolyn Keene/Mildred A. Wirt Benson Nikki Giovani Paul Laurence Dunbar R. L. Stine Toni Morrison

Arnold Adoff Born in South Bronx 1935 Started writing when he was 11 years old Bachelor’s degree from City College of New York Studied at Columbia University and New School for Social Research Married Virginia Hamilton Taught social studies for twelve years in New York

Arnold Adoff Continued Compiled three anthologies of black poetry First book of Poems was titled MA nDA LA Created the first children’s book with an interracial family: Black is Brown is Tan Currently lives in Yellow Springs, Ohio Received the National Council of Teachers of English Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children (1988)

Carolyn Keene/Mildred A. Wirt Benson Born in 1905 in Ladora, Iowa Published first story at age 14 Attended the University of Iowa Married Asa Wirt in 1928 and moved to Cleveland, Ohio Asa Wirt died in 1947 Married George Benson in 1949

Carolyn Keene/Mildred A. Wirt Benson Continued Wrote the 23rd volume of Ruth Fielding series Started writing a new series for Stratemeyer Syndicate: Nancy Drew In 1980 a court case revealed Mildred as Carolyn Keene Benson had written 23 of the first 30 Nancy Drew novels Wrote for newspapers in Toledo, Ohio Benson died in 2002

Nikki Giovanni Yolanda Cornelia “Nikki” Giovanni born in 1943 in Tennessee Raised in Lincoln Heights, a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio Attended Fisk University in Tennessee and was dismissed Returned to Cincinnati where she attended classes at Cincinnati University Returned to Fisk University and received her degree in 1967.

Nikki Giovanni Continued Entered graduate school at University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University First book of poetry published in 1968: Black Feeling, Black Talk Poems for children publish in 1971: Spin a Soft Black Song Taught English at Ohio State University Was named a living legend by Oprah Winfrey

Paul Laurence Dunbar Born in 1872 in Dayton, Ohio Attended Dayton Central High school Published the “Dayton Tattler” with the Wright Brothers Worked as an elevator operator at Dayton’s Callahan Building

Paul Laurence Dunbar Continued First collection of poetry published in 1892: Oak and Ivy Second collection of poetry published in 1895: Majors and Minors The two collections were merged into one: Lyrics of a Lonely Life Married Alice Ruth Moore Took a job at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. Separated from Alice in 1902 Died at the age of 33 in Dayton, Ohio

R. L. Stein Born in 1943 in Columbus, Ohio Found an old typewriter when he was 9 and began writing stories and jokes for his friends Attended Ohio State University and wrote for the humor magazine there Moved to New York after graduating from Ohio State

R. L. Stein Continued First book was published in 1986: Blind Date In 1989 began writing the Fear Street series In 1992 began writing the Goosebumps series In 1999 began writing The Nightmare Room series Has won awards such as the Kids Choice Awards for both Nickelodeon and Disney Adventures Kids

Toni Morrison Chloe Anthony Wofford born in 1931 in Lorain, Ohio Graduated from Lorain High School with honors Attended Howard University She was tired of people mispronouncing her first name so she changed her name to Toni (shortened version of her middle name)

Toni Morrison Continued Earned her master’s degree from Cornell University Married Harold Morrison Divorced Harold in 1964 Her first novel was published in 1970: The Bluest Eye Received the Pulitzer Prize in 1988 for her novel Beloved Received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993

Many Ohio authors can be found at your local library Many Ohio authors can be found at your local library. I encourage you to read the books by these authors and other Ohio authors as well. You can find a list of authors for students at Ohio Reading Road Trip and all Ohio authors at Ohioana Library. Conclusion

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