1. Ohio Authors
By Michelle Lyons

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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)

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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)

14. 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

15. 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

16. See lyons49.wordpress.com for works cited