Five Authors Who Inspire With Books for Both Adults and Children

“Stop pretending that there is such a thing as being able to sit down and write a book for a child: it is quite impossible. One simply writes books.”

Judy Blume

Cover courtesy of Random House

Yes, the author of such perennial classics as the Fudge series, Blubber, and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, has written several books for adults. While In the Unlikely Event won’t be out until Summer 2015, there are three tales just waiting to be read by you, including Summer Sisters. In Blume’s own words, “Summer Sisters unfolds over almost twenty summers in the lives of two young women – from 1977 when they’re twelve to 1995 when they celebrate their thirtieth birthdays. There’s a love story at the center, and the story of a friendship more intense and longer lasting than many love affairs.” Sounds wonderful!

Sherman Alexie

Cover courtesy of Grove Press

The Chicago Tribune called Sherman Alexie’s adult fiction “poetic and unremittingly honest,” while the Boston Globe labeled him “an important voice in American Literature.” As for his young adult book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian? It won the 2007 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. If that’s not enough to convince you that reading Alexie’s work for either teens or adults is worth your while, we don’t know what is.

Daniel Handler

Cover courtesy of Bloomsbury USA

You might not recognize the name Daniel Handler. But we’re pretty sure you’d be hard pressed to find yourself at a loss when it comes to Lemony Snicket. Bursting onto the children’s book scene with his Series of Unfortunate Events installments, Snicket stole many awards as well as hours of children’s time with his irresistible tales of the Baudelaire children’s awesome adventures. As for Snicket’s alter-ego, Handler? He’s not too shabby himself, having penned several books for adults, including the just released We Are Pirates.

What else do all of these immensely talented authors have in common? We can’t say for sure, but if we had to guess, they’d thoroughly approve of promoting literacy for all. Why not celebrate their amazing accomplishments by giving to Sit Stay Read. Founded in 2003, this unique nonprofit brings teams of trained volunteers and certified dogs to inner-city Chicago schools and community facilities. Through a curriculum designed with the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Center for Literacy, Sit Stay Read improves reading fluency, makes reading fun, and inspires children to become lifelong readers, one tail wag at a time.