RYLANT, Cynthia 1954-

PERSONAL: Surname is pronounced "rye-lunt"; born June 6, 1954, in Hopewell, VA; daughter of John Tune (an army sergeant) and Leatrel (a nurse; maiden name, Rylant) Smith; twice married and divorced; children: Nathaniel; companion of Dav Pilkey (an author/illustrator). Education: Morris Harvey College (now University of Charleston), B.A., 1975; Marshall University, M.A., 1976; Kent State University, M.L.S., 1982. Politics: Democrat. Religion: "Christian, no denomination."

ADDRESSES: Home—Eugene, OR. Agent—Sarah Maizes, William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

CAREER: Writer. Marshall University, Huntington, WV, part-time English instructor, 1979-80; Akron Public Library, Akron, OH, children's librarian, 1983; University of Akron, Akron, part-time English lecturer, 1983-84; Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Rootstown, part-time lecturer, 1991—.

AWARDS, HONORS: When I Was Young in the Mountains was named a Booklist reviewer's choice, 1982, Caldecott Honor Book, American Library Association (ALA) notable book, and Reading Rainbow selection, all 1983; American Book Award nomination, 1983, and English-Speaking Union Book-across-the-Sea Ambassador of Honor Award, 1984, both for When I Was Young in the Mountains; Waiting to Waltz . . . a Childhood was named an ALA notable book, a School Library Journal best book of 1984, a National Council for Social Studies best book, 1984, and a Society of Midland Authors best children's book, 1985; The Relatives Came was named a New York Times best illustrated book, a Horn Book honor book, a Child Study Association of America's children's book of the year, all 1985, and a Caldecott Honor Book, 1986; A Blue-eyed Daisy was named a Child Study Association of America's children's book of the year, 1985; Every Living Thing was named a School Library Journal best book, 1985; New York Times best illustrated book for, The Relatives Came, 1985; A Fine White Dust was named a Parents' Choice selection, 1986, a Horn Book honor book, and a Newbery Honor Book, all 1987; American Library Association best book for young adults citation, 1988, for A Kindness; Ohioana Award, 1990, for But I'll Be Back Again; Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birds was named a Boston Globe/Horn Book honor book for nonfiction, 1991, and received the Ohioana Award, 1992; Henry and Mudge Get the Cold Shivers was named a Garden State Children's Book award recipient by the Children's Services Section of the New Jersey Library Association, 1992; Parents' Choice Award, 1992, Boston Globe/Horn Book award winner, Newbery Medal, Reading Magic Award, and Hungry Mind Award, all 1993, all for Missing May; American Library Association best book for young adults citation, for A Couple of Kooks and other Stories about Love; School Library Journal, best book of the year citation, for Children of Christmas. Books in the "Henry and Mudge" series have received child-selected awards, including the Garden State Children's Book Award, Children's Services Section of the New Jersey Library Association, and the Children's Choice Award, Association of Booksellers for Children.

WRITINGS:

CHILDREN'S BOOKS

When I Was Young in the Mountains, illustrated by Diane Goode, Dutton (New York, NY), 1982.

Miss Maggie, illustrated by Thomas DiGrazia, Dutton (New York, NY), 1983.

This Year's Garden, illustrated by Mary Szilagyi, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1984.

The Relatives Came, illustrated by Stephen Gammell, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1985.

Night in the Country, illustrated by Mary Szilagyi, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1986.

Birthday Presents, illustrated by Sucie Stevenson, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1987.

All I See, illustrated by Peter Catalanotto, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1988.

Mr. Griggs' Work, illustrated by Julie Downing, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1989.

An Angel for Solomon Singer, illustrated by Peter Catalanotto, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1992.

Best Wishes, photographs by Carlo Ontal, R. C. Owen Publishers (Katonah, NY), 1992.

The Dreamer, illustrated by Barry Moser, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 1993.

Dog Heaven, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 1995.

The Van Gogh Caé, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1995.

Gooseberry Park, illustrated by Arthur Howard, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1995.

The Whales, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 1996.

The Old Woman Who Named Things, illustrated by Kathryn Brown, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1996.

The Bookshop Dog, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 1996.

Cat Heaven, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 1997.

Silver Packages: An Appalachian Christmas Story, illustrated by Chris K. Soentpiet, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1997.

An Everyday Book, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1997.

Scarecrow, illustrated by Lauren Stringer, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1997.

Bear Day, illustrated by Jennifer Selby, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1998.

The Bird House, illustrated by Barry Moser, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 1998.

Tulip Sees America, illustrated by Lisa Desimini, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 1998.

Bunny Bungalow, illustrated by Nancy Hayashi, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1999.

The Cookie-Store Cat, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 1999.

The Heavenly Village, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Let's Go Home: The Wonderful Things about a House, illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2000.

In November, illustrated by Jill Kastner, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 2000.

Thimbleberry Stories, illustrated by Maggie Kneen, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 2000.

The Wonderful Happens, illustrated by Coco Dowley, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2000.

The Ticky-Tacky Doll, illustrated by Harvey Stevenson, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 2000.

The Great Gracie Chase, illustrated by Mark Teague, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 2001.

Old Town in the Green Groves, HarperCollins (New York, NY), in press.

Good Morning, Sweetie Pie and Other Poems for Little Children, illustrated by Jane Dyer, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2001.

"HENRY AND MUDGE" SERIES, ILLUSTRATED BY SUCIE STEVENSON, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

Henry and Mudge: The First Book of Their Adventures, illustrated by James Stevenson, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1987.

Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble: The Second Book of Their Adventures, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1987.

Henry and Mudge in the Green Time: The Third Book of Their Adventures, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1987.

Henry and Mudge under the Yellow Moon: The Fourth Book of Their Adventures, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1987.

Henry and Mudge in the Sparkle Days: The Fifth Book of Their Adventures, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1988.

Henry and Mudge and the Forever Sea: The Sixth Book of Their Adventures, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1989.

Henry and Mudge Get the Cold Shivers: The Seventh Book of Their Adventures, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1989.

Henry and Mudge and the Happy Cat: The Eighth Book of Their Adventures, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1990.

Henry and Mudge and the Bedtime Thumps: The Ninth Book of Their Adventures, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1991.

Henry and Mudge Take the Big Test: The Tenth Book of Their Adventures, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1991.

Henry and Mudge and the Long Weekend: The Eleventh Book of Their Adventures, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1992.

Henry and Mudge and the Wild Wind: The Twelfth Book of Their Adventures, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1993.

Henry and Mudge and the Careful Cousin: The Thirteenth Book of Their Adventures, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1994.

Henry and Mudge and the Best Day of All: The Fourteenth Book of Their Adventures, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1995.

Henry and Mudge in the Family Trees: The Fifteenth Book of Their Adventures, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1997.

Henry and Mudge and the Sneaky Crackers: The Sixteenth Book of Their Adventures, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1998.

Henry and Mudge and the Starry Night: The Seventeenth Book of Their Adventures, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1998.

Henry and Mudge and Annie's Good Move: The Eighteenth Book of Their Adventures, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1998.

Henry and Mudge and the Snowman Plan: The Nineteenth Book of Their Adventures, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1999.

Henry and Mudge and the Funny Lunch: The Twentieth Book of Their Adventures, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1999.

Henry and Mudge and the Tall Tree House: The Twenty-first Book of Their Adventures, illustrated by Carolyn Bracken, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1999.

Henry and Mudge and Mrs. Hopper's House: The Twenty-second Book of Their Adventures, illustrated by Carolyn Bracken, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1999.

Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas: The Twenty-third Book of Their Adventures, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1999.

Henry and Mudge and a Very Special Merry Christmas: The Twenty-fourth Book of Their Adventures, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1999.

Henry and Mudge and the Snowman Plan: The Twenty-fifth Book of Their Adventures, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1999.

Henry and Mudge and the Wild Goose Chase: The Twenty-sixth Book of Their Adventures, illustrated by Carolyn Bracken, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1999.

Henry and Mudge and the Big Sleepover: The Twenty-seventh Book of Their Adventures, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1999.

Henry and Mudge and the Tumbling Trip: The Twenty-eighth Book of Their Adventures, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1999.

Henry and Mudge and Annie's Perfect Pet: The Twenty-ninth Book of Their Adventures, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2000.

Puppy Mudge Takes a Bath, illustrated by Isidre Mones, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2002.

Puppy Mudge Has a Snack, illustrated by Isidre Mones Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2003.

"MR. PUTTER AND TABBY" SERIES

Mr. Putter and Tabby Walk the Dog, illustrated by Arthur Howard, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1994.

Mr. Putter and Tabby Bake the Cake, illustrated by Arthur Howard, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1994.

Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea, illustrated by Arthur Howard, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1994.

Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears, illustrated by Arthur Howard, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1995.

Mr. Putter and Tabby Row the Boat, illustrated by Arthur Howard, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1997.

Mr. Putter and Tabby Fly the Plane, illustrated by Arthur Howard, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1997.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Take the Train, illustrated by Arthur Howard, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1998.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Toot the Horn, illustrated by Arthur Howard, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1998.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Paint the Porch, illustrated by Arthur Howard, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 2000.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Feed the Fish, illustrated by Arthur Howard, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 2001.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Catch the Cold, illustrated by Arthur Howard, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 2002.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Stir the Soup, illustrated by Arthur Howard, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 2003.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Write the Book, illustrated by Arthur Howard, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 2004.

"EVERYDAY BOOKS" SERIES

The Everyday Garden, Bradbury (New York), 1993.

The Everyday Town, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1993.

The Everyday Children, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1993.

The Everyday Pets, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1993.

The Everyday House, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1993.

"HIGH-RISE PRIVATE EYES" SERIES

The Case of the Missing Monkey, illustrated by G. Brian Karas, Greenwillow Books (New York, NY), 2000.

The Case of the Climbing Cat, illustrated by G. Brian Karas, Greenwillow Books (New York, NY), 2000.

The Case of the Puzzling Possum, illustrated by G. Brian Karas, Greenwillow Books (New York, NY), 2001.

The Case of the Troublesome Turtle, illustrated by G. Brian Karas, Greenwillow Books (New York, NY), 2001.

The Case of the Sleepy Sloth, illustrated by G. Brian Karas, Greenwillow Books (New York, NY), 2002.

The Case of the Fidgety Fox, illustrated by G. Brian Karas, Greenwillow Books (New York, NY), 2003.

The Case of the Baffled Bear, illustrated by G. Brian Karas, Greenwill Books (New York, NY), 2004.

"POPPLETON" SERIES

Poppleton, illustrated by Mark Teague, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 1997.

Poppleton and Friends, illustrated by Mark Teague, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 1997.

Poppleton Everyday, illustrated by Mark Teague, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 1998.

Poppleton Forever, illustrated by Mark Teague, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 1998.

Poppleton in Fall, illustrated by Mark Teague, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 1999.

Poppleton in Spring, illustrated by Mark Teague, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.

Poppleton Has Fun, illustrated by Mark Teague, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 2000.

Poppleton in Winter, illustrated by Mark Teague, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 2001.

"COBBLE STREET COUSINS" SERIES

In Aunt Lucy's Kitchen, illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1998.

A Little Shopping, illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1998.

Some Good News, illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1999.

Special Gifts, illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1999.

Summer Party, illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2001.

Wedding Flowers, illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2002.

"LITTLE WHISTLE" SERIES

Little Whistle's Dinner Party, illustrated by Tim Bowers, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 2001.

Little Whistle, illustrated by Tim Bowers, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 2001.

Little Whistle's Medicine, illustrated by Tim Bowers, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 2002.

Little Whistle's Christmas, illustrated by Tim Bowers, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 2003.

"BLUE HILL MEADOWS" SERIES

The Blue Hill Meadows and the Much-loved Dog, illustrated by Ellen Beier, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1997.

The Blue Hill Meadows, illustrated by Ellen Beier, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1997.

"LIGHTHOUSE FAMILY" SERIES

The Storm, illustrated by Preston McDaniels, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2002.

The Whale, illustrated by Preston McDaniels, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2003.

The Eagle, illustrated by Preston McDaniels, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2004.

YOUNG ADULT FICTION

A Blue-eyed Daisy (novel), Bradbury (New York, NY), 1985, published as Some Year for Ellie, illustrated by Kate Rogers, Viking Kestrel (New York, NY), 1986.

Every Living Thing (stories), Bradbury (New York, NY), 1985.

A Fine White Dust (novel), Bradbury (New York, NY), 1986.

Children of Christmas: Stories for the Season, illustrated by S. D. Schindler, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1987, published as Silver Packages and Other Stories, 1987.

A Kindness (novel), Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1989.

A Couple of Kooks, And Other Stories about Love, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1990.

Missing May, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1992.

I Had Seen Castles, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1993.

The Islander (novel), DK Ink (New York, NY), 1998.

YOUNG ADULT POETRY

Waiting to Waltz . . . a Childhood (poetry), illustrated by Stephen Gammell, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1984.

Soda Jerk (poetry), illustrated by Peter Catalanotto, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1990.

Something Permanent, photographs by Walker Evans, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1994.

YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION

But I'll Be Back Again: An Album (autobiography), Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1989.

Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birds, illustrated by Barry Moser, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1991.

Margaret, Frank, and Andy: Three Writers' Stories, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1996.

Bless Us All: A Child's Yearbook of Blessings, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1998.

Give Me Grace: A Child's Daybook of Prayers, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1999.

OTHER

Christmas in the Country, illustrated by Diane Goode, Blue Sky Press (New York, NY), 2002.

Old Town in the Green Groves: The Lost Little House Years, illustrated by Jim LaMarche, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2002.

God Went to Beauty School, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2003.

Moonlight: The Halloween Cat, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2003.

Long Night Moon, illustrated by Mark Siegel, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2004.

If You'll Be My Valentine, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2005.

ADAPTATIONS: When I Was Young in the Mountains, 1983, This Year's Garden, 1983, and The Relatives Came, 1986, were adapted as filmstrips by Random House. Many of her works are available on audiocassette. Several of her books are available on film through American School Publishers. Rylant is the subject of the video Meet the Author: Cynthia Rylant.

SIDELIGHTS: Cynthia Rylant is an award-winning children's and young adult author whose work includes picture books, poetry, short stories, and novels. With a writing style that has been described as unadorned, clear, and lyrical, the author presents young people's experiences with sensitivity and perceptiveness, branding her protagonists' concerns as legitimate and equally important as those of adults. Rylant's characters tend to be contemplative and set apart from their peers by their situations. Explaining her leaning toward such subjects, the author remarked in Horn Book, "I get a lot of personal gratification thinking of those people who don't get any attention in the world and making them really valuable in my fiction—making them absolutely shine with their beauty." She continued, "I don't ever quite write really happy novels; I don't want to deal with the people who have what they want. I want to deal with people who don't have what they want, to show their lives too."

Critics suggest that Rylant appears sympathetic to her characters' plights because she also faced uncommon hardships as a child. In her autobiography But I'll Be Back Again: An Album, the author stated, "They say that to be a writer you must first have an unhappy childhood. I don't know if unhappiness is necessary, but I think maybe some children who have suffered a loss too great for words grow up into writers who are always trying to find those words, trying to find a meaning for the way they have lived."

Rylant's parents had a stormy marriage and separated when the author was four years old; she admits that she naively blamed herself for their troubles. The author and her mother moved to West Virginia where Rylant was left in her grandparents' care while her mother earned a nursing degree. Her father wrote occasionally when she first moved, but the letters eventually stopped. Because none of her relatives spoke about her father, she was afraid to ask questions about him. After years of silence, however, he contacted Rylant. The author dreamed of their reunion, but before it could take place her father, a Korean War veteran who suffered from hepatitis and alcoholism, succumbed to these diseases. He died when she was thirteen. In ButI'll Be Back Again, the author stated, "I did not have a chance to know him or to say goodbye to him, and that is all the loss I needed to become a writer."

Unhappiness, however, did not dominate the author's childhood. Rylant enjoyed the rustic West Virginia environment while living with her grandparents in a mountain town where many houses had neither electricity nor running water. The lack of amenities did not bother young Rylant; she felt secure surrounded by equally poor yet friendly, church-going neighbors. When the author was eight years old, she and her mother moved to another West Virginia town named Beaver. Judging in retrospect for CA, she called this new location "without a doubt a small, sparkling universe that gave me a lifetime's worth of material for my writing."

As an adolescent in this rural setting, though, Rylant began to recognize and become envious of the fact that other people had more material possessions than she and her mother did. In addition, Beaver—which had at first offered adventure—now appeared backward and dull compared to larger cities. Reflecting in her autobiography, But I'll Be Back Again, Rylant remarked, "As long as I stayed in Beaver, I felt I was somebody important. . . . But as soon as I left town to go anywhere else, my sense of being somebody special evaporated into nothing and I became dull and ugly and poor." She continued, "I wanted to be someone else, and that turned out to be the worst curse and the best gift of my life. I would finish out my childhood forgetting who I really was and what I really thought, and I would listen to other people and repeat their ideas instead of finding my own. That was the curse. The gift was that I would be willing to try to write books when I grew up."

The first book Rylant produced was When I Was Young in the Mountains, a picture book reminiscing about life in West Virginia's Appalachian Mountains which was praised for its simple, yet evocative text and was named a Caldecott honor book. With subsequent picture books, including The Relatives Came, This Year's Garden, and her "Henry and Mudge" series, Rylant has received considerable recognition and awards. The author told CA: "I like writing picture books because that medium gives me a chance to capture in a brief space what I consider life's profound experiences—grandmother crying at a swimming hole baptism, a family planting a garden together, relatives coming for a visit. There is a poignancy and beauty in these events, and I don't want to write adult poetry about them because then I'll have to layer it with some adult disillusionment."

Rylant continued her use of poetry in books for older readers. In Waiting to Waltz . . . a Childhood, the author offers an autobiographical collection of thirty free-verse poems which record her coming-of-age. These events include embarrassment because her mother was too busy to join school committees and reckoning with the deaths of both an absent father and a beloved pet. One passage documents the surprising transformation from child to young adult: "Forgetting when / I was last time / a child. / Never knowing / when it / ended." Waiting to Waltz also weaves in events and symbols of the 1960s to produce what critics deemed a vivid recreation of the era.

Another book of verse, Soda Jerk, combines illustrations by Peter Catalanotto with twenty-eight related poems by Rylant to present the thoughts of a nameless protagonist who works as an attendant at a soda fountain. The title of this work is the slang term for the job. The jerk, as the narrator calls himself, offers commentary on issues ranging from his customers' lives to his fears about the future. Valerie Sayers, writing in the New York Times Book Review, remarked that with her short poems, "Rylant manages to shape enough action to fill several short stories and to create a protagonist who is not only likable but charming and engaging." Soda Jerk, the critic concluded, "is full of respect for a boy's powers of observation, and its images, both written and painted, are striking."

In 1985 Rylant published her first novel, A Blue-eyed Daisy. Set in Appalachia, the episodic work is told by eleven-year-old Ellie Farley during the course of a year. The youngest of five daughters, Ellie contends with her apprehensions and conflicting emotions about growing up. For example, she overcomes her fear of contracting epilepsy after witnessing a classmate's seizure; copes with her unemployed, alcoholic father's imperfections and the possibility of his death after an accident; and battles the nervous anticipation of her first co-ed party. A reviewer for Publishers Weekly proclaimed A Blue-eyed Daisy an "exquisite novel, written with love."

Rylant's novel, A Fine White Dust, was named a Newbery Honor Book. In this work, a deeply religious seventh-grader named Pete believes he has found a human incarnation of God in a roving preacher named Carson. When attending a revival meeting, Pete is mesmerized by Carson's charismatic presence and, after being "saved," agrees to become his disciple. Despite his hesitance to leave his family and friends, Pete reasons that such a sacrifice is needed to fully embrace the holy life. Pete's mission is never fulfilled, however, because the preacher unexpectedly runs off with a young woman. Although he initially feels betrayed, Pete develops a more mature understanding of love and faith. Wilson Library Bulletin contributor Frances Bradburn praised, "The careful crafting of delicate subjects is . . . beautifully illustrated" in A Fine White Dust.

Another of Rylant's works, A Couple of Kooks, and Other Stories about Love, offers various examples of the emotion. In "A Crush," a mentally handicapped man secretly leaves flowers for a female hardware-store worker. An older woman finds love with a man ten years her junior in "Clematis." And in the title story, two teenagers use the nine months of the girl's pregnancy to try to instill their hopes, love, and food preferences in the baby that they will be forced to give up for adoption. Critics commended Rylant for her honest, compassionate portrayal of her subjects' feelings.

Rylant has authored a number of series for children and young adults, including the "Henry and Mudge," "Little Whistle," "Poppleton," "High-Rise Private Eyes," "Mr. Putter and Tabby," "The Lighthouse Family," and "Everyday" books. Each series features sensitive characters, who have special relationships with a friend, a pet, or a family member. This theme of warmth, love, and comfort runs throughout many of Rylant's series and individual books. In Let's Go Home: The Wonderful Things about a House, Rylant takes the reader on a tour throughout a house, vividly describing each room. "In a quiet, warm mood, the narrative delineates the gestures and activities of a multigenerational household," noted Blair Christolon in School Library Journal. In the same publication, Lauralyn Persson commended another of Rylant's books, Good Morning, Sweetie Pie and other Poems for Little Children, for its "fluid, relaxed, and unabashedly sweet" poems. Persson believed that children who read the poems will be "surrounded by love, security, and attention." Also in School Library Journal, reviewer Beth Tegart remarked that The Great Gracie Chase: Stop That Dog! is filled with "charm, humor, and joy," and Barbara Buckley noted that Rylant's Thimbleberry Stories are "sweet and contain messages on the meaning of friendship."

Some of Rylant's books also deal with spirituality. Her novel The Heavenly Village is a series of vignettes told by people who aren't quite ready to enter Heaven. They stop off on their way to finish telling their stories. Each chapter begins with a quotation from the Bible. A Publishers Weekly reviewer noted, "Rylant's precise language and deeply comforting vision are her strong suits." God Went to Beauty School is a book of poems that focus on the question, "What if God was one of us?" Throughout the poems, God does things that normal, everyday people do. He goes to beauty school because He likes hands and wants to learn how to do nails. He gets arrested, climbs a mountain, and goes to the doctor. John Green noted in Booklist that the poems "play on Christian tradition without disrespect, ultimately celebrating God's kindness and love." Jennifer M. Brabander wrote in Horn Book, "In these compelling poems, Rylant puts to exceptionally good use her folksy storytelling skills, her spare and direct writing style, and her ability to sincerely extol life's simple, everyday pleasure and painful losses."

With her works for children and young adults, Rylant has earned a loyal readership as well as positive critical response. Yet, when facing the future of her career, Rylant admits to insecurities. In Horn Book she explained, "I get afraid of what I am going to do for the next fifty years. Surely, I think to myself, I can't keep this up. I am just going to run dry—or worse, get boring and predictable." Nonetheless, the author does feel a sense of accomplishment beyond the recognition and awards her works have received. In Horn Book Rylant confided that writing "has given me a sense of self-worth that I didn't have my whole childhood. I am really proud of that. The [books] . . . have carried me through some troubled times and have made me feel that I am worthy of having a place on this earth."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Authors and Artists for Young Adults, Volume 45, Thomson Gale (Detroit, MI), 2002.

Children's Literature Review, Volume 15, Thomson Gale (Detroit, MI), 1988.

Continuum Encyclopedia of Children's Literature, Continuum (New York, NY), 2001.

Rylant, Cynthia, But I'll Be Back Again: An Album, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1989.

Rylant, Cynthia, Waiting to Waltz . . . a Childhood, Bradbury (New York, NY), 1984.

St. James Guide to Children's Writers, 5th edition, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1999.

St. James Guide to Young Adult Writers, 2nd edition, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1999.

Something about the Author Autobiography Series, Volume 13, Thomson Gale (Detroit, MI), 1991.

Writers for Young Adults, Supplement 1, Scribner (New York, NY), 2000.

PERIODICALS

Bloomsbury Review, July, 1992, p. 22.

Book, September, 1999, review of The Heavenly Village, p. 92.

Booklist, February 15, 1992, p. 1105; January 1, 1997, p. 854; February 1, 1997, p. 950; April 1, 1997, p. 1334; April 15, 1997, p. 1437; August, 1997, pp. 1910-11; September 1, 1997, pp. 126, 135, 140-41; January 1, 1999, Linda Perkins, review of In Aunt Lucy's Kitchen, p. 879, review of A Little Shopping, p. 879; April 15, 1999, review of Bunny Bungalow, p. 1537; May 15, 1999, review of The Cookie-Store Cat, p. 1703; June 1, 1999, review of Special Gifts, p. 1832, review of Some Good News, p. 1832; October 1, 1999, review of Henry and Mudge and the Snowman Plan, p. 366, review of Give Me Grace, p. 375; October 15, 1999, review of Poppleton in Fall, p. 456; November 1, 1999, review of The Van Gogh Café, p. 549; December 1, 1999, review of Henry and Mudge and Annie's Perfect Pet, p. 716, review of The Heavenly Village, p. 706; April 15, 2000, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Mr. Putter and Tabby Paint the Porch, p. 1542; October 1, 2000, Carolyn Phelan, review of The Case of the Climbing Cat, p. 352; November, 15, 2000, Ellen Mandel, review of Poppleton Has Fun, p. 650; December 1, 2003, review of The Case of the Puzzling Possum, p. 708; February 15, 2001, review of Little Whistle, p. 1142, review of The Great Gracie Chase, p. 1142; May 1, 2001, review of Mr. Putter and Tabby Feed the Fish, p. 1684; May 15, 2001, review of The Case of the Troublesome Turtle, p. 1753; May, 2001, review of The Case of the Climbing Cat, p. 826; June 1, 2001, review of Summer Party, p. 1884; September 15, 2001, review of Good Morning, Sweetie Pie and other Poems for Little Children, p. 229; October 1, 2001, review of Little Whistle's Dinner Party, p. 326; February 15, 2002, review of Wedding Flowers, p. 1015; March 1, 2002, review of Little Whistle's Medicine, p. 1144; April 15, 2002, review of Let's Go Home: The Wonderful Things about a House, p. 1399; September 1, 2002, Ilene Cooper, review of The Ticky-Tacky Doll, p. 137; November 1, 2002, Ilene Cooper, review of Mr. Putter and Tabby Catch the Cold, p. 509; November 15, 2002, Karin Snelson, review of The Lighthouse Family: The Storm, p. 612; January 1, 2003, Connie Fletcher, review of The Case of the Sleepy Sloth, p. 893; March 15, 2003, Gillian Engberg, review of Henry and Mudge and Mrs. Hopper's House, p. 1333; July, 2003, Gillian Engberg, review of Henry and Mudge and the Snowman Plan, p. 1900, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Mr. Putter and Tabby Stir the Soup, p. 1903; August, 2003, John Green, review of God Went to Beauty School, p. 1983; September 1, 2003, Kay Weisman, review of The Lighthouse Family: The Whale, p. 121; September 15, 2003, Karin Snelson, review of Moonlight: The Halloween Cat, p. 248; October 1, 2003, Carolyn Phelan, review of Herny and Mudge and the Wild Goose Chase, p. 329.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, January, 1999, review of In Aunt Lucy's Kitchen, p. 181, review of A Little Shopping, p. 181; February, 1999, review of Bless Us All, p. 216; March, 2001, review of The Great Gracie Chase, p. 278; May, 2001, review of Little Whistle, p. 351; December, 2001, review of Poppleton in Winter, p. 152.

Children's Book and Play Review, January, 2001, review of Mr. Putter and Tabby Paint the Porch, p. 26; March, 2001, review of In November, p. 20; May, 2001, review of The Old Woman Who Named Things, p. 25.

Children's Book Review Service, January, 1999, review of Bear Day, p. 52; May, 1999, review of Bunny Bungalow, p. 112; July, 1999, review of The Cookie-Store Cat, p. 149.

Children's Bookwatch, February, 1999, review of The Islander, p. 4; March, 1999, review of A Little Shopping, p. 1, review of In Aunt Lucy's Kitchen, p. 1; June, 1999, review of Poppleton in Spring, p. 4, review of The Cookie-Store Cat, p. 4, review of Bunny Bungalow, p. 3; April, 2001, review of Little Whistle, p. 4; June, 2001, review of TheGreat Gracie Chase, p. 4; September, 2001, review of Little Whistle's Dinner Party, p. 6; January, 2002, review of Poppleton in Winter, p. 5.

Detroit Free Press, July 1, 2001, review of The Great Gracie Chase, p. 5E; March 31, 2002, review of Good Morning, Sweetie Pie and other Poems for Little Children, p. 5E.

Early Childhood Education Journal, summer, 2001, review of The Old Woman Who Named Things, p. 237.

Horn Book, November-December, 1987, pp. 695-703; March, 2001, review of The Case of the Puzzling Possum, p. 212; May, 2001, review of The Case of the Troublesome Turtle, p. 337; July-August, 2003, Jennifer M. Brabander, review of God Went to Beauty School, p. 474.

Instructor, May, 1999, review of Henry and Mudge and the Happy Cat, p. 12.

Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, April, 1999, review of The Islander, p. 592.

Kirkus Reviews, January 15, 1992, p. 120; April 1, 1999, review of Bunny Bungalow, p. 537; May 1, 1999, review of The Cookie-Store Cat, p. 726; July 15, 1999, review of Poppleton in Fall, p. 1139; February 1, 2001, review of The Great Gracie Chase, p. 188; February 15, 2001, review of The Case of the Puzzling Possum, p. 264; September 1, 2001, review of Poppleton in Winter, p. 1300, review of Little Whistle's Dinner Party, p. 1300; September 15, 2001, review of Good Morning, Sweetie Pie and other Poems for Little Children, p. 1367; January 15, 2002, review of Little Whistle's Medicine, p. 108; April 15, 2002, review of Let's Go Home, p. 577; March 1, 2003, review of The Case of the Fidgety Fox, p. 397; June 15, 2003, review of God Went to Beauty School, p. 864; July 1, 2003, review of Moonlight: The Halloween Cat, p. 914.

Kliatt, July, 1999, review of Missing May, p. 4; September, 1999, review of The Van Gogh Café, p. 60, review of The Heavenly Village, p. 12.

New York Times Book Review, November 10, 1985, p. 37; June 30, 1990, p. 24; January 17, 1999, review of A Little Shopping, p. 26; August 12, 2001, review of Little Whistle, p. 25.

Publishers Weekly, March 8, 1985, p. 91; February 3, 1992, p. 82; June 16, 1997, pp. 58, 59-60; July 21, 1997, pp. 178-179; March 15, 1999, review of Bunny Bungalow, p. 56; May 24, 1999, review of The Cookie-Store Cat, p. 77; June 7, 1999, review of Special Gifts, p. 85, review of Some Good News, p. 85; October 25, 1999, review of The Heavenly Village, p. 74, review of Give Me Grace, p. 73; November 29, 1999, review of The Islander, p. 73; April 17, 2000, review of Thimbleberry Stories, p. 81; August 7, 2000, review of The Case of the Missing Monkey, p. 95; April 2, 2001, review of Little Whistle, p. 63; April 30, 2001, review of Scarecrow, p. 80; June 18, 2001, review of The Blue Hill Meadows, p. 83, review of A Blue-eyed Daisy, p. 83; September 3, 2001, review of Good Morning, Sweetie Pie and other Poems for Little Children, p. 86; December 24, 2001, review of Little Whistle's Dinner Party, p. 67, review of Bunny Bungalow, p. 67; March 18, 2002, review of Little Whistle's Medicine, p. 105; April 1, 2002, review of The Heavenly Village, p. 86; April 15, 2002, review of Wedding Flowers, p. 66; April 22, 2002, review of Let's Go Home, p. 68; April 29, 2002, review of When I Was Young in the Mountains, p. 73; June 9, 2003, review of God Went to Beauty School, p. 53; August 4, 2003, review of Moonlight: The Halloween Cat, p. 77; September 29, 2003, review of Little Whistle, p. 67.

Reading Teacher, September, 1999, review of Poppleton Forever, p. 84; November, 2001, review of In November, p. 307.

School Library Journal, March, 1992, p. 241; March, 1997, p. 165; April, 1997, p. 116; October, 1997, p. 43; September, 1997, p. 193; January, 1999, review of Bear Day, p. 101; February, 1999, review of In Aunt Lucy's Kitchen, p. 88, review of Henry and Mudge under the Yellow Moon, p. 69, review of A Little Shopping, p. 88; March, 1999, review of Poppleton in Spring, p. 184; April, 1999, review of The Cookie-Store Cat, p. 108; June, 1999, review of Special Gifts, p. 106, review of Some Good News, p. 106, review of Henry and Mudge in the Sparkle Days, p. 77, review of Bunny Bungalow, p. 106; July, 1999, review of Henry and Mudge in the Green Time, p. 53; September, 1999, review of Poppleton in Fall, p. 203; December, 1999, review of Give Me Grace, p. 125; March, 2000, Selene S. Vasquez, review of Henry and Mudge and the Snowman Plan, p. 212, Elaine Fort Weischedel, review of The Heavenly Village, p. 242; April, 2000, Diane Janoff, review of Henry and Mudge and Annie's Perfect Pet, p. 113; May, 2000, Barbara Buckley, review of Thimbleberry Stories, p. 154; August, 2000, Blair Christolson, review of The Case of the Climbing Cat, p. 164; April, 2001, Karen Land, review of The Case of the Puzzling Possum, p. 121, Beth Tegart, review of The Great Gracie Chase!, p. 121; May, 2001, Anne Knickerbocker, review of Mr. Putter and Tabby Feed the Fish, p. 134, review of Summer Party, p. 134, review of Little Whistle, p. 134; July, 2001, review of The Case of the Troublesome Turtle, p. 88; October, 2001, Sharon McNeil, review of Little Whistle's Dinner Party, p. 130, review of Poppleton in Winter, p. 130; December, 2001, Lauralyn Persson, review of Good Morning, Sweetie Pie and Other Poems for Little Children, p. 128; April, 2002, Heather E. Miller, review of Little Whistle's Medicine, p. 122, review of Old Town in the Green Groves, p. 156; June, 2002, Blair Christolon, review of Let's Go Home, p. 124; February, 2003, Lee Bock, review of The Old Woman Who Named Things, p. 97, Lisa Smith, review of Henry and Mudge and the Tall Tree House, p. 120; March, 2003, Mary Burkey, audio book review of Henry and Mudge and the Starry Night, p. 90; April, 2003, Marilyn Taniguchi, review of Puppy Mudge Takes a Bath, p. 137; May, 2003, Sherrie Davidson, audio book review of Henry and Mudge and Annie's Good Move, p. 76, Doris Losey, review of The Case of the Fidgety Fox, p. 129; July, 2003, Maura Smith, audio book review of Henry and Mudge and the Snowman Plan, p. 69; September, 2003, Sherrie Davidson, audio book review of The Case of the Climbing Cat, p. 72, Mercedes Smith, audio book review of The Case of the Missing Monkey, p. 73, Karen Scott, audio book review of The Case of the Puzzling Possum, p. 73, James K. Irwin, review of Moonlight: The Halloween Cat, p. 190.

Social Studies, January, 2001, review of Mr. Griggs' Work, p. 39.

Teacher Librarian, March, 1999, review of A Little Shopping, p. 40; October, 1999, review of The Cookie-Store Cat, p. 57.

Tribune Books (Chicago, IL), March 25, 2001, review of Mr. Putter and Tabby Feed the Fish, p. 5.

Voice of Youth Advocates, April, 1992, p. 34.

Washington Post, December 24, 1990.

ONLINE

About.com,http://childrensbooks.about.com/ (June 2, 2003), "Spotlight on Cynthia Rylant."

Cynthia Rylant Web site, http://www.cynthiarylant.com/ (June 2, 2003).

Houghton Mifflin Web site,http://www.eduplace.com/kids/ (November 17, 2003), "Meet the Author: Cynthia Rylant."

Newport This Week Online, http://www.newportthisweek.com/news/ (June 2, 2003), review of Poppleton.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Online,http://www.postgazette.com/ (November 17, 2003), Lisa Dennis, "Cynthia Rylant's 60-plus Books Conquer a World of Subjects."*