Children’s book author Gloria Rothstein has the whimsy of a child and the tenacity of a professional, which is why she has experienced success in the world of children’s literature. Gloria has not only written fantastic children’s books and CURIOUS GEORGE animated cartoons, but she’s written books for aspiring children’s book authors. 

Is there anything this writer won‘t do? Slow down, it seems. WordHustler sat down with Gloria and her relentless enthusiasm to learn what makes a successful writer, how to take characters from real life, and the fact that slush pile dreams CAN come true! Just ask Gloria herself. Read on and be inspired!

WordHustler: You’re a writer of children’s books, books about children’s books, and even scripts for Curious George animated cartoons. What draws you to the world of writing for children?

Gloria Rothstein: I love happily ever afters. Probably the reason I’m hooked on picture books, fairy tales, and romantic comedies.  I’m drawn to the humor, silliness, and characters in kids’ books.  How could you not be intrigued by cows typing, a pigeon driving, or a pig accessorizing?  Picture books are written for the youngest readers, but must also appeal to the parents and grandparents reading them aloud.  Targeting such a wide audience is what makes these stories so much fun to write.

WH: How long have you been writing? Do you remember the first thing you ever wrote?

GR: I started in educational publishing, so I’ve been writing professionally for years.  I have published credits with Harper, Scholastic, Harcourt, Houghton Mifflin, Macmillan, Random House, Holt, Children’s Television Workshop, and others. One of my first projects was developing materials to go with a series of award-winning children’s novels. Not only did someone pay me to read piles of kids’ books, but they helped me appreciate the importance of targeting your audience. Through the years, I’ve written books, series, stories, scripts, and programs for readers of all ages. Somewhere along the way, I realized it was easy for me to think like a five-year-old and to tap into that sense of wonder a picture book author needs.

WH: How did you land the job writing for Curious George?  How different was writing television scripts for children vs. writing books for them?

[Read more →]

According to GalleyCat, Hougton Mifflin, owner of the rights to beloved children’s book character Curious George, has come under fire since T-shirts reading “Obama ‘08″ and featuring a picture of Curious George eating a banana are being sold in Georgia. Eek.

See full article on MediaBistro’s Galley Cat.

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