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Harriet Ziefert
Harriet Ziefert was born in New Jersey. She grew up in North Bergen, New Jersey, where she attended the local schools. She graduated from Smith College, then received a Masters degree in Education from New York University. "About twelve years ago," says Ziefert in a 1995 interview, "I tried to... show more



Harriet Ziefert was born in New Jersey. She grew up in North Bergen, New Jersey, where she attended the local schools. She graduated from Smith College, then received a Masters degree in Education from New York University. "About twelve years ago," says Ziefert in a 1995 interview, "I tried to get a job as an editor, but no one would hire me as a trade editor. So I decided to write my own books." Since then, she has written several hundred books, mostly picture books and easy-to-read books. "I write books very quickly," she says, "in about twelve hours. I rewrite them three times over three days, and then they're done." She writes about twenty books a year. Ziefert's picture book A New Coat for Anna is about a girl in a bombed-out European city during the months just after World War II. Anna has outgrown her old coat, and her mother trades her few surviving treasures--a watch, a lamp, a necklace, and a porcelain teapot--in order to obtain wool and have it spun, woven, and finally sewn into a fine red coat for Anna. A Horn Book Magazine reviewer stated, "the simple text, based on a true story, carries the narrative along effectively." The book, which was illustrated by Anita Lobel, was chosen as one of ten books to be read aloud by former First Lady Barbara Bush as part of a program promoting reading. Ziefert was invited to the White House for the occasion. The reason Ziefert began writing easy-to-read books was that she felt "they were getting too hard for kids to read in the first grade." She says that she wrote easy-to-read books with seventy-five or fewer words, even ones with fifty or fewer words, "to see how much of a story" she could produce with that limit. She enjoyed the challenge, and cites her book Sleepy Dog as an example. "Sleepy Dog is the most successful book I've ever done, in terms of number of books sold." She's also been working on a developmental program with publisher Dorling Kindersley, made up of books for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Her book Pete's Chicken, which was illustrated by Laura Rader, was reviewed in the New York Times Book Review as "a simple, sweet 'Song of Myself' for children . . . [which] applauds the specialness of every child as it reminds parents of the healing power of just being there for children." Among her other books is a series of easy-to-read books, such as Trip Day and Worm Day, about an inventive science teacher and his rambunctious class of students. Ziefert's book Let's Get a Pet was named an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children by a joint committee of the National Science Teachers Association and the Children's Book Council. . Ms. Ziefert lives in Maplewood, New Jersey and Lincoln, Massachusetts. She has two adult sons.

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Community Reviews
Cgardner
Cgardner rated it 8 years ago
Grade k Grandmas Are for Giving Tickles by Harriet Ziefert is a good picture book to read to the class to gain interest in books. The students will enjoy the pop-out pictures throughout the book.
Amara's Eden
Amara's Eden rated it 10 years ago
This eARC was downloaded for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.Does a Hippo Go to the Doctor? is an installment in Harriet Ziefert's "Think About" series, specifically focusing on "how everyone keeps healthy". And I have to admit that I'm a little less than impressed.First of all,...
Jessica (HDB)
Jessica (HDB) rated it 11 years ago
Just a quick review on this one! I honestly wish this book had been around when I was teaching children. It's a fun, adorably illustrated look at the moon and beyond. Each page is jam packed with a surprising amount of information and fun facts. Do you have a reader at home who loves Non-Fiction? A ...
AmySea
AmySea rated it 12 years ago
Many other reviewers mentioned that this book is soothing, or peaceful, or quiet, and that it would work well for calming kids down. My niece and nephew were a little challenging today. When I grabbed this book and started reading it, they both quieted down and just fell into this story. Thank go...
Bibliofiend's Bookbag
Bibliofiend's Bookbag rated it 12 years ago
Simple and cute.
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