BONNIE H. PRYORAuthor
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BONNIE H. PRYOR
Author
For upcoming Events Listed click on month Feb. March
Bonnie Pryor was born in California and raised in Spokane, Washington. She has lived in Ohio with her husband Robert and six children for the last 30 years. She has written 32 books, both picture books and novels for elementary age children. Her books include mysteries, family stories and historical fiction. Many of the family stories are loosely based on true family incidents and she often use her own children as characters in her books.
Bonnie now lives in the country with her family, 3 horses, 2 fat cats and one very large dog.
Published Books Picture Books
The Porcupine Mouse by Bonnie Pryor, Mary Jane Begin (Illustrator) 32 pages Publisher: Unknown;; Revised edition (August 2002) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Edition: 
Hardcover ISBN: 1587171856 
Paperback: ISBN: 1587171864
When Louie and Dan leave home, each wants to handle things his own way. Can these two little mice figure out how to get along-and survive the dangers of the forest? First published in 1988, a new generation of readers will fall in love with this delightfully lighthearted mouse adventure, featuring Mary Jane Begin's irresistible illustrations.
Bank Street College Children's Book Award 1989
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist *Starred Review* Pryor's story is warm and winning, fully matched by Begin's pictures, so alive that the cat and mouse brothers seem ready to spring off the pages.
The House on Maple Street by Bonnie Pryor, Beth Peck (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 4-8, Paperback Reprint edition (September 1992), Mulberry Books; 
ISBN: 0688120318
Library Binding (1999) Econo-Clad Books;
ISBN: 0833595490
What would you see from your front porch if your neighborhood suddenly looked as it did three hundred years ago? When the two girls who live at 107 Maple Street discover an ancient arrowhead and a broken china cup, they begin to wonder.
Editorial Reviews
From The New York Times "A beautiful book. It's subject is no less than the story of America itself. Told in deft plain prose"
From Booklist "Young children will find the ideas suggested here fascinating."
Grandpa Bear's Christmas by Bonnie Pryor, Bruce Degen (Illustrator), Reading level: Baby-Preschool, Paperback - 32 pages 1 mulberry edition (October 1999), Mulberry Books; 
ISBN: 0688170668
Publisher: Kid's Shelf Publishing ISBN: 0688136249 Order from publisher (740)397-5586 or Fax (740)397-8481
Did Grandpa Bear really build the worlds' largest snowman and then help Santa out of a jam? Maybe not, but Samantha and Harry agree that a holiday visit from Grandpa is the best present there is. Samantha Bear and her grandpa share Christmas storytelling by the fire.
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
"Degen's pictures match the family warmth exhibited in the stories."
From Booklist
"Ebullient watercolor pictures....homey details will make young listeners feel close to this loving bear family."
Louie & Dan Are Friends by Bonnie Pryor, Elizabeth Miles (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 4-8. Hardcover - 32 pages (August 1997), William Morrow & Company; 
ISBN: 0688085601
Louie and Dan, the much-loved mouse brothers introduced in Bonnie Pryor's award-winning Porcupine Mouse, return with a new set of adventures! In their cozy house under the roots of an old maple tree, Dan helps with the housework to please tidy Louie and Louie goes exploring to satisfy adventurous Dan. Each wants to make the other happy, but their good intentions backfire...leaving two grouchy mice. It takes Mama Mouse's affectionate wisdom to show the brothers that each can do what he likes best and still love the other.
Grades 3-6
Marvelous Marvin and the Wolfman Mystery by Bonnie Pryor, Melissa Sweet (Illustrator), Reading level: grades 2-4, School & Library Binding - 131 pages (April 1994), William Morrow & Company; 
ISBN: 0688128661
Marvin Fremont is famous for his lively imagination. But when he overhears a strange conversation, he knows he's right to be suspicious of his weird new neighbor, Mr. Wolfe. With his curly beard and gleaming teeth, Mr. Wolfe looks like the werewolf in one of Marvin's favorite comics.
What is going on at Mr. Wolfe's creepy house? What is he doing in his basement when everyone else is asleep? Why is he so friendly with Frankie, the surly handyman, and is that a body they are sneaking out late one night?
In her newest mystery, Bonnie Pryor introduces a sleuth sure to delight her fans, as each twist and turn of Marvin's investigation leads to a thrilling climax -- and the unmasking of the mysterious Mr. Wolfe.
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist .".... many readers will take to the characters and the occasional humor in this lightweight mystery for young readers." Carolyn Phelan
From Horn Book . The dandy tale has plenty of action and just enough late-October spookiness. -- Copyright 1994 The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.
Toenails, Tonsils and Tornadoes by Bonnie Pryor, Helen Cogancherry (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 9-12, Hardcover - 160 pages (May 1997),
ISBN: 0688148859 
Paperback (1999) Beech Tree Books;
ISBN: 068816675X
Martin Snodgrass, the only "normal" member in a family of overachievers, has the worst Valentine's Day imaginable and makes his theatrical debut-in a girl's role! Beginning with Vinegar Pancakes and Vanishing Cream, readers have loved Martin's comical escapades. Now new and old fans alike will cheer when disaster strikes the Snodgrass reunion and Martin proves just how special an ordinary boy can be. Ages 8 up. Grades 3 up.
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist ".... the book has some amusing moments, especially when Martin substitutes for his sister in a play and Valentine's Day puts Martin on the spot. Likable characters, a warm family, and language and situations with which readers will undoubtedly relate are among the book's other charms." Kathleen Squires
The Plum Tree War by Bonnie Pryor, Dora Leder (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 9-12, School & Library Binding - 115 pages (May 1989), William Morrow & Company; 
ISBN: 0688081428
At the end of the summer, nine-year-old Robert Ott's life is chugging along very smoothly. How quickly life can change!"Remember me?" the girl said, puffing away her bearlike dog. "I'm Harriet. Most of my friends call me Harri. Do you like to be called Robbie or Bobby?"Just as he is particular about his room, his desk at school, and his cherished backyard plum tree, Robert Ott is particular about his name. It is clear only minutes into his cousin's yearlong visit that she's out to take over everything.No turf is sacred. Harri makes herself at home in the Ott household and then in Robert's fourth-grade classroom. But when she moves in on his beloved plum tree, Robert declares war!The Plum Tree War is one of Bonnie Pryor's funniest, most perceptive novels, in which two quarrelsome fourth-grade cousins discover how much they really have in common.
Thomas (American Adventures , No 1) by Bonnie Pryor, Bert Dobson (Illustrator), Bert Dodson (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 9-12, School & Library Binding - 144 pages (October 1998), Morrow Junior;
ISBN: 068815669X
Each book in Bonnie Pryor's action-filled series will follow the adventures of a boy who lives during a tumultuous time in our nation's history. Thomas, a 10-year-old pioneer in frontier Pennsylvania, is caught up in the Revolutionary War when he and his family are forced to flee to a nearby fort as the Tory army closes in. Based on actual events, Thomas is a fast-paced page-turner with solid period detail, fascinating characters, and excitement on every page. The settings for other novels in the American Adventures series include the Gold Rush (Luke) and Civil War (Joseph) eras.
Thomas in Danger (American Adventures) by Bonnie Pryor, Bert Dodson (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover - 160 pages 2 edition (September 1999), Morrow Junior;
ISBN: 0688165184
Paperback (2000) Harpercollins Juvenile Books; ISBN: 0380732122 
Thomas Bowden hates the Tories, the colonists who have sided with the English during the Revolutionary War. He especially hates their Native American allies who tortured and killed many of his neighbors in a terrible massacre.Still, he and his mother, sister, and baby brother have reached the safety of Philadelphia-but not for long. When Thomas recognizes a Tory spy, he is kidnapped, made to join a wagon train bringing arms and supplies to the enemy, and then turned over to a group of Mohawk fighters.Thomas fears the worst. Instead, over a winter spent in the Mohawk village, he discovers that truth in his wartime world is far more complicated than he ever imagined.Thomas is back, in an exciting and thought-provoking American Adventure!
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist The tone is never preachy, and the message is not heavy-handed. Thomas comes to his understandings gradually, even remaining conflicted about some issues. Pryor also packs lots of action into her story, and although she brings this chapter in Thomas' wartime adventures to a deft close, children will be eager to meet Thomas again. Part of the American Adventure series. Chris Sherman
From Kirkus Reviews
The historical details are vivid, the action unfolds at a strong pace, and as the exciting story concludes, the author's parting comments will make readers reflect anew on American history. (b&w illustrations, not seen) (Fiction. 9-11) -- Copyright 1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Luke : 1849-On the Golden Trail (American Adventures , No 3) by Bonnie Pryor, Bert Dodson (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 9-12, School & Library Binding - 160 pages (June 1999), Morrow Junior;
ISBN: 0688156703
Paperback (March 2000) Camelot; ISBN: 0380731029 
Luke Reed admires his father, a hardworking homesteader battling the harsh prairie lands of Iowa. Still, Luke, a talented artist, dreams of a different kind of life.
His father says that Luke's artwork is a waste of time, but Uncle Eli is more sympathetic. A trader of goods along the Santa Fe Trail, Eli has led an adventurous life. When an unexpected event frees Luke from the backbreaking work of the farm, he eagerly agrees to join his uncle on a trip to Boston.
As the pair travel east by horseback, ferry, and stagecoach, they see hordes of people going the other way. There's gold in California, so the rumor says. Before long, Luke and Uncle Eli are tempted to turn right around and join the rush west!
During the Gold Rush, dreamers of every kind flocked to California to make their fortunes. Luke's own journey, filled with excitement, discovery, and danger, is a memorable American Adventure.
Luke on the High Seas (Pryor, Bonnie. American Adventures.) by Bonnie Pryor, Bert Dodson (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 9-12, Hardcover - 192 pages 1 Ed edition (May 30, 2000), William Morrow & Company;
ISBN: 0688171346
When Luke Reed left his prairie home to accompany Uncle Eli to Boston, he passed hordes of fortune seekers heading west to join the Gold Rush. It seems there's money to be made out there, and Uncle Eli doesn't want to miss out on any of it. In this new adventure, the duo is off again, this time making the perilous voyage by clipper ship to the gold fields of California.
Luke and his friend Toby wonder how they'll keep themselves occupied on the long voyage, but not for long. Besides the everyday risks of stormy weather and shark-infested waters, they face a whole set of unexpected challenges, including a cabin boy with a mysterious secret and a pirate ship that they just can't seem to outrun.
Full of action and gripping suspense, this American Adventure will have readers turning the pages to find out how Luke braves the turbulent seas.
Editorial Reviews
From Kirkus Reviews
Veteran middle-grade novelist Pryor (Thomas in Danger, 1999, etc.) offers another sturdy, appealing entry in her growing series of historical novels set in 18th- and 19th-century America. ... it will keep 'em engaged--and reading. (Fiction. 10-12) -- Copyright 2000 Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Joseph : 1861-A Rumble of War (American Adventures) by Bonnie Pryor, Bert Bert Dodson (Illustrator), Bert Dodson (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 9-12, Paperback - 176 pages (March 2000), Camelot;
ISBN: 0380731037
School & Library Binding (1999)Morrow Junior ISBN: 0688156711
At the beginning of the Civil War, the loyalties in Joseph's Kentucky town are divided between North and South. As the tensions grow, Joseph, too, must choose a side. Joseph's new stepfather is an abolitionist, but Joseph is not sure how he feels about slavery. He tries not to take sides as he explores a cave with his friends. Then one night his beliefs are put to the test.
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist "Makes history more imaginable for a young audience."
Joseph's Choice--1861 (American Adventures) by Bonnie Pryor, Bert Dodson (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 9-12 Hardcover - 176 pages 1 Ed edition (August 2000), Harpercollins Juvenile Books;
ISBN: 068817633X
"I hope Kentucky stays neutral because I truly don't know what side to take."
At the beginning of the Civil War, Kentucky hasn't sided with the North or the South, but it seems that in Branson Mills everyone has taken sides ... except for Joseph Byers.
He knows that slavery is wrong--he sees firsthand how his friend Hannah is mistreated because of the color of her skin. Yet at the same time he recognizes how much trouble speaking out against slavery can cause.
Joseph is a hero when he helps save a passenger train after Union spies blow up a bridge. His stepfather's abolitionist actions have put the whole family in danger of the vigilante violence that is sweeping the town. When his stepfather's enemies set fire to his factory, they nearly burn down the town.
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist This new entry in the American Adventures series, a sequel to Joseph: 1861--A Rumble of War (1999), is a great vehicle for increasing awareness and understanding of this pivotal period in our country's history. It's certain to raise plenty of issues for discussion. Lauren Peterson Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
RATS, SPIDERS AND LOVE by BONNIE PRYOR Reading level: Ages 9-12 Paperback
ISBN: 0440401380 Publisher: Kid's Shelf Publishing Order from publisher (740)397-5586 or Fax (740)397-8481
Samantha, a middle child who envies certain qualities in her older brother and younger sister, discovers her mother is planning to remarry and schemes to prevent it.-
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal Grade 4-6 In this warm and funny family story, fifth-grader Samantha Tate feels that her life is not the way she would like it to be. She is the average middle child in a family with an exquisitely beautiful younger sister and a highly intelligent older brother. Sam envies her siblings and is oblivious to her own good qualities. When her widowed mother announces that she will remarry and that they will leave their beloved Pacific Ocean home , Sam becomes desperate to prevent the marriage. Samantha is a likable and believable character who grows in self-awareness and understanding of others by the end of the book. Supporting characters are realistic and serve to help Sam realize that she is a very special person. A promising first novel that will appeal to a wide variety of young readers. Donna S. Rodda, Solon City Schools, Ohio Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Seth of the Lion People by Bonnie Pryor, Amy Cohn (Editor) Reading level: Ages 9-12 Edition: Paperback
128 pages ; Publisher: Kid's Shelf Publishing ISBN: 0688136249 Order from publisher (740)397-5586 or Fax (740)397-8481
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal Twelve-year-old Seth, crippled from childhood, fears that although he has inherited his father's storytelling skills, he will never follow him as leader of their prehistoric clan, which values hunting and fighting skills above the wisdom in the history and lore of the tribe. When his life is threatened by the new leader's son, he leaves with his friend, Esu, and the puppy whose life he has saved, to follow rumors of a people who tend crops, domesticate animals, and live in hutsa journey that teaches Seth the true meaning of leadership and gives him the courage to return. . . . the relationships are solidly built, ... and the book conveys well the way stages of civilization overlap. ... Seth. . . would make a pleasant read for middle-graders. Annette Curtis Klause, Montgomery County Department of Public Libraries, Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
AWARDS
1995 Ohioan Award - Contribution to Children's Literature
Irma Simonton Black Award
Outstanding Book lists National Teachers of Social Studies for Dream Jar and House on Maple Street
Outstanding Book List Smithsonian Institute - Dream Jar
Nominated Edgar Allen Poe Award - Marvin & Pioneer Ghost
1998 Maryland State award - Poison Ivy and Eyebrow Wigs
Nominated several states - Vinegar Pancakes, Poison Ivy, Tonsils, Toenails
Bank Street Children's Choice
Oppenheimer Gold Award - Luke on the High Seas
Child Study Book of the Year - Dream Jar
Mrs. Pryor's humorous stories will entertain while they inspire children to read and write while. While she relates the "Real" stories behind many of her books children will learn to look into their own lives for story ideas, how to create interesting characters, and the importance of re-writing. She has published 32 books; both picture books and novels for up to grade six. "American Adventures" are being praised by teachers as being especially appealing to reluctant readers.
Bonnie Pryor will visit elementary schools and is also comfortable talking to adult audiences (PTO - teacher). Her talk is humorous and covers getting ideas from your own life, re-writing and the publishing process (adjusted for age of audience).
She is comfortable with up to 4 talks a day. The professional fee is $800 with an extra fee for evening presentations. She will work with you to adjust to your school needs.
Bonnie has visited schools all across the nation and as far away as Indonesia.
Bonnie H. Pryor
19600 Baker Rd.
Gambier, OH 43022
Phone (740) 427-2427
Fax (740) 397-8481
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