American author of children’s books Paul Fleischman celebrates his birth date as Sept. 5, 1952, in Monterey, Calif. Raised in Santa Monica, Calif. the son of children’s book author Sid Fleischman, Paul remembers his family gathered in the living room of their wood-shingled house listening to dad read the latest chapter of the book he was writing at the time. Also, the times mother Betty was playing the piano, father Sid playing his classical guitar and his sisters playing a flute duet.

Paul attended the University of California Berkeley and the University of New Mexico. Inspired by reading folklore, his first books were written while he was still in college. Before writing full-time, he did such jobs as bagel-baker, library-shelver,

After two years of college at Berkley and 19 years of age, Paul took a cross-country bicycle and train trip ending up in New Hampshire, living in a 200-year-old house with wood heating, no electricity or phone. This experience led to his later interest and writing of historical fiction.

Author of many books, including works of poetry and historical fiction, Paul is also a musician and found-object sculptor. Paul and his father Sid have both won the Newbery Medal, an award given by the American Library Association for the best children’s book of the year; Sid for “The Whipping Boy” in 1987 and Paul for “Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices” in 1989.

“he Birthday Tree,” a picture book, was Paul’s first book published in 1979. In 1980, his second book published was “The Half-a-Moon Inn” and was chosen as a Golden Kite Honor Book by the Society of Children’s Book Writers. His 1983 book of short stories “Graven Images” was picked as a Newbery Honor Book.

Paul and his wife Patty Brown Fleischman live on the California coast and have two grown sons.

We have two of his books (B-2) “Weslandia” and (JNF) “Joyful Noise.”