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Bio
Phillip Hoose is the author of books, essays, stories, songs, and articles, including the National Book Award winning book, Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice.
He is also the author of The Race to Save the Lord God Bird, the story of efforts to preserve the endangered ivory-billed woodpecker; the National Book Award Finalist We Were There Too!: Young People in U.S. History; and a manual for youth activism It's Our World Too!.
Hoose's picture book, Hey, Little Ant which began as a song by the same title was co-authored with his daughter Hannah has been published in ten different languages and Teaching Tolerance Magazine called it, "A masterpiece for teaching values and character education."
Phillip's love of sports is reflected in his acclaimed books, Perfect Once Removed: When Baseball Was All the World to Me which was named one of the Top 10 Sports Books of 2007 by Booklist and Hoosiers: the Fabulous Basketball Life of Indiana.
A graduate of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Hoose has been a staff member of The Nature Conservancy since 1977, dedicated to finding and protecting habitats of endangered species.
This bio adapted from material on Hoose's website.
Selected Books
from Philip M. Hoose
The Race to Save the Lord God Bird
Age Level: 16-18
The ivory-billed woodpecker is thought to be extinct, but some disagree. Hoose documents the scientific and bird-watching communities’ attempts to find this lost species and save its habitat in the Southern United States.
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
Age Level: Teen
Claudette Colvin, a 15-year old African American student in the mid-1950s, helped change a nation. Her refusal to give up her seat was the precursor to the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Colvin's words are interspersed with a lucid narrative and additional primary sources in this remarkable look at a person and the period in which she lived.
It's Our World, Too!: Young People Who Are Making a Difference
Age Level: 9-12
Regardless of where in the world they live or what cause they take up, the young people introduced here share passion, energy, and vision that may well inspire others to start to initiate change, too. From local activities to much broader venues, readers will follow how these young people have shaped their world and touched lives.
The Race to Save the Lord God Bird
Age Level: Teen
The Ivory-billed Woodpecker, a large bird also called the Lord God Bird, was once seen frequently in the southeastern United States. How this majestic bird went from common to likely extinct makes a riveting, well researched, and clearly presented story that involves historical and political intrigue as well as scientific discovery.
We Were There, Too!: Young People in U.S. History
Age Level: 9-12
Children and young people have always been active participants in events that shaped U.S. history. Individuals and their impact are introduced as is their place in history ranging from the young crew members who sailed with Christopher Columbus to the 15-year-old African American high school student who refused to give up her bus seat.
