The International Directory

                      of Published Authors and Illustrators of Books

                     for Children and Young Adults.

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Peter and Connie Roop

Authors

Peter Roop, a Wisconsin State Teacher of the Year, has been bringing books and children together for over 30 years. He has written extensively for Cricket and Cobblestone Magazines. He currently writes and speaks full-time. Last year he visited 10 states and talked with over 10,000 students! Connie Roop, a high school environmental science teacher, is a recipient of the Women Leaders in Education Award from the American Association of University Women and a Kohl Education Foundation Award for Exceptional Teaching. Last Year Connie visited four states and shared her writing experiences with 5,000 students.

Together, Connie and Peter have written 100 children's books ranging from historical fiction to nonfiction. Seven of their books are "Reading Rainbow" books, including Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie, a Feature Book. Their books have received recognition from the National Association of Science Teachers, National Council of Teachers of English, the Children's Book Council and the American  Library Association. They have presented over 800 workshops for students, educators and writers in 26 states as well as Europe, Africa and Asia.

Presentations

The Roops are available individually or together for school or conference visits and have a variety of  programs:

Story of a Story

• A program on the writing process from idea to publication which has been presented over 1000 times from Maine to Hawaii.

Student Writing Workshops

• Nonfiction, fiction, and poetry

Teachers In Print

• Teachers who want to write for publication

Comments from the schools

"Peter Roop’s visit was the highlight of the school year! It was the best use of PTA funds ever."  —Pat Sykes, Principal.

"Our students and staff were equally delighted, educated, and inspired by your presentations. It was a wonderful experience!"  —Kim Dahl, Media Specialist.

"I will definitely recommend you to others who are planning conferences and desire quality speakers!"  —Lynette Mehall, Illinois Reading Council Speaker Chair.

"You made writing and reading come alive! Your humor, questions, examples and explanations captivated our kindergartners through fifth graders as you led them on ‘The Trail of a Tale’.  —Judy Hoeppner, Library Media Specialist, Sussex, WI.

Published Books

Baby Dolphin's First Day: Level 1 (American Museum of Natural History Easy Readers)

Peter Roop (Author), Connie Roop (Author), American Museum of Natural History (Author) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Paperback 32 pages Publisher: Sterling (August 2, 2011) ISBN-10: 1402777841 ISBN-13: 978-1402777844

What does a baby dolphin do on the day it is born? He swims, he whistles, he jumps, he naps, he escapes a shark and he follows his mother through the beautiful blue sea. This easy reader brings children along on his new adventures and teaches them about these highly intelligent animals!

Down East in the Ocean: A Maine Counting Book

Peter Roop (Author), Connie Roop (Author) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover 32 pages Publisher: Down East Books (June 16, 2011) ISBN-10: 0892727098 ISBN-13: 978-089272794

This clever counting book from the award-winning authors of Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie, combines rhyme with a fun exploration of Maine sea life. Children will be singing it to themselves and asking for it to be read to them again and again.

Tales of Famous Heroes

Peter & Connie Roop (Author) Reading level: Ages 9-12 Hardcover 112 pages Publisher: Scholastic (October 1, 2010) ISBN-10: 0545237505 ISBN-13: 978-0545237505

Tales of Famous Heroes is a perfect introduction to the lives and accomplishments of some of the most fascinating and admirable men and women from our history and today including: Rosa Parks, Barack Obama, Sacagawea, Nelson Mandela, Jane Goodall, Neil Armstrong, Muhammad Ali, Florence Nightingale and more. With lively art and photos and lots of fun facts, this book is sure to inspire the next generation of famous heroes!

Stormy Adventure
ABBIE BURGESS
LightHouse Keeper

Peter & Connie Roop (authors) Reading level: Ages 9-12 Library Binding 32 pages Publisher: Graphic Universe (October 2010) ISBN-10: 0761361723 ISBN-13: 978-0761361725

Top Secret Adventure
JOHN DARRAGH
Revolutionary War Spy

Peter & Connie Roop (authors) Reading Level: Ages 9-12 library Binding 32 pages Publisher: Graphic Universe (2010) ISBN-10: 076136174X

History's Kid Heroes

Tales of Famous Heroes

Peter & Connie Roop (Author) Reading level: Ages 9-12 Hardcover 112 pages Publisher: Scholastic (October 1, 2010) ISBN-10: 0545237505 ISBN-13: 978-0545237505

Tales of Famous Heroes is a perfect introduction to the lives and accomplishments of some of the most fascinating and admirable men and women from our history and today including: Rosa Parks, Barack Obama, Sacagawea, Nelson Mandela, Jane Goodall, Neil Armstrong, Muhammad Ali, Florence Nightingale and more. With lively art and photos and lots of fun facts, this book is sure to inspire the next generation of famous heroes!

River Roads West: America's First Highways

Peter Roop (Author), Connie Roop (Author) Reading level: Ages 9-12 Hardcover 64 pages Publisher: Calkins Creek Books (September 2007) ISBN-10: 1590784308 ISBN-13: 978-1590784303

Editorial Reviews

“The role of transportation in national history has seldom been more clearly delineated than in this meticulous treatment. Spanning prehistory to the 19th century, the sparkling text, inflected with wry humor, focuses sequentially on the Hudson River and Erie Canal, the Ohio, Mississippi, Missouri, Rio Grande and Colorado Rivers and the Columbia River. Each chapter begins with quotations pertaining to the river, from the literary to songs such as "Fifteen Miles on the Erie Canal" and "Roll On, Columbia, Roll On." Each chapter discusses the river's source, indigenous inhabitants and civilization, exploration and the impact of settlement in historical, sociological and environmental terms. The straightforward historical progression of each chapter makes it easy to follow and gives the prose a sense of narrative and story. Maps, color photographs, and period reproductions are well placed. Text in blue highlights relevant people (e.g., Washington Irving, John Chapman), incidents (the New Madrid Earthquake, the fate of the steamboat Far West as it impacted General Custer's final days) or concepts (the Northwest Passage, for example). The lack of an index is a bit of a problem, though the organization is such that most items pertaining to a particular river will be in the chapter concerning it. This is a sound report source, and it will supplement units on American history generally and the Westward expansion in particular.”  — School Library Journal, Ann Welton, Helen B. Stafford Elementary, Tacoma, WA (Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved)

Buttons for General Washington (On My Own Books)

Peter Roop (Author), Connie Roop (Author), Peter E. Hanson (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover 56 pages (Library Binding edition) Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group (December 1986) ISBN-10: ISBN-13: 978-0876144763

Editorial Reviews

“Take one brave young boy, encode a message and hide it in the buttons of his jacket, mix in the Redcoats and George Washington and you have historical fiction perfect for early elementary students. Written by Peter and Connie Roop, the book (Carolrhoda Books, 1986) offers an account of a Quaker family who became spies for the American army during the Revolutionary War and the boy who carried messages to Washington's camp in the buttons of his coat. Jason Harris provides a measured, word-for-word reading, but doesn't change his voice for the different characters. There are minimal, unobtrusive sound effects, such as the occasional clip-clop of horses' hooves. The Author's Note explains the spy activities of John Darragh and his Quaker family and how they risked their lives for American freedom. A good way to introduce historical fiction in an easy-to-read format.” — School Library Journal, Marilyn Hersh, Hillside Elementary School, Farmington Hills, Michigan (Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved)

Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie

Peter Roop (Author), Connie Roop (Author), Peter E. Hanson (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Paperback 56 pages Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group (July 1987) ISBN-10: 0876142757 ISBN-13: 978-0876142752

Editorial Reviews

“Based on a true story of an 1856 storm off the coast of Maine, Abbie's tale is one of endurance and bravery. When her father, the lighthouse keeper, sails off for supplies, he leaves Abbie in charge of lighting the oil lamps in the twin towers of their lighthouse and making sure that they don't go out. When a huge storm hits, preventing her father from returning for four weeks, Abbie keeps those lamps burning, getting up several times each night to climb the towers to check them, scraping ice from the windows so the lights can be seen at sea. In the course of the storm, she also rescues her chickens from a huge wave, thus saving the family's only source of food. The Roops allow the natural drama of Abbie's story to emerge ... An author's note gives the interesting historical basis of the story, but the tale stands alone as an exciting account of a young girl's courage. The vivid watercolor paintings are highly effective in detailing Abbie's job as well as creating atmosphere. All in all, one of the best historical beginning-to-reads. A refreshing cold blast of salty real life.  —School Library Journal (Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Going to Yellowstone

Connie Roop (Author), Peter Roop (Author) Reading level: Ages 8-13 Paperback Publisher: Farcountry Press (March 2005) ISBN: 156037361X

Designed for children ages 8 to 13, Going to Yellowstone is chock full of fascinating information about Yellowstone National Park, the first national park in the U.S.—and in the world. Excellent color photos and illustrations supplement chapters on geology, Native Americans, explorers, wildlife, historic structures, landmarks and thermal features.

Louisiana Purchase (Ready-for-Chapters)

Peter Roop (Author), Connie Roop (Author), Sally Wern Comport (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover: 80 pages Publisher: Aladdin Library (September 21, 2004) ISBN:0689864450

 Editorial Reviews

“This book begins with biographical sketches of the important people who shaped events prior to, during and immediately after the Louisiana Purchase, such as Robert Livingston, James Monroe, Thomas Jefferson, Napoleon Bonaparte and Charles Leclerc. Concisely written, the large-print text includes information on the early exploration of the area, the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. The authors also extend the topic to include the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the settling of the West and how these settlements affected the Native Americans, and the Missouri Compromise. The Roops dramatize and invent dialogue in the opening chapter, describing a bath scene in which Napoleon decides to sell Louisiana. The black-and-white illustrations and map of the United States in the early 1800s may help students visualize some of the events.” —School Library Journal, Ann Joslin, formerly at Erie County Public Library, PA (Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

“.... a good, concise history of the Louisiana Territory, written in terms accessible to middle-graders.” —Booklist, Carolyn Phelan (Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved.)

Give Me a Sign, Helen Keller! (Before I Made History)

Peter Roop (Author) Paperback: 55 pages Publisher: Scholastic (January 2004) ISBN: 0439554446 ISBN-13: 978-0439554442

Let's Ride, Paul Revere! (Scholastic Chapter Book Biography)

Peter Roop (Author), Copyright Paperback Collection (Other Contributor) Paperback 60 pages Publisher: Scholastic (January 2004) ISBN: 0439676231

Sacagawea: Girl of the Shining Mountains

Connie Roop (Author), Peter Roop (Author) Hardcover 178 pages Distributed by Peter and Connie Roop ISBN: 060629256X

Editorial Review

“A biography of Sacagawea from the time she was captured by the Minnetaree through 1806, when Lewis and Clark left for home. ... the author offers a portrait of a Native American in which her admiration for the individual colors her writing. ... the book is a well-researched, readable biography. Those seeking additional information on this expedition will find the extensive bibliography useful.” —School Library Journal, Carolyn Angus, The Claremont Graduate School, CA (Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Good-Bye for Today: The Diary of a Young Girl At Sea

Connie Roop (Author), Peter Roop (Author), Thomas B. Allen (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 9-12 School & Library Binding 48 pages Publisher: Atheneum (May 2000) ISBN-10: 141697573X ISBN-13: 978-1416975731

Laura doesn't want to keep a journal, but her mother says she must. After all, writing about the day-to-day life aboard her father's ship, the Monticello, will preserve her memories of a most interesting and at times terrifying, experience. The Monticello is a whaling ship, and Laura's father has decided to bring Laura, her mother and her little brother, William, along on this voyage, for as soon as they fill the ship's hold with whale oil in the Arctic they shall return to their home in New Bedford–a home that Laura, who was born in the Sandwich Islands, has never seen. But the long trip to the Arctic is a perilous one indeed. There are terrible storms, increasing cold, the thrill (and pity) of the whale hunt, the loss of crew members and, most of all, the threat of ice, which can surround a ship and squeeze it into splinters. Based on real journals from children who lived aboard nineteenth-century whaling ships, Peter and Connie Roop's story introduces young readers to one plucky girl and her family's unusual but fascinating lifestyle.

Editorial Reviews

“This literary style nicely captures life aboard the whaling ship by giving Laura's perspectives on this journey. As Laura was encouraged to keep a diary for educational purposes, readers too can delight in the nautical terms that Laura learns on her trip. The author's writing truly brings the reader on board, introducing the challenges and perils that are faced at sea–chasing whales, battling storms and ice brigades and living simply and in close quarters. Using this book in class for literary and historical reasons provides a great segue to discuss and encourage in-class or at-home journaling, a practice that lets students comfortably describe events and express their feelings. Regardless of the use, the book gives a glimpse into 19th century living of whaling families.” —Children's Literature, Melinda Tierney (Copyright 2000, Atheneum Books for Young Readers/Simon & Schuster, Children's Publishing Division.)

“This engaging, diary-format story describes a young girl's voyage on a nineteenth-century whaling ship captained by her father. Written in Laura's believable first-person voice, the entries convey the often dangerous life on board. Passages, which include details that will fascinate kids (the food, the living quarters, the chamber pots, the on-deck school hours and the particulars of whaling) are illustrated with Thomas Allen's small, sepia ink pictures (designed to look as if Laura has drawn them), interspersed with lovely full-color spreads of the story's action.” —Booklist, Gillian Engberg (Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved.)

“Allen's (Good-Bye, Charles Lindbergh, 1998, etc.) sepia ink sketches set alongside the text illustrate many objects that may be unfamiliar to the modern reader. These include a chamber pot, sailor's knots and a harpoon. Two-page color pencil-and-oil wash illustrations interspersed with the text give the larger context of the whaling scene. These luminous images sharpen the reader's understanding of a bygone life. Additional information and historical background are included in an authors' note and a glossary is placed at the front of the book for easy reference. A good read with an interesting historical background.” (Fiction. 8-10) —Kirkus Reviews (Copyright 2000 Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.)

An Eye for an Eye (Jamestown's American Portraits)

Peter Roop (Author), Connie Roop (Author) Reading level: Young Adult Hardcover 144 pages Publisher: Jamestown Publications (2000) NTC/Contemporary Publishing Co. ISBN: 0809206285

Paperback ISBN:0769634222

In 1775 fourteen-year-old Samantha, who should be wearing dresses, knows she that in britches she can out-hunt her twin and out-sail her older brother near their James River home, but can she use those skills against the British when the American Revolution begins?

Whales and Dolphins (Hello Science Reader!, Level 1)

Peter Roop (Author), Connie Roop (Author) Carol Schwartz (Illustrator) Paperback Publisher: Scholastic Trade (November 2000) ISBN: 0439099129

Basic fun facts are presented in rhyming, kid-friendly text, with lush illustrations. Young readers will learn about these aquatic mammals: where they live, what they eat and what they do to survive in the great blue sea.

Christopher Columbus

Connie Roop (Author), Peter Roop (Author) Reading level: Ages 9-12 Hardcover Publisher, Scholastic Trade (September 2000) ISBN: 0439158079

The exciting story of Columbus life is told using the journals he kept during his four voyages to the New World, voyages that would change world history forever.

Soujourner Truth

Connie Roop (Author), Peter Roop (Author) Reading level: Ages 9-12 Paperback 128 pages Publisher, Scholastic Reissue Edition (February 1, 2003) ISBN: 0439263239

"I am pleading for the mothers, Who gaze in wild despair, Upon the hated auction-block, And see their children there." With these words Sojourner Truth sang about the pain that women slaves felt when their children were sold away from them. Sojourner Truth was born a slave in New York. Her son Peter was taken away from her and she went to extraordinary lengths to get him back. Through hard work and the help of her friends, Sojourner freed herself and her children from slavery. As a free woman, she traveled across the country speaking against slavery and in favor of women's rights.”

“In Their Own Words” Journals

The Diary of
Joesph Plumb Martin

Connie Roop (Author), Peter Roop (Author) Reading level: Ages 9-12 Library Binding 64 pages Publisher: Benchmark Books (October 2000) ISBN: 0761410147

The Diary of
John Wesley Powell

Connie Roop (Author), Peter Roop (Author), John Wesley Powell (Author) Reading level: Ages 9-12 Library Binding 64 pages Publisher: Benchmark Books (October 2000)  ISBN: 0761410139

The Diary of
David R. Leeper

David Rohrer Leeper (Author), Connie Roop (Author), Peter Roop (Author), Reading level: Ages 9-12 Library Binding 64 pages Publisher: Benchmark Books (October 2000) ISBN: 0761410112

The Diary of
Mary Jemison

Mary Jemison (Author), Connie Roop (Author), Peter Roop (Author), Reading level: Ages 9-12 Library Binding 64 pages Publisher: Benchmark Books (October 2000) ISBN: 0761410104

More Published Books

Girl of the Shining Mountains: Sacagawea's Story

ISBN:0786804920

Sacagawea describes how, at the age of sixteen, she becomes part of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and serves as their interpreter and guide, surviving many dangerous adventures on their trek through the wilderness.

Grace's Letter to Lincoln

Connie Roop (Author), Pete Roop (Author), and Stacey Schuett (Author) Reading level: Ages 9-12  Paperback Publisher: Hyperion Press (1998) ISBN: 0786812966

This exciting chapter book is based on the true story of Grace Bedell who suggested that Old Abe grow a beard.

If You Lived with the Cherokees

Pete Roop (Author), Connie Roop (Author) and Kevin Smith (Author) Reading level: Ages 9-12 Publisher: Scholastic Inc. (October 1998) ISBN: 059095606X

This factual book (part of Scholastic's series: Acclaimed If You Lived)  describes past and present Cherokee life.

Ahyoka and the Talking Leaves

Peter Roop (Author), Connie Roop (Author), Yoshi Miyake (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 9-12 Paperback 1st edition Publisher: Beech Tree Books (August 1994) ISBN: 0688130828

Ahyoka helps her father Sequoyah in his quest to create a system of writing for his people.

1996 Florida Sunshine Award

ALA Notable Trade Book

Editorial Reviews

“The young daughter of Sequoyah, the famous Cherokee, is the focus of this short, historical novel about Sequoyah's work to develop a written language for the Cherokee. Details of the Cherokee culture are carefully woven into the text and the epilogue and bibliography give the reader enough information to place the story in history and separate the historical fact from hypothesis.”  —Horn Book (Copyright 1992 The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pilgrim Voices: Our First Year in the New World

Connie Roop (Editor), Peter Roop (Editor), Shelley Pritchett (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 9-12 Paperback 48 pages Publisher: Walker & Co. (November 1997) ISBN: 0802775306

Listen to the Pilgrim voices as they tell in their own words the joys and sorrows of their first year in America.

Notable Trade Book

C.C. Lewis Shelf Award

Editorial Reviews

“The Roops give a new twist to the familiar story of the Pilgrims' first voyage to North America and the original Thanksgiving celebration. Drawing on diaries and journals, they use the Pilgrims' own words to describe the voyage on the Mayflower; exploring the land and meeting the Indians; the hardships, illnesses, and hunger during the first winter; and the harvest festival. The diary format and first-person voice contribute authenticity and vitality to the text, with colorful paintings by Shelley Pritchett adding interest.” —Booklist, Karen Hutt Copyright (1996, American Library Association. All rights reserved.)

Off the Map: The Journals of Lewis and Clark

William Clark (Author), Connie Roop (Editor), Peter Roop (Editor), Tim Tanner (Illustrator) Paperback 48 pages Reprint edition Publisher: Walker & Co. (April 1998) ISBN: 0802775462

A look back at the adventures of Lewis and Clark describes their two-year, eight thousand-mile trek through the uncharted Louisiana Territory.

Notable Trade Book

Editorial Reviews

 “Excerpting the voluminous journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition into a short, illustrated book, the Roops offer colorful glimpses of an important event in American history. ... The full-color illustrations, mainly in warm earth tones, give the pages an attractive look, but the most vivid pictures come from the journals themselves: "November 8, 1805. Proceeded on to a point. Waves so high we landed, unloaded, and drew up our canoes. We are all wet and disagreeable." This vivid source material would be a welcome part of any classroom study of the subject.” —Booklist, September 1, 1993, Carolyn Phelan (Copyright 1993, American Library Association. All rights reserved.)

The Buffalo Jump

Peter Roop (Author), Bill Farnsworth (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 9-12 Hardcover Publisher: Rising Moon (August 1996) ISBN: 0873586166

Little Blaze longs to lead the herd in the buffalo jump, his tribe's main source for food and clothing. A jump was also a chance for the Ahwa Waki, the buffalo runner, to earn a new name. But his father has chosen his brother, Curly Bear, instead, and Little Blaze is angry. When Curly Bear stumbles while leading the herd, will Little Blaze be able to forget his hurt feelings and save his brother?

1997 Finalist for The Storyteller Award, Western Writers of America

Editorial Reviews

“In a dramatic tale, a Native American boy is angry when his brother is chosen over him to lead the buffalo jump, a prehistoric hunting method. ... Realistic oil paintings convey both the characters' emotions and the story's drama. An author's note provides historical information and explains that the story features the Blackfeet tribe.”  —Horn Book (Copyright 1997 The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Westward Ho, Ho, Ho!

Peter Roop (Author), Connie Roop (Author), Anne Canevari Green (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 9-12 School & Library Binding 40 pages Publisher: Millbrook Press (September 1996) ISBN: ISBN: 0761300201

Editorial Reviews

“It's the jokes and riddles that will attract kids to this light introduction to the history of the West. On each double-page spread there's a quick overview of a subject–from trappers and traders to Native Americans and cowboys–along with a few cartoons, a group of riddles, and a list of one or two books for further reading. ... teachers will welcome the humor as a way to get kids relaxed and listening.”  —Booklist, Hazel Rochman (Copyright 1996, American Library Association. All rights reserved.)

Other Books

Look for these Series

Lets Celebrate Halloween

Let's Celebrate Valentines Day

Let's Celebrate Thanksgiving

A Visit to China

A Visit to Brazil

A Visit to Vietnam

A Visit to Egyptt

Walk on the Wildside!

Millbrook, 1996

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Heinemann 1998

Susan B. Anthony

Heinemann, 1998

Seasons of the Cranes

Walker, 1989

Stick Out Your Tongue!

Reading Rainbow Book

Go Hog Wild!

Reading Rainbow Book

Celebrate Halloween!

Millbrook, 1997

Let's Celebrate Christmas!

Millbrook, 1997