The International Directory

                      of Published Authors and Illustrators of Books

                     for Children and Young Adults.

Find artists and writers to present at your school, library, bookstore, conference or other venue!

 

Timothy Tocher

Author

 

Listed in Who's Who Among American Teachers (2005), Tocher has published poems, short stories, novels and non fiction for children and teens.

Awards and Honors

A frequent contributor to Cricket Magazine, his stories have won the Magazine Merit Award for Fiction: “Sgt. Monday of the Enchanted Kingdom Police” (2002) and “The Return of Sal Caputo” (2017) .

The novel, Chief Sunrise, John McGraw, and Me, was named a 2005 Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association.

The sequel, Bill Pennant, Babe Ruth, and Me, earned a starred review from Kirkus Reviews.

Each of these books was the subject of a special presentation at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. His latest book, Odd Ball: Hilarious, Unusual, and Bizarre Baseball Moments, revisits some of the wackiest events in baseball history.

 

 

Presentations

Timothy’s short stories and poetry have appeared in dozens of books and magazines. His sports themed novels are popular with boys and girls. Thirty years of experience in elementary school classrooms makes him a natural at bringing out the hidden writing talent in your students. Teachers and children find new excitement in the ELA curriculum after a visit from Timothy. Choose a half-day or full-day program (up to 4 presentations) that includes any of the following:

• Interactive Poetry
• Parodies
• All Sports
• Historical Fiction
• Researching/Writing Nonfiction

 

PROFESSIONAL FEES: Negotiable rates

 

Presentation Testimonials

"I have never seen an audience react as they do to Tim Tocher. Young and old, children and adults sit spellbound as they listen to Tim tell his stories. A natural raconteur, Tim magically transforms an auditorium into a warm fireside chat, making you feel that you have known him all your life. An educator at heart, Tim has the gift of finding humor from the school-day routine and makes all of us happy that we are a part of this special world." —Jan Hammond, EdD, chair of Dept. of Educational Administration and assoc. prof., State University of New York

"The school is still buzzing with excitement. Timothy's style is comfortable and down to earth. He immediately made a real connection with our kids, engaging them from start to finish in his interactive program. Everyone got to be a confident writer the day Tim Tocher visited our school." —Sara Medelius, PTA, Ridgeway Elementary, White Plains, NY

"Wonderful workshop, delightful day." —Jeanine Saal, PTA, Alpine School, Alpine, NJ

"Your presentation was interesting and informative. Everyone loved it!" —Susan Babcock, children's librarian, Tuxedo Park Library, Tuxedo Park, NY

"Terrific job, Tim! Kids loved doing readers' theater and creating their own stories." —Debbie Dunne, third-grade teacher, Tisdale Elementary, Ramsey, NJ

"Timothy's workshops are instructional, entertaining and age appropriate." —Barbara Geoghan, principal, George Grant Mason Elementary School, Tuxedo Park, NY

"Through the humor of his stories, Tim Tocher is able to captivate both the avid and reluctant readers and writers. The students will be reading, rereading, reciting his stories and even writing their own stories for months." —Diana Musich, asst. principal, Monroe Woodbury Central Schools

"Tim Tocher has a way of engaging students with his clever, humorous, and kid-friendly stories. He makes children giggle as he sparks their interest and makes reading fun. Tim truly inspires children!" —Marianne Vandemark, teacher, Monroe Woodbury Middle School

Published Books

Odd Ball: Hilarious, Unusual, and Bizarre Baseball Moments

Timothy Tocher (Author), Stacy Curtis (illustrator) Reading level: Ages 9-12 Hardcover 64 pages Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Corp/Ccb (February 1, 2011) ISBN-10: 9780761458135 ISBN-13: 978-0761458135

Nominated for the 2014 Garden State Children's Book Award in nonfiction

Editorial Reviews

"Bizarre" barely covers some of the wacky incidents Tocher gathers from baseball history.  An easy pitch, particularly to reluctant or inexpert readers.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A tasty snack for baseball fans.”  —Booklist

“Pure fun…public and school libraries filled with baseball fans will find many readers for this collection of unbelievable moments.”  —Children's Literature

Bill Pennant, Babe Ruth, and Me

Timothy Tocher (Author) Reading level: Ages 9-12 Hardcover 184 pages Publisher: Cricket Books (April 1, 2009) ISBN-10: 0812627555 ISBN-13: 978-0812627558

At the start of the 1920 baseball season, 16-year-old Hank Cobb is assigned to train the New York Giants new mascot, a Mexican wildcat named Bill Pennant. Bill's not too trainable, though, even with the help of sardines and mice. And if Hank can’t handle a cat, how can he handle his next charge, an undisciplined slugger for the Yankees named Babe Ruth? Ruth’s manager asks Hank to keep an eye on Ruth, and since both teams play at the same stadium, its doable. But is it wise? A disastrous road trip to Coney Island lands both Babe and Hank in hot water with their respective managers. Hank, who’s fallen under Babes spell, walks out on the Giants, determined to ditch school and become a big-league ballplayer. But another, far more serious incident, causes Hank to rethink his priorities. Evocative descriptions of the sights, sounds, and personalities of baseballs heyday add to this exciting story about loyalty, responsibility, and the rules of the game both on and off the field.

Praise for Bill Pennant, Babe Ruth, and Me

“Seamlessly blends fact and fiction. . . . Ruth, McGraw and the other historical figures come alive for readers, and the fictional Hank is a sympathetic, fully developed character whose thoughts and choices are completely in sync with his time and place. *STARRED REVIEW* —Kirkus Reviews

“You can smell the locker room and see Babe Ruth’s wildcat 1920s from here in Timothy Tocher’s Bill Pennant, Babe Ruth, and Me. This is heart-speeding history at its best, moving at the pace of a Locomobile.” —Richard Peck, Newbery Award winning author of A Year Down Yonder

“I couldn't put this wonderful book down, cause every time I did, one of my twin sons would grab it and start reading. We all love baseball, and we all loved this tale.” —Alan Katz, author of Going Going Gone! And Other Silly Dilly Sports Songs

Chief Sunrise, John McGraw, and Me

Timothy Tocher (Author) Reading level: Ages 9-12 Hardcover 168 pages Publisher: Cricket Books (April 20, 2004) ISBN-10: 0812627113 ISBN-13: 978-0812627114

2005 Best Book for Young Adults—American Library Association.

Finalist for the Golden Sower & Great Stone Face Awards

"Book of Distinction"—Bulletin of The Center for Children's Books

Editorial Reviews

“In this fast-paced baseball yarn, Hank Cobb, 15, is leading a vagabond existence with his abusive alcoholic father in 1919. When the man gets in trouble again, Hank hops a freight train, but refuses to help his father climb aboard. Inside the boxcar he meets Chief Sunrise, a 19-year-old who introduces himself as ‘the greatest Indian to ever step on a baseball diamond.’ The two hit it off and begin a series of adventures together as Chief seeks to meet up with Giants' manager John McGraw. After they arrive in New York, Chief earns a tryout with the team and is hired as a starting pitcher and Hank wins a place as gofer. As the season progresses, Hank eventually discovers Chief's secret: he is actually part African American, passing as a Native American to evade baseball's color line. Tocher presents a deft blend of baseball lore and fiction, and an author's note provides more background on the time period and the real-life figures upon which the characters are based. His treatment of issues of prejudice is sensitive yet the tone remains upbeat. Though discrimination and racial unrest are evident throughout, Chief's motivation is simply to prove that he can compete in the major leagues. The main characters are engaging and the game scenes are particularly vivid. Fans of Dan Gutman's ‘Baseball Card Adventure’ series (HarperCollins) and Walter Dean Myers's The Journal of Biddy Owens(Scholastic, 2001) will welcome this well-written, enjoyable novel.” —School Library Journal, Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA (Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

“The story is both entertaining and thought-provoking…the likable protagonist relates the tale, incorporating abundant baseball detail.” —Kirkus Reviews, April 15, 2004

“Tocher deftly mixes facts with fiction to create a well-constructed tale with strong characters…Engaging and engrossing.”  —Booklist

Long Shot

Timothy Tocher (Author) Reading level: Ages 9-12 Paperback 144 pages Publisher: Meadowbrook (October 1, 2001) ISBN-10: 0689843313 ISBN-13: 978-0689843310

When 11-year-old Laurie Bird Preston learns her dad accepted a new job in another town, she's disappointed and angry. Not only will Laurie be leaving her best friend, Christy, and her position on the basketball team, but she'll also have to make new friends in a new school and play for a new basketball team. (Ages 7-13)

Playing For Pride

Timothy Tocher (Author) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Paperback 120 pages Publisher: Meadowbrook (September 1, 2002) ISBN-10: 0689024533 ISBN-13: 978-0689024535

The second book in Timothy Tocher's series of sports books for girls ages 6-12. Like the Broadway Ballplayer series, this compelling series deals with sports action on the field and emotional issues off the field. Fifth-grader Laurie Bird Preston is no softball player–basketball is her sport. But with practice, patience–and help from Li, Howard, and an eccentric old woman with a mysterious past–she just might overcome her obstacles.