Avi
Born 23 December 1937 (Edward Irving Wortis)
Meet Avi: https://www.avi-writer.com/
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His biography:
“I was born in New York City, along with a twin sister. I am five minutes older than Emily. It was Emily, for reasons no one knows – she certainly doesn’t – who called me Avi. It stuck. It’s the only name I use now.
My father was a doctor, and my mother, later on, became a social worker. Every night I was read to. Every Friday we were taken to the library. I always received at least one book for my birthday. I have a few of them yet. Early on, I had my own collection of books. I loved to read. Still do.
I came from a family of writers, artists, and musicians. And today we have all that, plus filmmakers, actors, and theater and TV directors. (Two of my sons are in the rock music world. The third is a journalist.) When we get together there is much talk, disagreement, and laughter.
Growing up in Brooklyn, I went to a public school, and sat in the same class with my sister until eighth grade. I hated that. My older brother was considered a genius. He isn’t, but he did go to college at the age of 15. My sister was very smart too. Guess who wasn’t thought to be that smart?
When I went to high school I wanted to be a designer of airplanes. But flunking out of the science high school brought me to a small private school that provided some of the attention I needed. I got it when an English teacher insisted I get some help with my writing.
I did get help, and that help led me to think that I might become a writer. I made up my mind to focus on this when I was 17 and a senior in high school.
I began by writing plays, and wrote a lot of bad ones. It was only when my eldest son, Shaun, was born, that I took to writing for kids. Since then, I’ve never written anything else. My first book was published in 1970. I’ve published over 30 books since then.
For some 25 years I worked as a librarian, first at the New York Public Library, then at Trenton State College in New Jersey. My life has always been with, around, and for books.”—from https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/authors/avi/
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His books: https://www.avi-writer.com/books/books/alpha01.html
Adventure books: https://www.avi-writer.com/books/categories/adventure.html
Animal tales: https://www.avi-writer.com/books/categories/animaltales.html
Comedy/Humor: https://www.avi-writer.com/books/categories/comedy.html
Early Readers: https://www.avi-writer.com/books/categories/earlyreader.html
Fantasy: https://www.avi-writer.com/books/categories/fantasy.html
Ghosts: https://www.avi-writer.com/books/categories/ghosts.html
Historical Fiction: https://www.avi-writer.com/books/categories/historical01.html
Mystery: https://www.avi-writer.com/books/categories/mysteries.html
Picture books: https://www.avi-writer.com/books/categories/picturebooks.html
Series and Sequels: https://www.avi-writer.com/books/categories/series.html
Short Stories: https://www.avi-writer.com/books/categories/shortstories.html
Young Adult: https://www.avi-writer.com/books/categories/youngadult.html
