Author Steven Kroll Dies at 69
RSSBy Rocco Staino
Steven Kroll, the author of 96 books for children, died March 8 at New York's Lenox Hill Hospital of complications from surgery. He was 69. A native New Yorker, Kroll grew up on the Upper West Side and showed his love for the city through his books. His first, Is Milton Missing (Holiday House, 1975), illustrated by Dick Gackenbach, tells the story of a very large dog who lost in a very small city apartment. But he's best known for The Biggest Pumpkin Ever (Scholastic, 1984), illustrated by Jeni Bassett, about two little mice who discover that it's better to share. Schools also often use his Jungle Bullies (Marshall Cavendish, 2006), illustrated by Vincent Nguyen, for its anti-bullying message, and this year Toon books plans to reissue his That Makes Me Mad, illustrated by Hilary Knight, about a little girl who get irate at just about everything. When interviewed in 2006 for School Library Journal's Holiday Memories series, Kroll said his favorite holiday title was Pooch On the Loose, A Christmas Adventure (Marshall Cavendish, 2005), illustrated by Michael Garland, because Bart, a Norwich terrier, "runs away from his owner at Christmastime only to discover that it's better to be loved than to be out seeing all the sights of New York at Christmas. The book becomes a kind of ode to the city-my city." Those in the world of children's book are deeply saddened by his death but said he left a lasting legacy. "Steve Kroll was a vital part of our children's book community and a great friend to librarians and writers around the world," says author, Elizabeth Levy and longtime friend. "Steven loved to schmooze about storytelling and the children's book business of which he was a part for 40 years." His longtime editor, Margery Cuyler, told SLJ, "I have lost both a friend and an author with whom I worked for almost 40 years. It's somewhat comforting to know, at least, that his books will continue to be beloved by so many children." Kroll attended New York's Hunter College Elementary and the McBurney School and was part of the youth sculpture program at the Museum of Modern Art. A Harvard graduate, he often said that "his many smart, confident classmates at Harvard made him too intimidated to write his own books," however he overcame that after years of being an editor. Kroll was on the Board of Trustees of the PEN American Center from 1990 to 1996 and served as chair of the Young Adult/Children's Committee. During that time, he welcomed many new children's book writers to the organization and planned many panels and public forums on censorship. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen Beckett. A memorial will be held in New York City this spring. Donations may be made in his memory to St. Joseph's School, 1946 Bathgate Avenue, Bronx, NY 10457, Attention Janine Hughes. So sorry to lose him--I spent time schmoozing with Steven at PEN parties. He will be missed. I am very sorry, too. Like Vicki, I enjoyed seeing Steven at meetings of the PEN Children's Committee, which I believe he was instrumental in creating. What an untimely loss. There was a time when after PEN children's committee meetings a large
group of us would go out for dinner. Steven was wonderful to schmooze
with during these eat-fests. He was incredibly generous, and openly
shared what he'd learned from his many years in the business--insights
about editors, houses, the industry in general. And he was very supportive
of another's projects. His death is a real personal and professional loss
for us all. When I became a Children's literature author, Steven made me feel
part of the wonderful community of kid lit. He was smart, fun, and
wise. We laughed lots about the ironies is life. I miss him. * = Required information
Reader Comments (8)
Posted by Vicki Cobb on March 10, 2011 07:54:25AM
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