Book Home Famous Authors Paula Danziger
Paula Danziger was a U.S. children's author. She lived in New York City from August 18, 1944 to July 8, 2004.
Danziger, who said she knew in the second grade that she wanted to be a writer, wrote more than 30 books, including her 1974 debut The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, Remember Me to Harold Square, The Divorce Express and Can You Sue Your Parents for Malpractice? She was also the author of the Amber Brown and Matthew Martin series.
She was a graduate of Montclair State University, earning a bachelor's and master's there before becoming a teacher at John Adams Middle School in Edision, New Jersey. After being injured in an automobile accident, she began writing. Most of her books are considered Young Adult (YA) books, although some of the Amber Brown books were aimed at younger readers.
She has collaborated with Ann M. Martin twice, with P.S. Longer Letter Later and Snail Mail No More.
She frequently gave lectures and speeches, wearing elaborate costumes and calling herself a children's Dame Edna Everage. She is quoted as saying that her alternative career choice would have been as a stand-up comedian.
In the United Kingdom, she was best known for presenting a regular item about children's literature on the BBC's Saturday morning show Going Live.
Danziger suffered a heart attack on June 8, 2004, and died from complications a month later, at the age of 59. At the time of her death, many of her books had been published in 53 countries and in 14 languages. Paula is buried in the Woodstock Artist's Cemetery in Woodstock, NY.