Mike Thaler, and Teacher From the Black Lagoon

Heaven and Mirth

—Imagination—
Mike Thaler's biography

© 2002 Richard C. Owen Publisher's
"Meet the Author" series
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Biography

I am happy to announce that God has answered my prayers and sent an angel named Patty, who is now my wife.

Mike Thaler, born in Los Angeles, started his professional career drawing cartoons for adults. A children's book editor saw one of his cartoon stories in a national magazine and encouraged Mike to try writing for children. His first attempt met with success, and "The Magic Boy" was published in 1961.

Mike has produced over 220 published books and is known as “America’s Riddle King.” He has also been called “The Court Jester of Children’s Literature.”

Mike has produced many well known and loved characters in children's literature. He was the creator of “The Letterman” for the PBS Electric Company series. Elementary teachers read about Mrs. Green from “The Teacher from the Black Lagoon,” and the rest of the Lagoon faculty in his expanding book series with Scholastic publishers. Bubba and Bumpo from the “The Bully Brothers” books and some of his retold fairy tales like “Cinderella Bigfoot” have won numerous “Children’s Choice” awards. His new series, "Tales from the Back Pew" (Zondervan), was released in January 2009.

Mike Thaler lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife Patty. He gladly welcomes all invitations to do church and school programs, and other book events.

Mike travels each year throughout the world helping children and teachers create their own stories, riddles, and books. He writes and teaches with creativity, inspiring his audiences with a love of language.

Mike Thaler is considered one of the most creative forces in children's literature today.

OCCUPATION: Author, illustrator, teacher, songwriter, game designer, sculptor.
BORN: October 8, 1936
PLACE OF BIRTH: Los Angeles California
NOW LIVES IN: Canby, Oregon

CLAIM TO FAME- He is called 'America's Riddle King.'
WHY HE WRITES RIDDLES: "I'm very bad at guessing other people's riddles, so it's easier to make them up myself.
HIS FAVORITE RIDDLE: What is a pigs favorite professional football team? Answer: The Pigsburgh Squealers.
FAVORITE COLOR: Yellow
HOBBIES: Collecting model and toy race cars, art, T-shirts, friends, and laughter.
PETS: None, except for two wild rabbits and a chipmunk in the backyard.
BOOKS: The Bully Brothers; The Teacher From the Black Lagoon; and dozens more.
QUOTE: "The most powerful nation in the world is the imagi-nation."

Visit illustrator Jared Lee's website.

OCCUPATION: Humorous illustrator
BORN: August19, 1943
PLACE OF BIRTH: Van Buren, Indiana
NOW LIVES IN: Lebanon, Ohio
CHILDH00D HOBBY: Playing cowboys and Indians everyday.
PETS: Dogs named Spanky and Ginger, cats, ponies, ducks, and a pond full of fish.
CHILDREN: Jana and Jennifer (grown up now)
HERO: His father, who didn't know a lot about art, but always encouraged him to draw.

FAVORITE COLOR: Red is his "magic color" for drawing but he never wears red or else he'd stand out like a sore thumb.
FAVORITE FOOD: Pizza
FAVORITE ATHLETE: Michael Jordan
BOOKS ILLUSTRATED: The Bully Brothers; The Teacher From the Black Lagoon; Monster Manners; The Hippopotamus Ate the Teacher and more.
QUOTE: "Let your imagination run wild, go to college and become my competitor!"

Laurel and Mike

Mike Thaler with his wife, author Laurel Lee.
Photo by Diana Schweitzer Canby Herald, Canby Oregon

Me with my beautiful late wife, Laurel Lee, who passed away on August 10th of 2004 from complications of pancreatic cancer.
She was filled with the joy of God.
Read the article, "A Life of Blessings"

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