Frieda Wishinsky
Author of Albert Einstein (DK Biography)
About the Author
Series
Works by Frieda Wishinsky
Freedom Heroines: Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Jane Adams, Ida B. Wells, Alice Paul, Rosa Parks (2012) 246 copies
How Emily Saved the Bridge: The Story of Emily Warren Roebling and the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge (2019) 43 copies, 3 reviews
A History of Just About Everything: 180 Events, People and Inventions That Changed the World (2013) 31 copies, 1 review
Ice Storm! The Great Storm of 1998 4 copies
Keep Our World Green: Why Humans Need Gardens, Parks and Public Green Spaces (Orca Timeline, 10) (2025) 3 copies
Houses 1 copy
Dive In 1 copy
catastrophe 1 copy
Beware Pirates! 1 copy
Shipwreck 1 copy
Pablo s'inquiète 1 copy
Les sources d'eau au Canada 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1948-07-14
- Gender
- female
- Education
- CUNY, Brooklyn
- Occupations
- special education teacher
children's book author
biographer - Short biography
- Frieda Wishinsky's parents emigrated to Canada from Europe after the end of World War II. She began writing as a child. She majored in international relations in university, and then enrolled in an M.S. program in special education. She became a special education teacher and has worked for more than 25 years in three countries. While on a two-month sabbatical with her husband in Eugene, Oregon, she began writing books for children and young adults. She found success with her first work, the picture book Oonga Boonga (1990), and has been a prolific author of more than 60 books since then, winning numerous awards
- Nationality
- Canada
- Birthplace
- Munich, Germany (displaced person)
- Places of residence
- New York, New York, USA
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Members
Reviews
Maggie Can’t Wait – tomorrow is the big day her family has been waiting for. They will finally be able to pick up her new baby sister from the adoption agency. Wanting to share her joy with her fellow classmates Maggie – an young orange tabby – brings a photo of her new sibling to class.
When Kimberly – the class verbal bully – mocks the appearance of her new sibling, and even Maggie’s best friend Sam can’t find something nice to say, Maggie is thrown into a tailspin of show more confusion and ambivalence concerning the newest member of her family.
Continuing to build upon Maggie’s story that began in Give Maggie a Chance, author Frieda Wishinsky has penned a tale that will delight Maggie’s existing fans, as well as those new to the challenges she faces as she grows. Very accessible as a stand-alone read, I wouldn’t have guessed that it was a picture book sequel. My children have never noticed either; this title has become a fast favorite of theirs.
Dean Griffiths’ charming, old-timey illustrations entranced my little ones through the use of colorful vintage apparel and delicate, feathery texture. The gentle, muted, watercolor palette is given the soft, rich texture through the careful use of pastels. Griffiths’ work is somewhat reminiscent of Janet Stevens early work in her anthropomorphic versions of classic children’s stories such as The Princess and the Pea. While Griffiths’ characters are indeed more slender they hold the same degree of fascination for my little ones that I beheld Stevens’ work with as a child.
As I read through Wishinsky’s story I found myself deeply moved emotionally. Though the text is simple, and age-appropriate, I found myself relating with Maggie and her peer-induced confusion and distress. Maggie is certainly a character who children will easily relate to – whether they have experienced mixed feelings revolving around the arrival of a new sibling, or been the victim of verbal put-downs.
Readers watch Maggie reveling in the heights of elation as she looks towards her new sisters arrival and the rapturous attention with which she imagines this new darling will be greeted with, ““She’s wonderful!” everyone would coo when Maggie wheeled her sister down the street.” Followed by her descent into a degree of doubt-filled anguish that only the young seem to possess, “She’d rather eat a barrel of worms than see that new baby’s big ears tomorrow.”
Wishinksy’s subtle message that the taunting of verbal bully’s is irrelevant, and that the arrival of new siblings always works out in the end, is one that will reassure and delight young readers for years to come. Thankfully the arrival of the sweet little calico eventually wins Maggie and Sam over. Her bright smile transformed a countenance that was in truth, not so terrible after all, into something absolutely adorable. “What a cute baby kitty!” my daughters cried – they too have been won over by Maggie’s new little sister.
Reviewed at quiverfullfamily.com show less
When Kimberly – the class verbal bully – mocks the appearance of her new sibling, and even Maggie’s best friend Sam can’t find something nice to say, Maggie is thrown into a tailspin of show more confusion and ambivalence concerning the newest member of her family.
Continuing to build upon Maggie’s story that began in Give Maggie a Chance, author Frieda Wishinsky has penned a tale that will delight Maggie’s existing fans, as well as those new to the challenges she faces as she grows. Very accessible as a stand-alone read, I wouldn’t have guessed that it was a picture book sequel. My children have never noticed either; this title has become a fast favorite of theirs.
Dean Griffiths’ charming, old-timey illustrations entranced my little ones through the use of colorful vintage apparel and delicate, feathery texture. The gentle, muted, watercolor palette is given the soft, rich texture through the careful use of pastels. Griffiths’ work is somewhat reminiscent of Janet Stevens early work in her anthropomorphic versions of classic children’s stories such as The Princess and the Pea. While Griffiths’ characters are indeed more slender they hold the same degree of fascination for my little ones that I beheld Stevens’ work with as a child.
As I read through Wishinsky’s story I found myself deeply moved emotionally. Though the text is simple, and age-appropriate, I found myself relating with Maggie and her peer-induced confusion and distress. Maggie is certainly a character who children will easily relate to – whether they have experienced mixed feelings revolving around the arrival of a new sibling, or been the victim of verbal put-downs.
Readers watch Maggie reveling in the heights of elation as she looks towards her new sisters arrival and the rapturous attention with which she imagines this new darling will be greeted with, ““She’s wonderful!” everyone would coo when Maggie wheeled her sister down the street.” Followed by her descent into a degree of doubt-filled anguish that only the young seem to possess, “She’d rather eat a barrel of worms than see that new baby’s big ears tomorrow.”
Wishinksy’s subtle message that the taunting of verbal bully’s is irrelevant, and that the arrival of new siblings always works out in the end, is one that will reassure and delight young readers for years to come. Thankfully the arrival of the sweet little calico eventually wins Maggie and Sam over. Her bright smile transformed a countenance that was in truth, not so terrible after all, into something absolutely adorable. “What a cute baby kitty!” my daughters cried – they too have been won over by Maggie’s new little sister.
Reviewed at quiverfullfamily.com show less
Children's author Frieda Wishinsky, who grew up in New York City, and (presumably) understands the importance of urban parks to city dwellers, here delivers an engaging picture-book biography of Frederick Law Olmstead, the co-designer of New York's Central Park, and the creator of so many other key public spaces, in North America's crowded cities. Opening with his childhood in rural Connecticut, and then following him through his years as a young man, when he tried his hand at a number of show more careers, to his discovery, as Central Park's first superintendent, of his true calling, as a landscape architect, Wishinsky sets out the story of this remarkable man, his love for green spaces, and the way that love benefited generations of city dwellers on this continent.
I found The Man Who Made Parks to be an immensely informative book - if questioned hitherto, I would not have been able to name Olmstead, and his partner, Calvert Vaux, as the designers of Central Park, nor would I have known that Olmstead also worked on the grounds of the Capitol Building, in Washington, D.C. - and also a visually appealing one. The artwork, done by Chinese-Canadian illustrator Song Nan Zhang, whose The Ballad of Mulan is one of my favorite retellings of that traditional story, is energetic and engrossing. All in all, this was an excellent picture-book biography! My only criticism, and it is a significant one, for an informational book, is that there is no afterword that gives further details about Olmstead, or provides further reading ideas. This rather odd oversight was irksome enough that I docked a star from my rating. Leaving this aside, this is a book I would recommend to all young park lovers, and to those young readers interested in how urban parks came to be. show less
I found The Man Who Made Parks to be an immensely informative book - if questioned hitherto, I would not have been able to name Olmstead, and his partner, Calvert Vaux, as the designers of Central Park, nor would I have known that Olmstead also worked on the grounds of the Capitol Building, in Washington, D.C. - and also a visually appealing one. The artwork, done by Chinese-Canadian illustrator Song Nan Zhang, whose The Ballad of Mulan is one of my favorite retellings of that traditional story, is energetic and engrossing. All in all, this was an excellent picture-book biography! My only criticism, and it is a significant one, for an informational book, is that there is no afterword that gives further details about Olmstead, or provides further reading ideas. This rather odd oversight was irksome enough that I docked a star from my rating. Leaving this aside, this is a book I would recommend to all young park lovers, and to those young readers interested in how urban parks came to be. show less
How Emily Saved the Bridge: The Story of Emily Warren Roebling and the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge by Frieda Wishinsky
Fun illustrations (except for Emily's odd red nose, what's up w/ that?) add appeal to a story that is a bit on the long side, relative to similar picture-book biographies. Back matter is good, but I, personally, hoped for clarity about how the bridge was actually built (text gave clues, but picture of digging the caissons confused me).
Emily is def. a good role model. She did a lot more than just take her husband's instructions to the worksite. And, notably, was credited so at the time! She show more also did more brave and important work afterwards.
I love the newest picture-book biographies that can appeal to anyone, regardless of gender or color etc. That is to say, back in the day this would have been 'she did good for a woman' and boys would not have found her inspiring, for example.
Recommended. show less
Emily is def. a good role model. She did a lot more than just take her husband's instructions to the worksite. And, notably, was credited so at the time! She show more also did more brave and important work afterwards.
I love the newest picture-book biographies that can appeal to anyone, regardless of gender or color etc. That is to say, back in the day this would have been 'she did good for a woman' and boys would not have found her inspiring, for example.
Recommended. show less
An engaging biography of 20th century icon Albert Einstein that examines the Nobel Prize winning scientist from many different angles: a lackadaisical student who loved to learn; a brilliant thinker whose ideas brought him fame but not necessarily understanding; a staunch pacifist in a era of war who felt compelled to sign a letter to President Roosevelt regarding the need for the U.S. to build the atomic bomb before the Germans; a secular Jew who became a spokesman for the Zionist cause. show more Wishinky's text is generally clear and thorough, blending the personal and professional into one linear whole. He is portrayed throughout as a man whose intellect dominated his life, at times to the detriment of those around him. show less
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Statistics
- Works
- 103
- Members
- 4,105
- Popularity
- #6,127
- Rating
- 3.7
- Reviews
- 62
- ISBNs
- 311
- Languages
- 7
- Favorited
- 1