Catherine Woolley (August 11, 1904 – July 23, 2005)[1] known also by the pen name Jane Thayer, was an American children's writer.[2][3] She is known best for the book The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy, which became the basis of a 1978 animated television special. The special eventually went on to spin-off three sequel specials and a 1980s Saturday Morning cartoon series, The Puppy's Further Adventures.[4] Thayer wrote 86 books for children, many of which (The Blueberry Pie Elf, The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy, The Popcorn Dragon) have become classics. She was so prolific that her editor suggested she publish some of her works under a pen name. Thus, Woolley authored picture books under the name Jane Thayer, her grandmother's name, while writing books for older children and adults under her real name.
A 1927 graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles,[1] she worked as an advertising copywriter and freelance writer in New York City during the late 1920s and early 1930s. From 1933 to 1940, she worked as a copywriter in publicity for the American Radiator & Standard Corporation. She found a job as a desk editor for the Architectural Record and as a production editor for the Society of Automotive Engineers Journal in the early 1940s. By the time Woolley had advanced to the position of public relations writer for the National Association of Manufacturers in New York City, she had also begun writing and publishing children's books. Her debut, I Like Trains, appeared in 1944.
She left her public relations job in 1947 to concentrate full-time on writing, though she occasionally taught classes and led writing workshops. Her many books written under her own name include the "Ginny" and "Cathy" series. As Thayer, she wrote such books as Sandy and the Seventeen Balloons (1955), Quiet on Account of Dinosaur (1964), and Mr. Turtle's Magic Glasses (1971). Her last book for children, Clever Raccoon, came out in 1981. In 1989, The Popcorn Dragon (1953) was reissued. That year she also published her one book for adults, Writing for Children.
The Truro Public Library in her hometown, the seaside village of Truro, Massachusetts, honored her in 1996 by naming its children's room after her, and in 2004, the town of Truro declared her birthday, August 11, to be Catherine Woolley Day.
Worksedit
Gus the Ghost booksedit
Gus Was a Friendly Ghost (1961)
Little Lost Ghost (1966)
What's a Ghost Going to Do? (1966)
Gus and the Baby Ghost (1972)
Gus Was a Christmas Ghost (1972)
Gus Was a Mexican Ghost (1974)
Gus Was a Gorgeous Ghost (1978)
Gus Goes to School (earlier Gus Was a Real Dumb Ghost) (1982)
Gus Loved His Happy Home (1989)
Ginnie seriesedit
Ginnie and Geneva (1949)
Ginnie Joins In (1951)
Ginnie and the New Girl (1954)
Ginnie and the Mystery House (1957)
Ginnie and the Mystery Doll (1960)
Ginnie and Her Juniors (later Ginnie's Baby-Sitting Business) (1963)
Ginnie and the Cooking Contest (1966)
Ginnie and the Wedding Bells (1967)
Ginnie and the Mystery Cat (1969)
Ginnie and the Mystery Light (1973)
Ginnie and Geneva Cookbook (1975)
Cathy seriesedit
A Room for Cathy (1956)
Miss Cathy Leonard (1958)
Cathy Leonard Calling (1960)
Cathy's Little Sister (1964)
Chris in Trouble (1968)
Cathy and the Beautiful People (1971)
Cathy Uncovers a Secret (1972)
Andy seriesedit
Where's Andy? (1954)
Andy Wouldn't Talk (1958)
Andy's Square Blue Animal (1962)
Andy and the Runaway Horse (1963)
Rockets Don't Go to Chicago, Andy (1967)
Andy and Mr. Cunningham (1969)
Andy and the Wild Worm (1973)
Libby seriesedit
Look Alive, Libby! (1962)
Libby Looks for a Spy (1965)
Libby's Uninvited Guest (1970)
Libby Shadows a Lady (1974)
Other booksedit
I Like Trains (1944)
Two Hundred Pennies (1947)
Schoolroom Zoo (1950)
Lunch for Lennie (1952)
The Little Car that Wanted a Garage (1952)
The Popcorn Dragon (1953)
Holiday on wheels (1953)
The Animal Train and Other Stories (1953)
Ellie's Problem Dog (1955)
David's Railroad (1957)
The Outside Cat (1957)
Railroad Cowboy (1958)
The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy (1958)
David's Campaign Buttons (1959)
Little Monkey (1959)
A Little Dog Called Kitty (1961)
Blueberry Pie Elf (1961)
A Drink for Little Red Diker (1963)
Quiet on Account of Dinosaur (1964)
Part-Time Dog (1965)
The Shieny [sic] Red Rubber Boots (1965)
The Lighthearted Wolf (1966)
The Cat That Joined the Club (1967)
Little Mr. Greenthumb (1968)
Curious, Furious Chipmunk (1969)
I'm Not a Cat, Said Emerald (1970)
Mr. Turtle's Magic Glasses (1971)
Timothy and Madam Mouse (1971)
The Little House; A New Math Story-Game (1972)
I Don't Believe in Elves (1975)
The Mouse on the Fourteenth Floor (1977)
Try Your Hand (1979)
Where is Squirrel? (1979)
Applebaums have a robot! (1980)
Clever Raccoon (1981)
The Popcorn Dragon (1989, reissued)
Read Aloud Funny Stories (1958)
The Horse with the Easter Bonnet (1953)
The Chicken in the Tunnel (1956)
A Contrary Little Quail (1968)
Little Bear Takes His Nap (included in First Story Book, 1951)
A House for Mrs. Hopper and The Cat Who Wanted To Go Home (1963)
The Second-Story Giraffe (1959)
Emerald Enjoyed the Moonlight (1964)
Mrs. Perrywinkle's Pets (1955)
David's Hundred Dollars (1952)
Writing for Children (published under the name Catherine Woolley) (1990)
Referencesedit
^ ab"Contemporary Authors Online". Biography in Context. Gale. 2005. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
^"Catherine Woolley, 100; Wrote 87 Children's Books in 45-Year Span". Los Angeles Times. July 29, 2005.
^"Catherine Woolley Author Dies at 100". The New York Times. Associated Press. July 28, 2005.
^Perlmutter, David. America Toons In: A History of Television Animation, retrieved September 15, 2015.
External linksedit
Catherine Woolley papers, 1930-1993 finding aid at University of Oregon Libraries via Archives West
jane, thayer, catherine, woolley, august, 1904, july, 2005, known, also, name, american, children, writer, known, best, book, puppy, wanted, which, became, basis, 1978, animated, television, special, special, eventually, went, spin, three, sequel, specials, 19. Catherine Woolley August 11 1904 July 23 2005 1 known also by the pen name Jane Thayer was an American children s writer 2 3 She is known best for the book The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy which became the basis of a 1978 animated television special The special eventually went on to spin off three sequel specials and a 1980s Saturday Morning cartoon series The Puppy s Further Adventures 4 Thayer wrote 86 books for children many of which The Blueberry Pie Elf The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy The Popcorn Dragon have become classics She was so prolific that her editor suggested she publish some of her works under a pen name Thus Woolley authored picture books under the name Jane Thayer her grandmother s name while writing books for older children and adults under her real name Jane ThayerBornCatherine Woolley 1904 08 11 August 11 1904Chicago Illinois USDiedJuly 23 2005 2005 07 23 aged 100 Truro Massachusetts USOccupationWriterEducationUniversity of California Los AngelesGenreChildren s picture booksNotable worksThe Puppy Who Wanted a Boy Contents 1 Biography 2 Works 2 1 Gus the Ghost books 2 2 Ginnie series 2 3 Cathy series 2 4 Andy series 2 5 Libby series 2 6 Other books 3 References 4 External linksBiography editA 1927 graduate of the University of California Los Angeles 1 she worked as an advertising copywriter and freelance writer in New York City during the late 1920s and early 1930s From 1933 to 1940 she worked as a copywriter in publicity for the American Radiator amp Standard Corporation She found a job as a desk editor for the Architectural Record and as a production editor for the Society of Automotive Engineers Journal in the early 1940s By the time Woolley had advanced to the position of public relations writer for the National Association of Manufacturers in New York City she had also begun writing and publishing children s books Her debut I Like Trains appeared in 1944 She left her public relations job in 1947 to concentrate full time on writing though she occasionally taught classes and led writing workshops Her many books written under her own name include the Ginny and Cathy series As Thayer she wrote such books as Sandy and the Seventeen Balloons 1955 Quiet on Account of Dinosaur 1964 and Mr Turtle s Magic Glasses 1971 Her last book for children Clever Raccoon came out in 1981 In 1989 The Popcorn Dragon 1953 was reissued That year she also published her one book for adults Writing for Children The Truro Public Library in her hometown the seaside village of Truro Massachusetts honored her in 1996 by naming its children s room after her and in 2004 the town of Truro declared her birthday August 11 to be Catherine Woolley Day Works editGus the Ghost books edit Gus Was a Friendly Ghost 1961 Little Lost Ghost 1966 What s a Ghost Going to Do 1966 Gus and the Baby Ghost 1972 Gus Was a Christmas Ghost 1972 Gus Was a Mexican Ghost 1974 Gus Was a Gorgeous Ghost 1978 Gus Goes to School earlier Gus Was a Real Dumb Ghost 1982 Gus Loved His Happy Home 1989 Ginnie series edit Ginnie and Geneva 1949 Ginnie Joins In 1951 Ginnie and the New Girl 1954 Ginnie and the Mystery House 1957 Ginnie and the Mystery Doll 1960 Ginnie and Her Juniors later Ginnie s Baby Sitting Business 1963 Ginnie and the Cooking Contest 1966 Ginnie and the Wedding Bells 1967 Ginnie and the Mystery Cat 1969 Ginnie and the Mystery Light 1973 Ginnie and Geneva Cookbook 1975 Cathy series edit A Room for Cathy 1956 Miss Cathy Leonard 1958 Cathy Leonard Calling 1960 Cathy s Little Sister 1964 Chris in Trouble 1968 Cathy and the Beautiful People 1971 Cathy Uncovers a Secret 1972 Andy series edit Where s Andy 1954 Andy Wouldn t Talk 1958 Andy s Square Blue Animal 1962 Andy and the Runaway Horse 1963 Rockets Don t Go to Chicago Andy 1967 Andy and Mr Cunningham 1969 Andy and the Wild Worm 1973 Libby series edit Look Alive Libby 1962 Libby Looks for a Spy 1965 Libby s Uninvited Guest 1970 Libby Shadows a Lady 1974 Other books edit I Like Trains 1944 Two Hundred Pennies 1947 Schoolroom Zoo 1950 Lunch for Lennie 1952 The Little Car that Wanted a Garage 1952 The Popcorn Dragon 1953 Holiday on wheels 1953 The Animal Train and Other Stories 1953 Ellie s Problem Dog 1955 David s Railroad 1957 The Outside Cat 1957 Railroad Cowboy 1958 The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy 1958 David s Campaign Buttons 1959 Little Monkey 1959 A Little Dog Called Kitty 1961 Blueberry Pie Elf 1961 A Drink for Little Red Diker 1963 Quiet on Account of Dinosaur 1964 Part Time Dog 1965 The Shieny sic Red Rubber Boots 1965 The Lighthearted Wolf 1966 The Cat That Joined the Club 1967 Little Mr Greenthumb 1968 Curious Furious Chipmunk 1969 I m Not a Cat Said Emerald 1970 Mr Turtle s Magic Glasses 1971 Timothy and Madam Mouse 1971 The Little House A New Math Story Game 1972 I Don t Believe in Elves 1975 The Mouse on the Fourteenth Floor 1977 Try Your Hand 1979 Where is Squirrel 1979 Applebaums have a robot 1980 Clever Raccoon 1981 The Popcorn Dragon 1989 reissued Read Aloud Funny Stories 1958 The Horse with the Easter Bonnet 1953 The Chicken in the Tunnel 1956 A Contrary Little Quail 1968 Little Bear Takes His Nap included in First Story Book 1951 A House for Mrs Hopper and The Cat Who Wanted To Go Home 1963 The Second Story Giraffe 1959 Emerald Enjoyed the Moonlight 1964 Mrs Perrywinkle s Pets 1955 David s Hundred Dollars 1952 Writing for Children published under the name Catherine Woolley 1990 References edit a b Contemporary Authors Online Biography in Context Gale 2005 Retrieved February 24 2016 Catherine Woolley 100 Wrote 87 Children s Books in 45 Year Span Los Angeles Times July 29 2005 Catherine Woolley Author Dies at 100 The New York Times Associated Press July 28 2005 Perlmutter David America Toons In A History of Television Animation retrieved September 15 2015 External links editCatherine Woolley papers 1930 1993 finding aid at University of Oregon Libraries via Archives West Portals nbsp Children s literature nbsp Visual arts Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jane Thayer amp oldid 1166687013, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
