Lois G. Grambling

Background

Lois G. Grambling was born on August 20, 1927, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States. She was the daughter of Arthur and Ethel Goodwin.

Education

In 1949 Lois graduated from Drew University in Madison, New Jersey with a Bachelor of Arts. She received her Master of Arts from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma in 1966.

Career

Lois G. Grambling served as an elementary school teacher in Denver from 1950 to 1952, in Milwaukee from 1953 to 1956, and in Oklahoma City from 1963 to 1965. She also held a position as a school social worker in Oklahoma City from 1965 to 1967, and in Binghamton from 1967 to 1989. She was a leader of workshops for professional education groups and at schools and libraries in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

In Mrs. Tittle's Turkey Farm (1994), a kindly old lady loves her turkeys and takes good care of them. Each turkey has its own name and comfortable sleeping quarters, assigned by Mrs. Tittle. One bird, however, she calls simply Turkey. As Thanksgiving approaches and his fellow-creatures begin disappearing one by one, Turkey realizes the fate that may be in store for him, and he begins to frantically work out ways to keep himself from ending up on someone's dinner table. He saves himself by bravely foiling the plans of a would-be thief and earns the amended name Some Tough Turkey - which keeps him from the usual Thanksgiving Day fate because nobody would think of buying, or eating, the toughest turkey on the farm.

Grambling creates a tale of paternal protection and love for a child in Daddy Will Be There (1998). Throughout her day's activities, a little girl knows that her father will always be there to protect and watch over her. She plays with her blocks, rides her bike, goes to a birthday party, plays alone in the backyard, and does all the other things that five-year-old girls do - but no matter how long she is away from her daddy, she is always reunited with him. Daddy remains close by or available to provide love, protection, and reassurance.

This Whole Tooth Fairy Thing's Nothing But a Big Rip-off! (2002) is a more humorous offering from Grambling. Annoyed by the Tooth Fairy's tardiness in picking up his lost tooth, Little Hippo utters the exclamation of the book's title, just as the Tooth Fairy shows up, cold, wet, and cranky alter being caught in a rainstorm. Indignant at Hippo's outburst, the Tooth Fairy enlists him to take care of her final job for the night while she takes a break. With the Tooth Fairy's wings glued to his back. Little Hippo successfully makes the tool-for-coin exchange with Cub Bear, finding out in the process that he likes helping out the Tooth Fairy and hopes to do it again.

In The Witch Who Wanted to Be a Princess (2002), feisty modem witch Bella yearns to leave behind her small grubby cottage and witchy wardrobe to become a princess, living in a glorious castle and wearing fine jewels and luxurious clothes. Since she was the top graduate in her witch class, turning one thing into another is a snap for her, and she decides to change herself into a princess. But when she tries the spell, she finds out that because of a decreasing population of witches, no one is allowed to turn herself into anything else. The only way to become a princess, Bella reasons, is to marry a prince, which she sets out to do. Through the personals ads, Bella meets and falls in love with Franklyn of Styne (who bears a remarkable resemblance to the monster created by Dr. Frankenstein himself). In a story combining messages of self-esteem, self-acceptance, and inner beauty, Bella gets her wish.

Grambling offers a story in the classic model of the tall tale in Abigail Muchmore: An Original Tale (2003). Spirited and active Abigail Muchmore tends to her farm from morning to night, fixing the damage from the constantly blowing West Wind. Not satisfied with what he has already done. West Wind decides to play some tricks on Abigail, blowing her fancy store-bought underwear right oil' the clothesline and onto a neighbor's farm. Next, the wind blows the pears off Abigail's fruit trees. When West Wind tosses Abigail’s beloved dog into the next county, she vows revenge. The old woman lassoes her impish adversary and confines him to the storm cellar under her house. Only when West Wind agrees to return her dog and stop his mischief does Abigail let him go, and the two live peacefully together from then on.

Achievements

• Lois G. Grambling was an outstanding and prolific author. She has written numerous award-winning picture books which were highly praised by critics and readers.

Works

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  • Can I Bring Woolly to the Library, Ms. Reeder?

    (Persistent pet owners and prehistoric pedants of all ages...)

    2012
  • Big Dog

    (When Willie becomes the new owner of Big Dog, he is the h...)

    2001
  • This Whole Tooth Fairy Things Nothing but a Big Rip Off!

    (Little Hippo is proving to be a serious doubting Thomas, ...)

    2002
  • Can I Bring Saber to New York, Ms. Mayor?

    (Will a young boy convince the mayor of New York City to l...)

    2014
  • Shoo! Scat!

    (Professor Flugel builds a bird feeder, but instead of enj...)

    2004
  • Nicky Jones And The Roaring Rhinos

    (With the help of four big brothers, Nicky Jones learns to...)

    2004
  • Elephant and Mouse Get Ready for Christmas

    (On Christmas, Eve Elephant decides to switch his huge sto...)

    1990
  • Abigail Muchmore: An Original Tale

    (In the tale of a mischievous puff of wind and the feisty ...)

    2003
  • Elephant and Mouse Get Ready for Easter

    (Elephant and Mouse are excited on the day before Easter b...)

    1990
  • Can I Have a Stegosaurus, Mom? Can I? Please!?

    (A little boy uses every argument he can think of - from t...)

    1994
  • Elephant and Mouse Celebrate Halloween

    (Elephant and mouse celebrate another holiday, as this tim...)

    1991
  • Can I Bring My Pterodactyl to School, Ms. Johnson?

    (Kids are in for Jurassic-size laughs as they follow a boy...)

    2006
  • Witch Who Wanted to Be Princess

    (It's as true today as it was a thousand years ago - some ...)

    2002
  • Miss Hildy's Missing Cape Caper

    (It's Halloween night, and someone has stolen Miss Hildy's...)

    2000
  • Daddy Will Be There

    (The young narrator of this heartfelt picture book can do ...)

    1998
  • An Alligator Named ...Alligator

    (Elmo had always wanted an alligator, and one day he manag...)

    1991
  • T. Rex Trick-or-Treats

    (It's the darkest, scariest night of the year... and T. Re...)

    2005
  • Grandma Tells a Story

    (Grandparents tell the best stories. They know things that...)

    2001
  • My Mom Is a Firefighter

    (Every little boy has a hero. Billy's happens to be his mo...)

    2007
  • T. Rex and the Mother's Day Hug

    (Mother's Day is here, and T. Rex wants to plan something ...)

    2008
  • Mrs. Tittle's Turkey Farm 1994

Views

Quotations: "Watching your words being transformed into a book is an exhilarating and magical experience. But an even more exhilarating and magical experience is to someday, somewhere see some child reading that book! Trust me! That will truly make your cup runneth over!"

Connections

Lois married Arthur Grambling on January 21, 1949. They had two children: Jeffrey and Mark.

Father:

Arthur Goodwin

Mother:

Ethel Goodwin

husband:

Arthur Grambling

Son:

Jeffrey Grambling

Son:

Mark Grambling