Hester Bass

THE SECRET WORLD OF WALTER ANDERSON:

WINNER of the 2010 NCTE ORBIS PICTUS AWARD
for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
awarded by the National Council of Teachers of English
Thank you, NCTE!
WINNER of the 2010 SIBA BOOK AWARD
chosen by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance for Best Children's Book
Southern Independent Bookstore BESTSELLERThank you, SIBA Booksellers!!
Bank Street Best Children's Books of 2010
CCBC Choices 2010 - Best-Of-The-Year List
chosen by the Cooperative Children's Book Center
Best Children's Books of 2009 - Kirkus Reviews2010 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
as selected by the National Council for the Social Studies
and the Children's Book CouncilAccelerated Reader (AR) Quiz #134485 now available!
Signed copies available in Huntsville, Alabama at:
Huntsville Museum of Art Store and Barnes & Noble at Bridge Street.
Dreams do come true! Hester Bass has wanted to be a children's author since first grade so, whatever your dream may be, her advice is: Never give up!

She writes early readers and picture books as well as middle grade and teen novels. Hester has appeared at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution/​Decatur Book Festival, Alabama Bound: Celebrating Books and Authors, Alabama Book Festival, Southern Festival of Books, SCBWI-Southern Breeze Fall Writers Conference, Alabama Reading Association Conference, American Library Association Annual Conference, and she performs at schools and libraries. She'd love to come see you, too!

Hester's new project is a picture book biography of American artist, Walter Inglis Anderson, illustrated by the acclaimed E. B. Lewis just published by Candlewick Press. The Secret World of Walter Anderson is the story of a man who risked everything to bring himself and nature into one thing called art. He lived on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, often rowing twelve miles of open water to reach Horn, an uninhabited barrier island, where he lived under his boat for weeks at a time so he could paint the wildlife there. Hester has studied his life and work for over 25 years, and has many anecdotes to share about this enigmatic artist. Hester is touring in support of this book - get on her calendar now!

The Secret World of Walter Anderson has been chosen by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance as a SIBA 2009 Fall Okra Pick meaning they think it's a "Great Southern Book." It also received a starred review in Kirkus and was chosen by the Mississippi Center for the Book to represent Mississippi at the Pavilion of the States at the 2009 National Book Festival in Washington, D. C.!

Hester's first book, So Many Houses, was published in 2006 by Scholastic. It's a Rookie Reader® for ages 4-8 about the materials used to build houses across the globe. Bold and lively illustrations by Alik Arzoumanian make So Many Houses a colorful trip around the world. It's available in paperback or library binding. Click the link at the right to see the book.

An author visit by Hester Bass is a special occasion for learning while having fun. A storyteller, singer, and teacher, Hester helps children experience the wonder of words through original songs and art activities. As one librarian said, Hester can "encourage the most reluctant reader to read and the hesitant student to write." Click the link at the right to learn more.

Hester enjoys sharing what she's learned about writing for children through presentations and workshops at writers conferences. What makes a story memorable? What makes it publishable? Hester will share her secrets! Click the link at the right for more information.

If you have questions, or want to bring Hester Bass to your town, scroll down to the Quick Links (on the left, below the book cover) and click on E-mail Hester Bass!

Thank you for visiting!

Content copyrighted and all rights reserved by Hester Bass.
Illustrations from The Secret World of Walter Anderson copyrighted and all rights reserved by E. B. Lewis.
Published in 2009 by Candlewick Press
Illustrations from So Many Houses copyrighted and all rights reserved by Alik Arzoumanian.
Published in 2006 by Children's Press/​Scholastic Library Publishing.