James Howe (born August 2, 1946) is an American children's writer who has written more than 79 juvenile and young adult fiction books. He is best known for the Bunnicula series about a vampire rabbit that sucks the juice out of vegetables.
Biography
Howe was born in Oneida, New York. At the age of nine or ten, Howe wrote a play based on the "Blondie" comic strip as well as a variety of short stories and self-published newspapers. Of the latter his favorite is The Gory Gazette which he made for a self-founded club, Vampire Legion.[1]
Howe continued to write plays during his theater studies at Boston University, and eventually moved to New York City to pursue a career as an actor and model while directing plays and working as a literary agent.[citation needed]
In the mid-1970s, Howe's mother-in-law encouraged him and his wife, Deborah Howe, to create a children's story based on a character the two had created while watching older Dracula movies, which at the time were played late at night on TVs.[2] With his wife, he created Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery, about a pet rabbit suspected of being a vampire. The book went on to win more than ten Children's Choice awards, including the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award and the Nene Award, and eventually evolved into a series. Ten months before Bunnicula was published Deborah died, inspiring the creation of The Hospital Book.[3]
In 1981, Howe began writing full-time. In addition to the Bunnicula series, Howe has written picture books, children's novels, nonfiction, adaptations of classic stories, and screenplays for movies and television. In 1997, he published his first young adult novel, The Watcher.[4][better source needed]The Misfits, itself inspired by his child’s difficult experiences in middle school, was the inspiration behind GLSEN's annual No Name-Calling Week.[5]
I Wish I Were a Butterfly (1987) - Illustrated by Ed Young
Dances with Wolves: A Story for Children (1991) - featuring photographs by Ben Glass, based on the book and film Dances with Wolves written by Michael Blake
Audiobook versions were also released featuring narrators Victor Garber and Patrick Mulvihill.
Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery, Deborah and James Howe, illustrated by Alan Daniel (Atheneum, 1979); numerous editions including 25th Anniversary Edition
Howliday Inn (1982)
The Celery Stalks at Midnight (1983)
Nighty-Nightmare (1987)
Return to Howliday Inn (1992)
Bunnicula Strikes Again! (1999)
Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow! (2006)
Harold and Chester oversized picture books
All illustrated by Leslie H. Morrill (except Rabbit-Cadabra! which was illustrated by Alan Daniel).
The Fright Before Christmas (1988)
Scared Silly: A Halloween Treat (1988)
Hot Fudge (1991)
Creepy-Crawly Birthday (1992)
Rabbit-Cadabra! (1993)
A Book of 3 Spooky Plays - Play versions of Creepy-Crawly Birthday, The Fright Before Christmas, and Scared Silly: A Halloween Treat
Tales from the House of Bunnicula series
All illustrated by Brett Helquist. Audiobook versions of many titles in this series were released featuring narrator Joe Grifasi.
It Came From Beneath the Bed! (2002)
Invasion of the Mind Swappers from Asteroid 6! (2002)
Howie Monroe and the Doghouse of Doom (2003)
Screaming Mummies of the Pharaoh's Tomb II (2003)
Bud Barkin, Private Eye (2004)
The Odorous Adventures of Stinky Dog (2003)
Tales From the House of Bunnicula: Writing Journal (a blank journal featuring artwork by Brett Helquist)
Bunnicula and Friends a Ready-To-Read series
Many of these titles are re-workings of previously released Bunnicula books rewritten by James Howe for younger readers and featuring new illustrations by Jeff Mack.
The Vampire Bunny (2004)
Hot Fudge (2004)
Scared Silly (2004)
Rabbit-Cadabra (2006)
The Fright Before Christmas (2006)
Creepy Crawly Birthday (2005)
Bunnicula pop-up book
One Bunnicula related pop-up book was released. It features a unique story and it is illustrated by Alan Daniel and Lea Daniel.
Bunnicula Escapes!: A Pop-up Adventure (1994)
Bunnicula activity, fact, and joke books
All illustrated by Alan Daniel.
Bunnicula's Wickedly Wacky Word Games: a Book for Word Lovers & Their Pencils! (1998)
Bunnicula's Frightfully Fabulous Factoids: a Book to Entertain Your Brain! (1999)
Bunnicula's Pleasantly Perplexing Puzzlers: A Book of Puzzles, Mazes, & Whatzits! (1999)
Bunnicula's Long-lasting Laugh-alouds: a Book of Jokes & Riddles to Tickle Your Bunny-Bone! (1999)
Pinky and Rex series
All illustrated by Melissa Sweet.
Pinky and Rex (1990)
Pinky and Rex Get Married (1990)
Pinky and Rex and the Spelling Bee (1991)
Pinky and Rex and the Mean Old Witch (1991)
Pinky and Rex Go To Camp (1992)
Pinky and Rex and the New Baby (1993)
Pinky and Rex and the Double-dad Weekend (1995)
Pinky and Rex and the Bully (1996)
Pinky and Rex and the New Neighbors (1997)
Pinky and Rex and the School Play (1998)
Pinky and Rex and the Perfect Pumpkin (1998)
Pinky and Rex and the Just-right Pet (2001)
Sebastian Barth Mystery series
What Eric Knew (1985)
Eat your Poison, Dear (1986)
Stage Fright (1986)
Dew Drop Dead (1990)
There's a series
There's a Monster Under My Bed (1986)
There's a Dragon in My Sleeping Bag (1994)
Horace and Morris (and Dolores) series
All illustrated by Amy Walrod.
Horace and Morris, but Mostly Dolores (1999)
Horace and Morris Join the Chorus, but What About Dolores (2002)
Horace and Morris Say Cheese (Which Makes Dolores Sneeze!) (2009)
