Daniel Manus Pinkwater is an author of mostly children's books

Children's literature

Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...

 and is an occasional commentator on National Public Radio. He attended Bard College

Bard College

Bard College, founded in 1860 as "St. Stephen's College", is a small four-year liberal arts college located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.-Location:...

. Well-known books include Lizard Music, The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death

The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death

Originally published in 1982, The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death is a young adult novel written by Daniel Pinkwater and features alienated teenagers, avocado-obsessed mad scientists, and a plot to replace all of the world's realtors with aliens....

, Fat Men from Space, Borgel

Borgel

Borgel is a children's novel written by Daniel Pinkwater. This book was published in 1990.-Plot summary:This book is told from the point of view of a young boy named Melvin. Borgel shows up one day at the house where Melvin and his family live, claiming to be somehow related to the family,...

, and the picture book The Big Orange Splot

The Big Orange Splot

The Big Orange Splot is a children's picture book by Daniel Manus Pinkwater. It was published in 1977 by Scholastic Inc, New York. The age range is ages 4–8, and all 32 pages have a full color picture, which helps the child visualize when reading....

. His collections of NPR essays (most notably Fish Whistle) explain that many elements of his fiction are based on real events and people he encountered in his youth.