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Phillip Hoose

フィリップ・フース

Firippu Fūsu

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1947-05-31 (South Bend, Indiana, U.S.)
Nationality
American
Languages
English
Residence History
South Bend, Indiana → Angola, Indiana → Speedway, Indiana → Portland, Maine

Career

Occupations
author, songwriter, musician
Active Years
1986-2025
Affiliations
The Nature Conservancy (staff member), Children's Music Network (founding member), Band 'Chipped Enamel' (member)
Memberships
Children's Music Network (founding member)

Education

Indiana University
Country: United States
Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (now Yale School of the Environment)
Country: United States
Studied forestry/environmental studies; later worked many years for a conservation organization

Awards

National Book Award (Young People's Literature)
2009
Work: Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
Category: ヤングピープルズリテラチャー
Organization: National Book Foundation
Result: 受賞
Boston Globe–Horn Book Award (Nonfiction)
2004
Work: The Race to Save the Lord God Bird
Category: ノンフィクション
Organization: Boston Globe–Horn Book
Result: 受賞
Newbery Honor
Work: Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
Organization: American Library Association (Newbery)
Result: オナーレシーブ
Robert F. Sibert Award – Honor
Work: Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
Organization: American Library Association (Sibert)
Result: オナーブック
Indiana Authors Award (Children's book)
2020
Work: Attucks!: Oscar Robertson and the Basketball Team That Awakened a City
Category: 子ども向け
Organization: Indiana Authors Awards
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice

2009 Nonfiction (biography / young adult)

A young-adult nonfiction account of Claudette Colvin, who resisted segregation in Montgomery, Alabama, and her role in the early Civil Rights Movement.

civil rightsresistanceyouth agency

The Race to Save the Lord God Bird

2004 Nonfiction (natural history)

A nonfiction account following the red knot (notably the bird B95) and efforts to study and conserve the species, combining science and conservation narrative.

conservationecologymigratory birds

Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95

2012 Nonfiction (natural history / YA)

Following the famed banded shorebird B95 over a year to explore the ecology and wonder of long-distance migration.

migrationscientific trackingnature's wonders

Hey, Little Ant

1998 Children's fiction

A picture book inspired and co-authored with his daughter, asking questions about life and ethics from a child's perspective.

moralityempathychild's perspective

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and The Churchill Club

2015 Nonfiction (history / YA)

The true story of the Churchill Club, a group of Danish teenagers who resisted Nazi occupation and helped spark wider resistance.

resistanceyouthWorld War II

Attucks!: Oscar Robertson and the Basketball Team That Awakened a City

2018 Nonfiction (history / sports)

A historical account of Oscar Robertson and his basketball team, exploring race and a city's awakening.

racesports historycommunity

Duet: Our Journey in Song with the Northern Mockingbird

2022 Nonfiction (nature / music)

A work interweaving the author's relationship with the northern mockingbird through perspectives of nature and music.

birdsmusichuman-nature relationship

Claudette Colvin: I Want Freedom Now!

2024 Nonfiction (children / YA)

A companion or related title presenting Claudette Colvin's actions and ideas to a broader young readership.

civil rightseducationyouth history

Bibliography

  • Hoosiers: the Fabulous Basketball Life of Indiana (1986)
  • Hey, Little Ant (1998)
  • We Were There, Too!: Young People in U.S. History (2001)
  • The Race to Save the Lord God Bird (2004)
  • Perfect, Once Removed: When Baseball Was All the World to Me (2006)
  • Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice (2009)
  • Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 (2012)
  • The Boys Who Challenged Hitler (2015)
  • Attucks!: Oscar Robertson and the Basketball Team That Awakened a City (2018)
  • Duet: Our Journey in Song with the Northern Mockingbird (2022)
  • Claudette Colvin: I Want Freedom Now! (2024)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Nonfiction blending factual reporting with narrative storytellingClear, accessible prose aimed at young readersOccasional musical or conversational elements
Recurring Motifs
civil rights and social justicenature and birdlifeyouth agency and activism

Legacy

Phillip Hoose is highly regarded in young-adult nonfiction and children's literature, particularly for works on civil rights and conservation. His award-winning books are widely used in schools and libraries and have been credited with inspiring youth interest in history and science.

Archives

  • Library of Congress (catalog/holdings)

Trivia

  • Co-authored the picture book 'Hey, Little Ant' with his daughter.
  • Worked 37 years at The Nature Conservancy, influencing his nature-focused books.
  • Also active as a songwriter and performer; founding member of the Children's Music Network.