the ghost of windy hill by clyde robert bulla

Pocahontas and the Strangers (1972) and A Lion to Guard Us (1981) and others depicted colonial America through the eyes of children. Using simple, straightforward language and fast-moving plots, his stories were often told against a historical background. “I have to be very careful what I write about.”

“I’m reaching children at very impressionable age levels - third to sixth grade, 8 to 11 years old,” Bulla told the Los Angeles Times in 1973. The column caught the attention of a well-known author and illustrator of children’s books, who suggested that he try writing for kids.īulla sent her a manuscript for The Donkey Cart, and since then he continued to write children’s books, as well as the music for several children’s song books.īulla’s stories of Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Pocahontas and other historical figures captivated young readers for decades. He spent the next several years working at a local weekly newspaper, where he wrote a weekly column. He went on to write two more books, but no one wanted to publish them.

Soon after, he wrote his only adult novel, These Bright Young Dreams, which was accepted by a publisher.īulla made no money because his publisher went bankrupt. After years of receiving rejections from editors, he finally sold a magazine story.

His first piece was titled, “How Planets Were Born,” and all through school Bulla continued to write stories, as well as plays and poetry. “Born on a farm in a small town in Missouri, Bulla said he always wanted to write, according to his bio on the Scholastic Web site. His first book, The Donkey Cart, was published in 1946. Clyde Robert Bulla (Jan 9, 1914- May 23, 2007) was the author of over fifty books for children.

The ghost of windy hill by clyde robert bulla