Daniel Pinkwater
A whimsical and subversive literary voice who filled children's books with talking lizards, avocado-fueled mysteries, and brilliantly oddball humor.
Born 1941 (age 85)·American children's author·Birthday: November 15·The Silent Generation
Biography
Daniel Pinkwater has spent decades operating as a one-man antidote to bland children's literature. With a bushy beard and a twinkle of mischief, he writes stories that feel like they were dreamed up during a particularly good nap. His world is populated by sentient hot dogs, intergalactic fat men, and snark-out boys seeking adventure after curfew. Pinkwater's genius lies in respecting the surreal logic of a child's imagination while weaving in a dry, off-kilter wit that adults equally adore. Beyond his dozens of novels and picture books, like the beloved 'The Big Orange Splot,' he became a familiar voice on NPR, offering droll commentary that extended his literary persona into the realm of radio storytelling. He hasn't just written books; he has cultivated a specific, joyful state of mind where the weird is wonderful and conformity is always optional.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Daniel was born in 1941, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Daniel Was Born
The biggest hits of 1941
#1 Movie
Sergeant York
Best Picture
How Green Was My Valley
Daniel's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1941Born
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1946Started school
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1954Became a teenager
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Could drive
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1959Could vote
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Turned 21
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1971Turned 30
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 40
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 50
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 60
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 70
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 80
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 85 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Authored over 100 acclaimed children's and young adult books, including 'Lizard Music' and 'The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death.'
- Created the enduringly popular picture book 'The Big Orange Splot,' a parable about individuality and neighborhood expression.
- Was a longtime commentator on National Public Radio (NPR), sharing humorous essays and stories.
- His novel 'The Afterlife Diet' marked a foray into writing fiction specifically for an adult audience.
Did You Know?
He is a licensed commercial balloon pilot and has written about his experiences flying hot air balloons.
Pinkwater and his wife, the illustrator Jill Pinkwater, have collaborated on several children's books.
He once worked as a teacher, a sculptor's model, and a cook before finding success as an author.
He is a vocal enthusiast for unusual foods and has written extensively about his culinary adventures.
“I think I write for the smart, strange kids I remember from my own childhood.”
