Millicent Selsam


Millicent Ellis Selsam was an American children's author.

Background

Selsam was born May 30, 1912, in New York City. She became interested in biology during her high school years. She took this interest to college when she studied biology at Brooklyn College. She was then offered a fellowship teaching at Columbia University while completing an M.A. in botany.

Career

After receiving her M.A., Selsam taught high school science before deciding to write science discovery books for children in 1946. Her first book was Egg to Chick. After that her work found outlets at Harper & Row, Morrow, Macmillan, Doubleday and Walker, among other publishers. For some years she taught biology at Brooklyn College and in New York City high schools.
Selsam wrote over a hundred children's books and was married to the philosopher Howard Selsam. During her career, she was the recipient of many awards, including the 1965 Thomas Alva Edison Mass Media Award for best children's science book, Biography of an Atom.

Personal life and death

Selsam married Howard Selsam. They had one child, Robert.
She died age 84 on October 12, 1996.

Selected works

  • Greg's Microscope, illustrated by Arnold Lobel
  • A First Look at Animals With Horns, with Joyce Hunt, illustrated by Harriett Springer
  • A First Look at Ducks, Geese, and Swans, with Joyce Hunt, illustrated by Harriett Springer
  • A First Look at Bats, with Joyce Hunt, illustrated by Harriett Springer
  • A First Look at Animals That Eat Other Animals, with Joyce Hunt, illustrated by Harriett Springer
  • A First Look at Dinosaurs, with Joyce Hunt, illustrated by Harriett Springer
  • Big Tracks, Little Tracks: Following Animal Prints, illustrated by Marlene Hill Donnelly
  • Questions and Answers About Horses, illustrated by Sandy Rabinowitz
  • Birth of an Island
  • Tony's Birds
  • Biography of an Atom, with Jacob Bronowski
  • Mushrooms, illustrated by Jerome Wexler
  • Egg to Chick, illustrated by Barbara M. Wolff
  • Seeds and More Seeds
  • How to Be a Nature Detective, illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats
  • More Potatoes!, pictures by Ben Schecter
  • Benny's Animals and How He Put Them in Order
  • How Puppies Grow, with photographs by Esther Bubley
  • How Kittens Grow, with photographs by Neil Johnson
  • Terry and the Caterpillars, illustrated by Arnold Lobel
  • Plenty of Fish
  • Sea Monsters of Long Ago
  • Stars, Mosquitoes, and Crocodiles : the American Travels of Alexander von Humboldt
  • Let's Get Turtles
  • Benny's Animals and How He Put Them in Order
  • Birth of an Island, illustrated by Winifred Lubell
  • Big Tracks, Little Tracks: Following Animal Prints, illustrated by Marlene Hill Donnelly
  • The 'Don't Throw It, Grow It' Book of Houseplants
  • Keep Looking!, with Joyce Huntby, illustrated by Normand Chartier
  • Backyard Insects
  • All Kinds of Babies, illustrated by Symeon Shimin
  • See Through the Sea
  • See Through the Forest
  • See Through the Jungle
  • See Through the LakeAround the World with Darwin, illustrated by Anthony RavielliAll About Eggs and How They Change Into Animals, illustrated by Helen LudwigBirth of a Forest illustrated by Barbara WolffUp, Down and Around: the force of gravityThe Plants We Eat, photographs by Jerome WexlerThe Tomato and Other Fruit VegetablesLand of the Giant Tortoise: The Story of the Galapagos illustrated with photographs by Les LineYou and the World Around You illustrated by Greta ElgaardDoubleday First Guide to Wild FlowersHidden AnimalsThe Tiger: Its Life in the WildHow PuppiesIs this a Baby Dinosaur? and Other Science Picture PuzzlesThe Apple and Other FruitsHow Kittens GrowTony's BirdsAnimals as ParentsThe Courtship of AnimalsHow Animals Live TogetherHow Animals Tell TimeThe Language of AnimalsMaple TreeMicrobes at WorkMilkweedPeanutPlants that HealPlants that MoveThe Plants We EatPlay with PlantsPlay with SeedsPlay with TreesUnderwater ZoosThe Amazing Dandelion with pictures by Jerome WexlerBulbs, Corms and Such with pictures by Jerome WexlerEat the Fruit, Plant the Seed with pictures by Jerome WexlerThe Harlequin Moth, Its Life Story with pictures by Jerome WexlerMaple Tree with pictures by Jerome WexlerMimosa, the Sensitive Plant with pictures by Jerome WexlerPeanut with pictures by Jerome WexlerPopcorn with pictures by Jerome WexlerVegetables from Stems and Leaves with pictures by Jerome WexlerHow Kittens GrowHow Puppies GrowAll Kinds of BabiesQuestions and Answers about AntsQuestions and Answers about HorsesA First Look at Animals with Backbones
  • ''Hidden Animals''