I just had a wonderful brainstorm of an idea. (I don’t get those too often, so I must take advantage.)

I’ve been posting on Semicolon about authors and their birthdays almost since the blog began back in 2004. I enjoy learning about new-to-me authors and celebrating favorite authors on their birthdays.

So, I thought why not have blogosphere-wide celebration for certain of my favorite authors on their birthdays? I pick an author with an upcoming birthday, let folks know about the celebration, and if you enjoy that author too, you can post about his/her books: reviews, the time you met Author X, or whatever is related to that particular author, maybe a list of read-alikes for other adoring fans.

I checked my author birthday book, and the first Semicolon Author Birthday Celebration will be held on June 26th, this Thursday for:

Ms. Zolotow, if you’re unfamiliar with her work, is the author of many, many beloved and classic picture books, more than seventy according to her website. She also worked as an editor for Harper Collins Publishers, editing books with such authors as Paul Fleischman, Judith Viorst, Laurence Yep, Patricia MacLachlan, Karla Kuskin, and many others.

I’l get back to you about my favorite Charlotte Zolotow books on Thursday. In the meantime, if you are a lover of Ms. Zolotow’s work, please plan to write a post in honor of her birthday, and come back and link here on Thursday so that we can celebrate together. (You can re-post something you’ve written in the past if you’d like.) If you’re just hearing about Charlotte Zolotow in this post, check out some of her books and let us know what your impressions are. And in the meantime, please spread the word.

Other upcoming celebrations (all on Thursdays so that we can remember):
July 10: John Calvin, b. 1509.

July 17: Isaac Watts, b.1674.

July 24: Alexandre Dumas, pere, b.1802.

August 7: Betsy Byars, b.1928.

August 28: Tasha Tudor, b.1915, d.2008.