About the Author

William Rossa Cole (1919-2000) was best known as an editor and anthologist. He was editor or author (or co-editor or co-author) of about 75 books, 50 of them anthologies. Three of his books were honored by the American Library Association (ALA): I Went to the Animal Fair in 1958, Beastly Boys and Ghastly Girls in 1964, and The Birds and Beast Were There in 1965. He was an editor for Simon & Schuster and Viking and a columnist for the Saturday Review. He died in summer 2000, at the age of 80.

Loganberry Legacy

Beastly Boys and Ghastly Girls has achieved a rather cult-like following. For those with siblings, especially. The original edition was illustrated by Tomi Ungerer in 1964; a later edition was illustrated by Shel Silverstein in 1977 (in which "Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout" of garbage fame first appeared).

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Select Bibliography

  • Aunt Bella's Umbrella, illustrated by Jacqueline Chwart
  • Beastly Boys and Ghastly Girls. edited by William Cole.
    Illustrated by Tomi Ungerer. World Publishing, 1964.
    Illustrated by Shel Silverstein. 1977.
  • Boy Named Mary Jane, and Other Silly Verse, illustrated by George MacClain
  • Frances Face-Maker: A Going-To-Bed Book, illustrated by Tomi Ungerer
  • What's Good for a 3-year-old? illustrated by Lillian Hoban
  • What's Good for a 4-year-old? illustrated by Tomi Ungerer
  • What's Good for a 5-year-old? illustrated by Edward Sorel
  • What's Good for a 6-year-old? illustrated by Ingrid Fetz

Select Bibliography of Anthologies

  • Arkful of Animals, illustrated by Lynn Munsinger
  • Bah! Humbug: Grumping Through the Season. 1992.
  • Birds and Beasts Were There, illustrated by Helen Siegl. 1965
  • Book of Animal Poems, illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker
  • Book of Giggles, illustrated by Tomi Ungerer
  • Book of Nature Poems, illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker
  • Dinosaurs & Beasts of Yore, illustrated by Susanna Natti
  • Fireside Book of Humorous Poetry, various illustrators. 1959.
  • Good Dog Poems, illustrated by Ruth Sanderson
  • Humorous Poetry for Children, illustrated by Ervine Metzl. 1955.
  • I Went to the Animal Fair, illustrated by Colette Rosselli.1958.
  • I'm Mad at You, illustrated by George MacClain
  • Oh, Such Foolishness!, illustrated by Tomie de Paola
  • Oh, That's Ridiculous!, illustrated by Tomi Ungerer
  • Oh, What Nonsense!, illustrated by Tomi Ungerer
  • Poem Stew, illustrated by Karen Ann Weinhaus
  • Poems of Magic & Spells, illustrated by Peggy Bacon
  • Poetry of Horses, illustrated by Ruth Sanderson
  • Zooful of Animals, illustrated by Lynn Munsinger
  • …also several books of knock-knock jokes, as well as anthologies of poetry and collections of cartoons for adults.

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