John Coy
Encyclopedia
John Richard Coy is an American children's book author. He is best-known for his books on basketball, Strong to the Hoop, Around the World, and Box Out, as well as Night Driving and his coming-of-age novel about sports and decisions, Crackback.
, John Coy was the oldest of four children. His parents were both educators: Coy's father taught college history and his mother taught high school English. Graduating from Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, he later received his master of arts degree in children and creativity from St. Mary's University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Coy worked at a variety of jobs—dishwasher, tour guide, mattress maker—before deciding on a career as a writer.
John's book Strong to the Hoop involved him in the National Basketball Association
's Read to Achieve program. Strong to the Hoop was translated into Spanish as Directo al Aro four years later. The NBA asked that John write a book about basketball as it is played in countries all over the world. That book became Around the World.
Working with boys during school visits, talking to them, hearing the reasons they do and do not read, John has written books he would have liked reading as a teen. Crackback is set within the realities of high school football and Box Out perceptively follows a sophomore as he is called up to play varsity basketball, recognizing the myriad of decisions teens face every day.
Recently John began a series of books for middle grade readers. The first one, Top of the Order, was published in 2009 and it is all about baseball. The second book, focused on soccer, is called Eyes on the Goal. The third book is Love of the Game, in which the four friends hope to make the football team.
Strong to the Hoop, Night Driving, and Vroomaloom Zoom have been produced as children's theater throughout the United States.
John has worked as a librettist with the Minnesota Orchestra
, an editor for the Youth Computer Center at the Science Museum of Minnesota
, and a tour guide for the Minnesota Historical Society
. He has also worked extensively with developmentally disabled adults and children.
Early life
Born in Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, John Coy was the oldest of four children. His parents were both educators: Coy's father taught college history and his mother taught high school English. Graduating from Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, he later received his master of arts degree in children and creativity from St. Mary's University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Coy worked at a variety of jobs—dishwasher, tour guide, mattress maker—before deciding on a career as a writer.
Career
His first picture book, Night Driving, was inspired by cross-country driving trips on which his father took his family of six when the author was young. John, the oldest, usually sat in front with his father, talking during the wee hours of the night, learning more about his dad than he did when the family was at home.John's book Strong to the Hoop involved him in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
's Read to Achieve program. Strong to the Hoop was translated into Spanish as Directo al Aro four years later. The NBA asked that John write a book about basketball as it is played in countries all over the world. That book became Around the World.
Working with boys during school visits, talking to them, hearing the reasons they do and do not read, John has written books he would have liked reading as a teen. Crackback is set within the realities of high school football and Box Out perceptively follows a sophomore as he is called up to play varsity basketball, recognizing the myriad of decisions teens face every day.
Recently John began a series of books for middle grade readers. The first one, Top of the Order, was published in 2009 and it is all about baseball. The second book, focused on soccer, is called Eyes on the Goal. The third book is Love of the Game, in which the four friends hope to make the football team.
Strong to the Hoop, Night Driving, and Vroomaloom Zoom have been produced as children's theater throughout the United States.
John has worked as a librettist with the Minnesota Orchestra
Minnesota Orchestra
The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.Emil Oberhoffer founded the orchestra as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, and it gave its first performance on November 5 of that year. In 1968 the orchestra changed to its name to the Minnesota Orchestra...
, an editor for the Youth Computer Center at the Science Museum of Minnesota
Science Museum of Minnesota
The Science Museum of Minnesota is an American museum focused on topics in technology, natural history, physical science and mathematics education. Founded in 1907 and located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the 501 nonprofit institution is staffed by over 500 employees and over 1,600 volunteers...
, and a tour guide for the Minnesota Historical Society
Minnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota Historical Society is a private, non-profit educational and cultural institution dedicated to preserving the history of the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was founded by the territorial legislature in 1849, almost a decade before statehood. The Society is named in the Minnesota...
. He has also worked extensively with developmentally disabled adults and children.
Published works
- illustrated by Antonio Reonegro and Tom Lynch
- Crackback (2009), book
- Box Out (2009), novel
- Top of the Order (2009), novel, Book 1 of the 4 for 4 series
- Eyes on the Goal (2010), novel, Book 2 of the 4 for 4 series
- Love of the Game (2011), novel, Book 3 of the 4 for 4 series
Awards and honors
- 1997 Marion Vannett Ridgway Memorial Award http://www.marionvannettridgwayaward.com/winners.html for first book, Night Driving
- 2003 Reading Rainbow book http://pbskids.org/readingrainbow/books/episode150.html, Two Old Potatoes and Me
- 2004 Charlotte Zolotow Honor book http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/detailListBooks.asp?idBookLists=221 for Two Old Potatoes and Me
- 2006 ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/quickpicks/06qp.htm fiction category, Crackback
- 2007 Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy Young Adult Choices for 2007 http://www.reading.org/Library/Retrieve.cfm?D=10.1598/JAAL.51.3.6&F=JAAL-51-3_YAC_2.html for Crackback
- 2009 Booklist's Top 10 Sports Books for Boxout
External links
- John Coy's Home Page
- NBA Read to Achieve program
- Science Museum of Minnesota John Coy and Libby LarsenLibby LarsenLibby Larsen is one of America’s most performed living composers. She has created a catalogue of over 400 works spanning virtually every genre from intimate vocal and chamber music to massive orchestral works and over fifteen operas...
- Feiwel and Friends publisher of Top of the Order
- Scholastic publisher of Crackback, Box Out
- Lee & Low interview
- Children's Literature Network biography and complete booklist
Interviews
- 2002 National Public Radio webcast, 12 June 2003
- 2007 Minnesota Public Radio webcast, with author David LaRochelle, 26 December 2007
- 2008 Atheists Talk AM950 KTNF Minnesota Atheists With Grant Steves, 17 August 2008
- 2010 Minnesota Public Radio webcast, with Marianne Combs, 23 April 2010
- 2010 Children's Literature Network interview, 10 May 2010