Suzy Becker
Encyclopedia
Suzanne Becker (born 1962) is an American
author
, illustrator
, entrepreneur
, educator, and social activist. She has received worldwide recognition for her writing, and has been awarded prestigious fellowships from the White House
and Harvard University
. Additionally, she became the youngest individual to be honored as the 1992 New England Women Business Owner’s “Woman of the Year".
Becker graduated from Brown University
in 1984 with bachelor’s degrees in economics
and international relations
, and spent her first summer out of college biking 4500 miles across the United States
. After a brief period as a second grade teacher at the American School of Barcelona
, she moved to Boston, Massachusetts to start her writing career.
Becker began as an advertising copywriter in Boston. The job allowed her to hone her talents for insightful and irreverent writing, which would later become her trademark in her books and cartoons. In 1987, she founded her greeting card company, the Widget Factory, which garnered recognition for its humor, witty drawings, and corporate social responsibility. From 1987 until 1993, Becker worked as president, and owner of the Widget Factory greeting card line, creating over 200 different card designs, posters, and a maternity Advent calendar (which she invented).
Additionally, during that time, Becker also spearheaded national service projects, including, Ride FAR, the first U.S. HIV/AIDS bike-a-thon. Ride FAR, or the Ride for AIDS Resources, is a biannual event that gives 100% all proceeds raised directly to services for children and adults living with HIV/AIDS. To date, the ride has raised more than $1,100,000 for HIV/AIDS resources.
Becker eventually licensed the Widget Factory in early 1993, so that she could accept her appointment as a White House Fellow under President Bill Clinton
from 1993-1994. Upon her return from her fellowship at the White House, Becker helped found and taught at the Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School
, an alternative public secondary school in central Massachusetts
. She left the school after a few years to focus on writing and illustrating full time.
Becker’s books include All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat now in the "Double-Platinum Collector's Edition All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat (and Then Some), My Dog’s the World’s Best Dog, Manny’s Cows: The Niagara Falls Tale, an illustrated memoir about her own struggle and recovery from brain surgery entitled: I Had Brain Surgery, What’s Your Excuse?, and a board book with teething corners for babies entitled Books Are for Reading.
Her most recent book Kids Make It Better is a write-in, draw-in world problem-solving journal for 6 -10 year olds. The book also features sidebar profiles of kids under the age of 10 who have made a difference, observation logs and a "Make It Better" Action Plan.
Becker's work has appeared in various publications including Mademoiselle
, Funny Times, The Best Contemporary Women’s Humor, Grist.org, SEED
, and The Boston Globe
. Additionally, her work has been commissioned by the National Audubon Society
, American Museum of Natural History
, National Geographic Society
, and the Environmental Defense Fund It has also been exhibited in solo and group shows throughout New England
and New York
, and is part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art
. She illustrated the comic strip Rhymes With Orange
while its creator Hilary Price was on vacation, June 9–14 and 22, 2008.
Becker currently lives in Bolton, Massachusetts
with her daughter and life partner, along with their dog and two formerly feral cats.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
, entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, educator, and social activist. She has received worldwide recognition for her writing, and has been awarded prestigious fellowships from the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
and Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. Additionally, she became the youngest individual to be honored as the 1992 New England Women Business Owner’s “Woman of the Year".
Life and work
Becker is best known for her 1990 internationally bestselling book All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat. All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat sold two million copies and spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, with several weeks at #1.Becker graduated from Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
in 1984 with bachelor’s degrees in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and international relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
, and spent her first summer out of college biking 4500 miles across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. After a brief period as a second grade teacher at the American School of Barcelona
American School of Barcelona
The American School of Barcelona was the first and largest trilingual school in Barcelona, Spain.It was established in 1962 by Dr. Josep Maria Poal, an eminent physician and co-founder of the North American Institute in 1951. Ever since it has been a non-profit organization owned and run by a...
, she moved to Boston, Massachusetts to start her writing career.
Becker began as an advertising copywriter in Boston. The job allowed her to hone her talents for insightful and irreverent writing, which would later become her trademark in her books and cartoons. In 1987, she founded her greeting card company, the Widget Factory, which garnered recognition for its humor, witty drawings, and corporate social responsibility. From 1987 until 1993, Becker worked as president, and owner of the Widget Factory greeting card line, creating over 200 different card designs, posters, and a maternity Advent calendar (which she invented).
Additionally, during that time, Becker also spearheaded national service projects, including, Ride FAR, the first U.S. HIV/AIDS bike-a-thon. Ride FAR, or the Ride for AIDS Resources, is a biannual event that gives 100% all proceeds raised directly to services for children and adults living with HIV/AIDS. To date, the ride has raised more than $1,100,000 for HIV/AIDS resources.
Becker eventually licensed the Widget Factory in early 1993, so that she could accept her appointment as a White House Fellow under President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
from 1993-1994. Upon her return from her fellowship at the White House, Becker helped found and taught at the Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School
Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School
The Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School is a public charter school in Devens, Massachusetts that serves students in grades 7 to 12...
, an alternative public secondary school in central Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. She left the school after a few years to focus on writing and illustrating full time.
Becker’s books include All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat now in the "Double-Platinum Collector's Edition All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat (and Then Some), My Dog’s the World’s Best Dog, Manny’s Cows: The Niagara Falls Tale, an illustrated memoir about her own struggle and recovery from brain surgery entitled: I Had Brain Surgery, What’s Your Excuse?, and a board book with teething corners for babies entitled Books Are for Reading.
Her most recent book Kids Make It Better is a write-in, draw-in world problem-solving journal for 6 -10 year olds. The book also features sidebar profiles of kids under the age of 10 who have made a difference, observation logs and a "Make It Better" Action Plan.
Becker's work has appeared in various publications including Mademoiselle
Mademoiselle (magazine)
Mademoiselle was an influential women's magazine first published in 1935 by Street and Smith and later acquired by Condé Nast Publications....
, Funny Times, The Best Contemporary Women’s Humor, Grist.org, SEED
SEED
SEED is a block cipher developed by the Korean Information Security Agency. It is used broadly throughout South Korean industry, but seldom found elsewhere. It gained popularity in Korea because 40 bit SSL was not considered strong enough , so the Korean Information Security Agency developed its...
, and The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
. Additionally, her work has been commissioned by the National Audubon Society
National Audubon Society
The National Audubon Society is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation. Incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organizations in the world and uses science, education and grassroots advocacy to advance its conservation mission...
, American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
, National Geographic Society
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
, and the Environmental Defense Fund It has also been exhibited in solo and group shows throughout New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and is part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art
Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art
The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art is an American not-for-profit arts organization devoted to the production and history of comic books, comic strips and other forms of cartoon art. Located at 594 Broadway in New York City, MoCCA was founded by Lawrence Klein in October 2001.In 2007, MoCCA hired...
. She illustrated the comic strip Rhymes With Orange
Rhymes With Orange
Rhymes with Orange is an American comic strip written and drawn by Hilary B. Price and distributed by King Features Syndicate. The strip was first syndicated in 1995....
while its creator Hilary Price was on vacation, June 9–14 and 22, 2008.
Becker currently lives in Bolton, Massachusetts
Bolton, Massachusetts
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,148 people, 1,424 households, and 1,201 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 1,476 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.76% White, 0.19% African American, 0.05% Native American, 1.30%...
with her daughter and life partner, along with their dog and two formerly feral cats.
List of works
- All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat (1990)
- The All Better Book (1992)
- All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat- 1992 Calendar (1991)
- All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat- 1993 Calendar (1992)
- All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat- 1994 Calendar (1993)
- My Dog’s the World’s Best Dog (1995)
- There’s a Cat in My Kitchen, Magnetic Kitchen Calendar- 2004 (2003)
- I Had Brain Surgery, What’s Your Excuse? (2005)
- Manny’s Cows: The Niagara Falls Tale (2006)
- All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat (and Then Some). The Double-Platinum Collector's Edition (2007)
- Books Are for Reading (2009)
- Kids Make it Better(2010)
Awards/distinctions
- New England Women Business Owners Woman of the Year (1992)
- Good Morning AmericaGood Morning AmericaGood Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
profile of the Widget Factory (1992) - Anti-Defamation League’sAnti-Defamation LeagueThe Anti-Defamation League is an international non-governmental organization based in the United States. Describing itself as "the nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency", the ADL states that it "fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects...
A World of Difference Award for commitment to community service initiatives - White House Fellowship (1993–1994)
- Bunting Fellowship from the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard UniversityRadcliffe Institute for Advanced StudyThe Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard is an educational institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and one of the semiautonomous components of Harvard University. It is heir to the name and buildings of Radcliffe College, but unlike that historical institution, its focus is directed...
(1999–2000) - Work has been commissioned by the National Audubon SocietyNational Audubon SocietyThe National Audubon Society is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation. Incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organizations in the world and uses science, education and grassroots advocacy to advance its conservation mission...
, American Museum of Natural HistoryAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryThe American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
, National Geographic SocietyNational Geographic SocietyThe National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
, and the Environmental Defense Fund. - Various design and writing awards including: five international greeting cardGreeting cardA greeting card is an illustrated, folded card featuring an expression of friendship or other sentiment. Although greeting cards are usually given on special occasions such as birthdays, Christmas or other holidays, they are also sent to convey thanks or express other feeling. Greeting cards,...
awards, calendar design and copywritingCopywritingCopywriting is the use of words and ideas to promote a person, business, opinion or idea. Although the word copy may be applied to any content intended for printing , the term copywriter is generally limited to promotional situations, regardless of the medium...
.