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The life and times of

Seymour Simon

There were plenty of clues in Seymour Simon's childhood that pointed toward his future profession. As a young boy growing up in urban New York City, he used to spend time in a vacant lot studying the small plants and animals that lived there. In the second grade, Simon read science fiction books and wrote a story called Space Monsters. As a teenager, he was elected president of the Junior Astronomy Club at the American Museum of Natural History.

Seymour Simon graduated from the Bronx High School of Science and later earned a degree in animal behavior. For 23 years he taught science to junior high school students in New York City. After publishing a number of articles and books for children, Simon gradually transitioned into his new full-time career as a science writer.

Seymour Simon has now published more than 200 books for children on topics as diverse as oceans, planets, trains, tornadoes, volcanoes, gorillas, earthquakes, and the human heart. During his long career, Simon has won many awards, including The Washington Post–Children's Book Guild Nonfiction Award for the body of his work.

From his house in New York's Hudson River Valley, Seymour Simon continues to research interesting topics, take photographs, and write new science books for children.