Nina

May 23, 2013

Dear Mr. Pinkwater,

I don't know if this is still your email address, but I emailed you an "Ode to Pink" (a set of clips of you and others speaking about you on NPR that I remixed) in 2007, and you used it in your podcast. Six years later, I still love your work (I'm now 18), as do several of my friends. We all credit reading your books (particularly The Snarkout Boys, Borgel, Robert Nifkin, and Alan Mendelsohn) with playing a significant role in the development of our appreciation for the surreal, our strange, shared sense of humor, and our appreciation for good food. (I love good food to such an extent that it's inspired me to become an activist for food justice, sustainability, and hopefully even an organic farmer. I have chickens in my backyard, and named one of them Henrietta the Giant Chicken.) We all live in New York City.

We also recently discovered The Squirrel Cage by Gene Ahern (through trying to figure out what "Nov Shmoz Ka Pop" is in Borgel). Turns out my friend's Georgian music teacher is trying to re-publish all of The Squirrel Cage comics, since they're largely unavailable! Pretty funny coincidence. My friend wrote a post about it on this blog about you: fuckyeahdanielpinkwater.tumblr.com/post/50039204054/nov-shmoz-ka-pop-borgel-and-the-squirrel-cage

Anyway, all of this introduction is leading up to our request that perhaps you allow us (me and my friends Sunny and Emma) to come visit you wherever it is that you live and speak with you for a little while. We are interested in understanding your influences, having discovered what seems to be one of them in The Squirrel Cage.

Being that we live in NYC, we would of course bring good food. I live in Brooklyn near one of the best bagel bakeries in the city, the Bagel Hole; I also regularly buy smoked salmon, babka and other delicious Jewish food from Russ & Daughters, an incredible family-run appetizing that's been open for over 100 years on the Lower East Side. I assume your preference for bagels based on your decision to have Borgel compare space to a poppy seed bagel, but if you would prefer something else, please let us know. Any requests, food or otherwise?

We are all free on June 6, if that would work for you. We don't have a car but we can take a train and then bike to meet you wherever you want.

Thank you,
Nina

P.S. I tried to send this to your email address, in response to our old email correspondence, but because it's six years old I guess you don't use it anymore.

Frances

May 23, 2013

I *think* you may have written a book I read many, many years ago as a nine year old…about two misfit teens. All I remember is that they wander into a bookshop (of sorts) and buy a book that's written in code…they crack the code, and can make time speed up (something to do with a pen, pointed at a clock in math class)? I hope this is indeed, a book you wrote, or this is a very awkward email! I did try to Dr Google it, but had no luck. Thanks!

Jennifer

May 17, 2013

My 3 year old daughter just announced that she is going to be a polar bear, like Larry, for Halloween.

fiona

May 17, 2013

hi! im ten and i have read the neddiad, the yggyssey, and
adventures of a cat whiskered girl. i was just wondering if escape to
dwerg mountain really exists. if so, where can i find it? if not,
should i just go on to bushman lives?
thanks alot, fiona

Beth Thompson

May 17, 2013

Have you read Gary Paulsen's dog books, specifically "My Life in Dog Years", "Winterdance", "Woodsong", etc. ? If you haven't you should because I know you are a true dog lover. I am not even a big dog lover and his (as well as yours, specifically Fishwhistle) have given me a tremendous appreciation for them as intelligent life forms. They are amazing. Have you met/spoken to Gary Paulsen?

Kim Schafer

May 12, 2013

Hi Mr. Pinkwater,

Yesterday we were reading "The Artsy Smartsy Club" when our music teacher walked in as we met Hilangully Ryder. She started singing the song "Hill and Gully Rider." Now we're curious, is that song what inspired that character's name?

By the way, we've read all the books in this series and we love them!

Thanks,
Mrs. Schafer and her 3rd graders

David Doty

May 2, 2013

Dear Mr. Pinkwater,

I shall restate my previous question: may I please use one of the more recent photos from the photo gallery on your website in a blog post concerning your work (for example, "Looking pensive," "A mean machine," or "Ceci une pipe")?

Best regards,
–DBD

Dan Ellis

May 2, 2013

I'm interested that the police in New Yap Yap City are Labradors and mean to kids, and the police in Apokeepsing were bird-headed and menacing. I hope the police in this plane are better.

My son wants to know if Escape To Dwerg Mountain will also have a sequel.

Thank you for telling us about the Hudson Valley mythical creatures. We spend a lot of time in Woodstock.

DAn.

Abby Miller

April 28, 2013

A long time ago when I was camping in the middle of no where and had a book in my hand with a flashlight under my sleeping bag, I was reading something you wrote. I've searched everywhere but I cannot figure out which book it was. All I can remember is that there is a park in the book where anyone can say what they want because a dead guy wanted that and the park is a memorial to him. 8 years later, I still think about this book a lot, and vaguely remember what was on the cover. Please let me know if I am crazy or if this publication actually exsists!

diane

April 26, 2013

Hi Daniel Pinkwater,

My family and I just finished drawing you some pictures and writing you letters that we are getting ready to send off, but I didn\'t leave room on mine to say and ask these things:

If you have never read \"Way Station\" by Clifford Simak I recommend this to you. There are parts of it that remind me of Uncle Borgel. And \"Wonder\" is another great read. Could you recommend a favorite read (or three) of yours?

I hope you, Jill and your dogs are doing very well!

Thank you. Your Fan,
-Diane Froelich