Clifford B. Hicks
Clifford B. Hicks (August 10, 1920 – September 29, 2010) was an American writer and magazine editor, best known for his children's books chronicling the adventures of Alvin Fernald.
Biography[]
Hicks was born in Marshalltown, Iowa in 1920.[1] He graduated cum laude from Northwestern University, then served as a U.S. Marine during World War II, earning the Silver Star. In 1945, he joined the staff of Popular Mechanics magazine, and became a special projects editor in 1963. He wrote the magazine's Do-It-Yourself Materials Guide and edited the Do-It-Yourself Encyclopedia.[1]
In 1959, Hicks penned his first children's book, First Boy on the Moon, which was dubbed Best Juvenile Book of the Year by the . The next year, he wrote The Marvelous Inventions of Alvin Fernald,[1] the first of a series of books about a boy who relies on his "Magnificent Brain" to solve problems.[2] The books inspired a pair of two-part Disney television movies: The Whiz Kid and the Mystery at Riverton (1974), and The Whiz Kid and the Carnival Caper (1976).[3]
Hicks wrote one non-fiction children's book, The World Above (1965), which discusses the Earth's atmosphere and the universe beyond.[4] In 1971, he began the Peter Potts series,[1] which follows the misadventures of a small town boy who often gets into trouble "by accident".[5] Hicks also wrote a two-act play, Alvin Fernald, Mayor for a Day (1992), which was based on one of his Alvin Fernald books.[1]
On September 29, 2010, Hicks died at his home in Brevard, North Carolina, at the age of 90.[6]
Children's books authored by Clifford Hicks[]
Alvin Fernald series[]
- The Marvelous Inventions of Alvin Fernald – 1960 (illustrated by Charles Geer)
- Alvin's Secret Code – 1963
- Alvin Fernald, Foreign Trader – 1966
- Alvin Fernald, Mayor for a Day – 1970
- Alvin Fernald, Superweasel – 1974
- Alvin's Swap Shop – 1976
- Alvin Fernald, TV Anchorman – 1980
- The Wacky World of Alvin Fernald – 1981
- Alvin Fernald, Master of a Thousand Disguises – 1986
- Alvin Fernald's Incredible Buried Treasure – 2009
Peter Potts series[]
- Peter Potts – 1971
- Pop and Peter Potts – 1984
- Peter Potts Book of World Records – 1987
Other children's books[]
- First Boy on the Moon – 1959
- The World Above – 1965
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Hicks, Clifford B." Contemporary Authors Online. August 28, 2001. Retrieved on January 27, 2010.
- ^ Matt Blum. "GeekDad Wayback Machine – The Geekly Reader: Danny Dunn and Alvin Fernald". Wired. July 30, 2008. Retrieved on January 25, 2010.
- ^ Dave Smith. Disney A to Z: The Official Encyclopedia. Disney Editions, 2006. 734–735. ISBN 0-7868-4919-3
- ^ Polly Goodwin. "The Junior Bookshelf". Chicago Tribune. September 12, 1965. J15.
- ^ Nancy Polette. Picture Books for Gifted Programs. Scarecrow Press, 1981. 139.
- ^ "Clifford B. Hicks, 90". The Times-Republican. October 2, 2010.
External links[]
- The Wacky World of Alvin Fernald (archived 2006)
- "Cops on the Campus" by Hicks, Popular Mechanics, July 1948
- Clifford B. Hicks at Find a Grave
- Clifford B. Hicks at Library of Congress Authorities, with 25 catalog records
- 1920 births
- 2010 deaths
- American technology writers
- American children's writers
- United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II
- Recipients of the Silver Star
- United States Marines
- Northwestern University alumni
- People from Marshalltown, Iowa