The story of the industrious Little Red Hen is not a new one, but when this particular hen spies a can of tomato sauce in her cupboard and decides to make a pizza, the familiar tale takes on a fresh new twist. Kids will love following along as the hen, with no help from her friends the duck, the dog, and the cat, goes through the steps of making a pizza-shopping for supplies, making the dough, and adding the toppings. But despite their initial resistance, the hen's friends come through in the end and help out in a refreshing and surprising way.
Philemon has had a strong appetite for books since he was a boy. He loves to read books and poetry aloud in his booming voice. The father of three grown daughters, Philemon enjoys visiting schools and writing for a young audience. "Everything is new to kids," says Philemon. "it is an honor to introduce them to things -- plus, it's fun!"
A former award-winning architect, Philemon now uses his vision to create books rather than buildings. Philemon had his first book published in 1995 and has published at least a book a year since then. He typically likes to work on two or three new story ideas at a time.
As a boy, Philemon spent many summers at his grandpa's house in Bristol, Rhode Island, where he fell in love with boats and the sea. After a four-year Navy stint in Japan, he moved back to Rhode Island. When he wasn't working on the development of downtown Providence, the waterfront of Newport, or the boat basin on Nantucket, he spent his time sailing, clamming, and riding the waves in his dory, the Dawn Treader. He even spent a year living on an old ferryboat moored in Providence Harbor.
Currently, Philemon splits his time between the city and the country. He can be found at home in the heart of Boston's South End (in a brownstone he redesigned) or out in the charming country town of Princeton, Massachusetts. He lives with his wife, Judy Sue, and his two dogs, Rufina and Giotto. Wherever he is, Philemon enjoys cooking and eating and spending time with friends. (Rufina and Giotto love his leftovers!)
