Bill Harley

Bill Harley is an author, storyteller, songwriter, and playwright best known for his work with children and families. He is the author of fifteen books for children, including picture books and middle grade novels. His work has influenced generations of children, parents, performing artists and educators.

Bill’s debut novel, The Amazing Flight of Darius Frobisher, was chosen by Bank Street School of Education as one of the best children’s books of the year. Night of the Spadefoot Toads was awarded the Green Earth Book Award as best environmental book of the year (children’s fiction). His seven-book Charlie Bumper series, about the tribulations of a fourth grader, has won wide acclaim, including the Beverly Cleary Children’s Choice Award, and is a popular choice in the One School, One Book program from Read to Them®. His most recent novel, Now You Say Yes (2022, Peachtree), tells of a cross-country odyssey by two siblings trying to reach their grandmother during the summer of the “Great American Eclipse”.

A prolific recording artist, Bill has produced forty award-winning recordings, garnering two Grammy© awards, numerous Parents’ Choice awards, and recognition from the American Library Association and The National Parenting Association. Entertainment Weekly described Harley as “the Mark Twain of contemporary kids’ music”.

For almost fifty years, Harley has toured nationally and internationally, appearing at festivals, conferences, schools and theaters, sharing the stage with the likes of Sting, Pete Seeger, and scores of elementary school choirs. For twenty years, he was a regular commentator on NPR’s “All Things Considered.” He received an honorary Doctor of Letters from Hamilton College, induction to the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame, and Lifetime Achievement awards from the Children’s Music Network and the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities.

Bill lives in Seekonk, Massachusetts, with his wife and professional partner, Debbie Block, with whom he has two grown sons. When he’s not writing, performing, or recording you can find him tending to his beehives, kayaking the waters or biking the hills of New England, and doing his best to get through the enormous pile of books he’s determined to read.