Charles Ghigna (born August 25, 1946), known also as Father Goose is an

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poet and author of children's and adults' books. He has written more than 5,000 poems and 100 books. Ghigna was born in

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. His parents relocated to

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when he was five. Ghigna graduated from

Florida Atlantic University Florida Atlantic University (Florida Atlantic or FAU) is a public research university with its main campus in Boca Raton, Florida, and satellite campuses in Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, and Fort Pierce. FAU belongs to the 12-c ...

with a

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in 1968 and a

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degree in 1970. In 1974, he became a poet-in-residence and started teaching creative writing at the Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA). He subsequently worked on the children's television show ''Cabbages and Kings'' and in 1979 taught creative writing at

Samford University Samford University is a private Christian university in Homewood, Alabama. In 1841, the university was founded as Howard College by Baptists. Samford University describes itself as the 87th oldest institution of higher learning in the United St ...

. Ghigna's first book of poetry, ''Returning to Earth'', was published in 1989. He published his first children's poetry books in 1992, before leaving ASFA the following year and taking up writing for children full-time. Ghigna lives in Homewood, Alabama with his wife, the author Debra Ghigna. Their son, Chip Ghigna, is an artist.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ghigna, Charles 1946 births American children's writers American male poets Florida State University alumni Writers from Birmingham, Alabama Living people People from Bayside, Queens People from Homewood, Alabama Children's poets