John Gile is a study in
contrasts. He was a rebellious student who dropped
out of high school and left home for a period during
turbulent teen years. He returned — thanks to
parent/teacher tough love — and later was
trained as a Russian interpreter for the United
States Army Security Agency, graduated Magna Cum
Laude from Northern Illinois University, and went on
to become an award-winning author of books that made
and topped bestseller lists.
Gile has presented programs across the
United States and in Europe to more than 500,000,
including student reading and writing programs,
teacher in-service programs, and communication
workshops for businesses and organizations. He has
been a guest for literacy and other communication
skill discussions on numerous radio and television
talk shows across the country and is a frequent
speaker at education conferences, including Staff
Development for Educators programs and the World
Congress of the International Reading Association in
New Zealand. He also speaks and writes extensively on
the duties, rights, and privileges of citizenship.
Gile's books include titles
for children and adults: The
First Forest, Keeping
First Things First, Oh,
How I Wished I Could Read! and What
Is That Thing? Whose Stuff Is This? One
of his books has been published in Chinese and
Spanish and three have been book club selections.
Gile also is author of features published by
periodicals throughout the United States and Canada.
He created and produced the cartoon “Blockheads
& Co.” for the Register and Tribune
Syndicate and wrote a humor column, “Gile
Without Guile,” which was syndicated nationally
by NC News Service.
Gile and his wife Renie were married
in 1967 and live in Rockford, Illinois. They are the
parents of two sons and four daughters and have been
promoted to grandparents.
