Washington Irving

Hello. My name is Washington Irving, and I was one of America's first famous storytellers. I was born in a big city called New York City on April 3rd, 1783. That was a very special time because the American Revolutionary War had just ended, and America was a brand new country. My parents were so proud of our country's hero, General George Washington, that they decided to name me after him. I even got to meet him once. In 1789, when I was just a little boy, he patted my head. It was a moment I would never forget and a great start to my life in a new nation.

When I was growing up, I wasn't the biggest fan of sitting still in school. I would much rather be outside exploring. I loved wandering through the busy streets of New York City and visiting the sleepy little towns along the beautiful Hudson River. The world was full of interesting sights and stories just waiting to be discovered. I especially loved stories, and soon I began writing my own. I started by writing funny tales about the city and the people who lived there. Around the year 1809, I published a very humorous history book. I didn't use my real name, though. I used a silly pen name, Diedrich Knickerbocker. This was just the beginning of my life as an author.

For a while, I traveled far away to a place called Europe. I saw many amazing things, but after some time, I started to miss my home in America. I thought about the quiet valleys and tall trees along the Hudson River. Missing home inspired me to write a collection of stories. Between 1819 and 1820, I published a book called 'The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.' This book had some of my most famous stories inside. Maybe you have heard of them. One story was about a friendly fellow named Rip Van Winkle, who took a long nap in the mountains and woke up 20 years later. Another was about a nervous schoolteacher named Ichabod Crane. In my story, he has a very spooky meeting with a scary rider who has no head, the Headless Horseman.

I became one of America's first famous authors. I showed everyone that Americans could write stories that were just as exciting and wonderful as the stories from Europe. I spent many happy years at my home, which I called Sunnyside, right by the Hudson River I loved so much. I lived to be 76 years old. Today, people all over the world still read my stories, especially my spooky tale about the Headless Horseman around Halloween. I am remembered for helping to create America's very own folklore.