Clifford B. Hicks

Clifford B. Hicks (August 10, 1920 – September 29, 2010) was an American writer and magazine editor, best known for his children's books chronicling the adventures of Alvin Fernald.

Biography Hicks was born in Marshalltown, Iowa in 1920. He graduated cum laude from Northwestern University, then served as a U.S. Marine during World War II, earning the Silver Star. In 1945, he joined the staff of Popular Mechanics magazine, and became a special projects editor in 1963. He wrote the magazine's Do-It-Yourself Materials Guide and edited the Do-It-Yourself Encyclopedia.

The books inspired a pair of two-part Disney television movies: The Whiz Kid and the Mystery at Riverton (1974), and The Whiz Kid and the Carnival Caper (1976). Both starred Eric Shea as Alvin Fernald and Kim Richards as his sister Daffy and aired on The Wonderful World of Disney. Ted Gehring also appeared in both films, while Mystery at Riverton (which was based on the 1970 book Alvin Fernald, Mayor for a Day) featured John Fiedler, Dick Wilson, and Hal Smith, and the Carnival Caper featured Jaclyn Smith, Richard Bakalyan, and Ronnie Schell.

Hicks wrote one non-fiction children's book, The World Above (1965), which discusses the Earth's atmosphere and the universe beyond. In 1971, he began the Peter Potts series, Hicks also wrote a two-act play, Alvin Fernald, Mayor for a Day (1992), which was based on one of his Alvin Fernald books.

Children's books authored by Clifford Hicks Alvin Fernald series The Marvelous Inventions of Alvin Fernald – 1960 (illustrated by Charles Geer) Alvin's Secret Code – 1963 Alvin Fernald, Foreign Trader – 1966 Alvin Fernald, Mayor for a Day – 1970 Alvin Fernald, Superweasel – 1974 Alvin's Swap Shop – 1976 Alvin Fernald, TV Anchorman – 1980 The Wacky World of Alvin Fernald – 1981 Alvin Fernald, Master of a Thousand Disguises – 1986 Alvin Fernald's Incredible Buried Treasure – 2009

Peter Potts series Peter Potts – 1971 Pop and Peter Potts – 1984 Peter Potts Book of World Records – 1987

Other children's books First Boy on the Moon – 1959 The World Above – 1965