The Father Goose House
The Father Goose House is a 100 year-old English Tudor cottage located in the old Edgewood section of Homewood, Alabama,
home to Debra and Charles Ghigna for the past 50 years. Affectionately known as "Father Goose," Charles has written more than
100 books and 5,000 poems in The Father Goose House. His writing room which he calls his "treehouse" is located in the attic.
Authors and poets who visited with Father Goose over the years include Betty Adcock, James Baldwin, Van K. Brock, Gwendolyn Brooks, Eric Carle, Clive Cussler, Ann Deagon, James Dickey, Rebecca K. Dotlich, Rita Dove, Mem Fox, Anne George, Nikki Giovanni, Robert Hayden, William Bradford Huie, Madeleine L’Engle, P.D. James, David Small, William Meredith, Michael Mott, Kenn Nesbitt, Eugene Platt, R.L. Stine, Mark Strand, Omor Sultonov, John Updike, Margaret Walker, Kathryn Tucker Windham, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, and Jane Yolen.
See photos below of Charles Ghigna with some of these authors and poets.
Father Goose
Charles Ghigna - Father Goose® is the author of more than 100 books from Disney, Random House, Schiffer, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster, Time Inc. and other publishers, and more than 5000 poems, many of which appear in textbooks, anthologies, newspapers, and magazines including The New Yorker, Harper’s, Rolling Stone, The Village Voice, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, as well as in Highlights, Cricket and numerous other magazines for children. He served as poet-in-residence and chair of creative writing at the Alabama School of Fine Arts, instructor of creative writing at Samford University, poetry editor of English Journal for the National Council of Teachers of English, and as a nationally syndicated feature writer for Tribune Media Services. He speaks at schools, colleges, conferences, libraries, and literary events throughout the U.S. and overseas, and has read his poems at The Library of Congress, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the American Library in Paris, the American School in Paris, and the International Schools of South America. For more information, visit his website at FatherGoose.com
Click link to watch video of the reading
Reading from BOUND TO DREAM: AN IMMIGRANT STORY
Alabama Booksmith
Homewood, Alabama
Sept 26, 2024
Blount County Public Schools
Oneonta, Alabama
June 3, 2024
Summer Reading Program
Southeastern Elementary
Remlap, Alabama
June 3, 2024
Summer Reading Program
Cleveland Elementary
Cleveland, Alabama
June 3, 2024
Homewood Public Library
Homewood, Alabama
May 18, 2024
Southern Festival of Books
Nashville, Tennessee
October 2023
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Birmingham, Alabama
May 13, 2023
(photo by Debra Ghigna) 
Alabama Booksmith
Homewood, Alabama
April 27, 2023
(photo by Debra Ghigna) 
Charles Ghigna, Jake Reiss, Debra Ghigna, Chip Ghigna
Alabama Booksmith
Homewood, Alabama
April 27, 2023
Alabama Booksmith
Homewood, Alabama
April 27, 2023
(photo by Debra Ghigna) 
Charles Ghigna speaking to 500 teachers, parents, and children
Southern Kentucky Festival of Books
Bowling Green, Kentucky
March 24, 2023
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Charles Ghigna with parents and children
Southern Kentucky Festival of Books
Bowling Green, Kentucky
March 25, 2023
(photo by Debra Ghigna) 
Monroeville, Alabama
March 3-4, 2023
Monroeville Literary Festival
Monroeville, Alabama
March 4, 2023
Debra and Charles Ghigna, Joy Harjo,
Robert McCammon, Lisa McNair, Jacqueline Trimble
Booksigning Table
Monroeville Literary Festival
Monroeville, Alabama
March 4, 2023
Debra and Charles Ghigna
Monroeville Academy
Monroeville, Alabama
March 2, 2023
Homewood, Alabama
Jan. 27, 2023
(photo by Maureen Kelley) 
Hall-Kent Elementary School
Homewood, Alabama
Jan. 27, 2023
(photo by Maureen Kelley) 
Chip Ghigna, Debra Ghigna, Charles Ghigna, Julie Pierce and Sparky
Santa Cruz, CaliforniaNov 23, 2022
(photo by Scott Pierce)
Debra Ghigna and Charles Ghigna
Santa Cruz, California
Charles Ghigna with bookstore owner and authors
November 14, 2018 
November 14, 2018
R.L. Stein and Charles Ghigna
Alabama Library Expo
Southern Kentucky Book Fest
Homewood, Alabama
Debra Ghigna, Charles Ghigna, Diana Levaton
Paris, France
Charles Ghigna, Heather Brinson, Brand Armstrong
Nov 25, 2022
(photo by Chip Ghigna) 
Charles Ghigna celebrating one million books published by Random House
Springville Road Library
Birmingham, Alabama
Oct 18, 2022
(photos by Chip Ghigna)
Little Professor Bookshop
Homewood, Alabama
May 2022
(photo by Elise Ferrer)
Librarians from the Children's Department
Homewood Public Library
Cristina Castor, Mary Eller, Charles Ghigna, Laura Tucker, and Aaliyah
Jefferson County Public Library Association
Champions Banquet
Hoover Met Center
Hoover, Alabama
Dec. 3, 2019
Trussville Public Library
Trussville, Alabama
Oct. 6, 2019
(photo by Chip Ghigna)
Granddaughter Charlotte Rose Ghigna
and her daddy Chip Ghigna
visiting the Treehouse
Homewood, Alabama
2019
Reading in the Treehouse
Homewood, Alabama
July 16, 2019
(photo by Chip Ghigna)
The University of Alabama
Gorgas Library
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
May 11, 2019
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Auburn University
Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art
Auburn, Alabama
Apr. 13, 2019
Books-A-Million
Brookwood Village
Homewood, Alabama
Mar. 23, 2019
Meadow View Elementary School
School Visit
Alabaster, Alabama
Mar. 7, 2019
Homewood Public Library
Booksigning
Homewood, Alabama
Jan. 2, 2019
Alabama Literacy Association Conference
Birmingham, Alabama
Nov. 1, 2019
Kilby Laboratory School
University of North Alabama
Florence, Alabama
Teacher Workshop
University of North Alabama
Florence, Alabama
National Book Festival
Washington, DC
Sept. 1, 2018
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Editor Mary Burleson, Charles Ghigna, publisher Dawn Burbank
Whitman Publishing
Alabama Chapter of the American Pediatrics Meeting
Florence, Alabama
August 28, 2018
Charles Ghigna and editors
National Geographic Books for Children
American Library Association Convention
New Orleans, Louisiana
June 25, 2018
National Science Teachers Association Conference
Atlanta, Georgia
March 17, 2018
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Chip Ghigna and Charles Ghigna
Bryant Park
New York City
Dec. 17, 2017
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Debra Ghigna and Charles Ghigna
Museum of Modern Art
New York City
Dec. 15, 2017
(photo by Chip Ghigna)
Chip Ghigna and Charles Ghigna
The Roosevelt Hotel
New York City
Dec. 14, 2017
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Debra Ghigna and Charles Ghigna
The Roosevelt Hotel
New York City
Dec. 13-18, 2017
(photo by Chip Ghigna)
A view from the Father Goose Tree House
Homewood, Alabama
Dec. 8, 2017
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Inside the Treehouse
Homewood, Alabama
2017
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Debra Ghigna, Charles Ghigna, Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Homewood, Alabama
2017
Charles Ghigna and granddaughter, Charlotte Rose Ghigna
Homewood, Alabama
2017
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Southern Kentucky Book Fest
Bowling Green, Kentucky
2017
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
"Father Goose meets Goosebumps"
Southern Kentucky Book Fest
Bowling Green, Kentucky
2017
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Crestline Elementary School
Mountain Brook, Alabama
February 24, 2017
Helena Intermediate School
Helena, Alabama
February 9, 2017
Debra Ghigna and Charles Ghigna
Honfleur, France
2016
(photo by Chip Ghigna) 
Books-A-Million Bookstore
Animal Planet Book
Winner of National Science Teachers Association Award
Birmingham, AL
2016
(photo by Debra Ghigna) 
The Walker School
Marietta, Georgia
2016
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Sixes Elementary School
Canton, Georgia
2016
Charles Ghigna, Charlottle Rose Ghigna and children
FoxTale Book Shoppe
Woodstock, Georgia
2016
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Mount Vernon, Washington
2016
(photo by Scott Pierce)
Mercer Island, Washington
2016
(photo by Scott Pierce) 
Jake Reiss, Charles Ghigna, Chip Ghigna, Debra Ghigna
Alabama Booksmith
Homewood, Alabama
December 8, 2016
Tea Time in the Treehouse
Homewood, Alabama
2015
5-City Book Tour
Mobile, Montgomery, Birmingham, Wheeler, Huntsville
2015
Books-A-Million
Brookwood Village
Homewood, Alabama
2015
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Barnes & Noble Bookstore 
Charlotte Rose Ghigna and Charles Ghigna
Birmingham, Alabama
2015
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Homewood Public Library
Homewood, Alabama
2015
(photo by Chip Ghigna)
Charlotte Rose Ghigna and Charles Ghigna
Chip Ghigna Art Show
The Ellenburg Art Gallery - Homewood Library
Homewood, Alabama
2015
(photo by Chip Ghigna)
St Tropez, France
2015
(photo by Chip Ghigna)
Debra Ghigna and Charles Ghigna
Montmartre
Paris, France
2015
(photo by Chip Ghigna)
Debra Ghigna and Charles Ghigna
Beach Party
St Tropez, France
2015
(photo by Chip Ghigna)
Debra Ghigna, Chip Ghigna, Charles Ghigna
St Tropez, France
2015
(photo by Diana Levaton)
Charles Ghigna and daughter Julie Pierce
Top of the Statue of Vulcan
Birmingham, Alabama
2014
(photo by Scott Pierce)
Charles Ghigna and Debra Ghigna
Celebrating the Elo Pillow
with 32 of our audio stories
Homewood, Alabama
2014
(photo by Chip Ghigna)
Debra Ghigna, Librarian Ashley Fowlkes, Charles Ghigna
Southern Kentucky Book Fest
Bowling Green, Kentucky
2014
Bowling Green, Kentucky
2014 (photo by Debra Ghigna)
Charlotte Rose Ghigna serenades Grandpa Goose on the piano
Homewood, Alabama
2014
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Illustrator Lori Nichols and Charles Ghigna
Homewood Public Library
Homewood, Alabama
2014
Charles Ghigna and children
Homewood Christmas Parade
Homewood, Alabama
2013
(photo by Chip Ghigna)
Library Director Deborah Fout and Charles Ghigna
Christmas Parade
Homewood, Alabama
2013
(photo by Chip Ghigna)
Grandson Christopher Pierce and Charles Ghigna
Seattle, Washington
2013
(photo by Scott Pierce)
Texas Library Association
Dallas, Texas
2013
Rebecca Davis, Charles Waters, Amy VanDerwater, Charles Ghigna, Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Texas Library Association
Dallas, Texas
2013
Charles Ghigna and Debra Ghigna
Destin Beach, Florida
2013
(photo by Chip Ghigna)
Charles Ghigna and Charlotte Rose Ghigna
Birmingham Zoo
Birmingham, Alabama
2012
(photo by Chip Ghigna)
Charlotte Rose Ghigna and Charles Ghigna
Treehouse
Homewood, Alabama
2012
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Homewood Public Library
Homewood, Alabama
2012
(photo by Brigid Galloway)
Charles Ghigna and Charlotte Rose Ghigna
Toys R Us
Birmingham, Alabama
2011
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Charles Ghigna and Librarians
Trussville Public Library
Trussville, Alabama
2010
Debra Ghigna, Chip Ghigna, Charles Ghigna, Julie Pierce
Seattle, Washington
2009
(photo by Scott Pierce)
Debra Ghigna and Charles Ghigna
Celebrating publication of Love Poems
Homewood, Alabama
2008
(photo by Beverly Taylor)
Homewood Public Library
Homewood, Alabama
2007
Honey and Charles Ghigna
Treehouse
Homewood, Alabama
2006
(photo by Beau Gustafson)
Debra Ghigna and Charles Ghigna
Jefferson County Board of Education
Birmingham, Alabama
2005
Jonathan Benton Bookstore
Mountain Brook, Alabama
2003
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Charles Ghigna, Honey and children
Front yard
Homewood, Alabama
2003
(photo by Beau Gustafson)
Debra Ghigna, Michel Levaton, Charles Ghigna, Diana Levaton
The Levatons' vacation home
Giverny, France
2002
Honey and Charles Ghigna
Homewood, Alabama
2001
Rick Bragg, Charles Ghigna, Debra Ghigna
Birmingham Public Library
Birmingham, Alabama
2000
Chip Ghigna, Charles Ghigna, Julie Pierce, Debra Ghigna
San Francisco, California
1999
(photo by Scott Pierce)
1999
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Cooper Memorial Library
Opelika, Alabama
1998
(photo by Katie Lamar Smith)
Charles Ghigna, Patricia Gauch, Jon Agee, Eric Carle
The de Grummand Children's Literature Collection
University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
1997
Vinemont Elementary
Cullman, Alabama
1996
Homewood Park
Homewood, Alabama
1995
Booksigning
Books-A-Million / Eastwood Mall
Birmingham, Alabama
1994
School Visit
Birmingham, Alabama
1994
Librarian Catherine Hill, Charles Ghigna and Debra Ghigna
Edgewood Elementary School
Homewood, Alabama1994
Mark Strand and Charles Ghigna
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah1993
Paris, France
1993
Books of Wonder
First Booksigning
of four new titles from Disney/Hyperion
New York, New York
1993
Chip Ghigna, Charles Ghigna, Debra Ghigna
Homewood, Alabama
1992
(photo by Jerry Ayres)
Charles Ghigna and Chip Ghigna
Backyard, Homewood, Alabama
1992
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Scholastic Writing Awards Ceremony
Brad, 1st Place for Poetry and Heather, 1st Place for
Fiction
First time two student
winners came from the same state (Alabama),
same school (Alabama School
of Fine Arts), and the same class.
Previous student winners include Sylvia Path,
Truman Capote,
John Updike, Stephen King, and Amanda Gorman.
Homewood, Alabama
Debra Ghigna, mother Patricia Ghigna, daughter Julie Ghigna, grandmother Laura Ghigna
Charles V. Ghigna (Father) and Charles Ghigna
Charles Ghigna (Dad), Rev. E.M. Barnes, Charles Ghigna
Charles Ghigna
Waldorf Astoria
New York, New York
1991
Creative Writing Lab
Alabama School of Fine Arts
Birmingham, Alabama
1991
Three Generations of Charles Vincent Ghigna
My father, my son, and me
Franklin, North Carolina
1988
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Homewood, Alabama
1987
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Charles Ghigna with Catherine Hill, Librarian
Homewood Public Library
Homewood, Alabama
1986
Charles Ghigna and Carolyn Scott, Fiction Instructor
Alabama School of Fine Arts
Birmingham, Alabama
1986
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Six-week summer residency
Washington, DC
1984
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Alabama School of Fine Arts
Birmingham, Alabama
1984
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Charles Ghigna and Debra Ghigna
Seattle, Washington
Photo taken right after interview by NASA Space Center Officials
for the Poet in Space Project on the Space Shuttle Challenger.
President Reagan later changed the mission to the Teacher in Space Project.
The Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight,
killing all seven crew members, including Christa McAuliffe,
the teacher chosen for this mission.
1984
Charles Ghigna and James Dickey
Birmingham Art Museum
Birmingham, Alabama
1983
(photo by John Northrop)
James Dickey and Charles Ghigna
Alabama School of Fine Arts
Birmingham, Alabama
1983
(photo by John Northrop)
Debra Ghigna and Charles Ghigna
Baylor School
Chattanooga, Tennessee
1983
(photo by Finn Bille)
City Lights Bookstore
San Francisco, California
1983
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Charles Ghigna and Debra Ghigna
Las Vegas, Nevada
1983
1983
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Grandfather's Funeral
New York City
1982
James Baldwin and Charles Ghigna
Alabama School of Fine Arts
Birmingham, Alabama
1982
(photo by John Northrop)
Baylor School for Boys
Chattanooga, Tennessee
1982
Alabama School of Fine Arts
Birmingham, Alabama
1982
Columbiana, Alabama
1981
Linn Park
Birmingham, Alabama
1980
(photo by Dale Short)
Debra Ghigna, Julie Ghigna, Charles Ghigna with Mother and Father
Visiting Grandparents
New York, New York
1980
New York, New York
1980
Homewood, Alabama
1980
Robert Hayden and Charles Ghigna
Montgomery, Alabama
1979
Robert Hayden and Charles Ghigna
Library of Congress
Washington, DC
1978
Alabama State Poetry Society
Arlington Home
Birmingham, Alabama
1978
National Writers Conference
Denver, Colorado
1978
Homewood, Alabama
1977
(photo by Debra Ghigna)
Debra Ghigna and Charles Ghigna
London, England
1977
(photo by Chris Lawson)
Debra Ghigna and Charles Ghigna
Homewood, Alabama
1977
(photo by Sandra Simpson)
Huntsville, Alabama
1976
(photo by Tim Weber)
Northeast Mississippi Jr. College
Booneville, Mississippi
1976
Wedding Day
First Methodist Church
Birmingham, Alabama
1974
(photo by Beck Wilson)
Charles Ghigna
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida
Celebrating the publication of poem
"The Alabama Wiregrassers" in Harper's Magazine
and the first year as Poetry Editor of English Journal
for the National Council of Teachers of English
1974
Daughter Julie Ghigna and Charles Ghigna
Fort Myers, Florida
1972
Edison Players Theatre Company
Fort Myers, Florida
1969
Charles Ghigna with Mother and Father
Age 18
Leaving for College
Saying goodbye to Mom and Dad
Fort Myers, Florida
1965
Age 9, 4th Grade
Tice Elementary
Fort Myers, Florida
1955
Charles Ghigna age 5 with Mother
Fort Myers, Florida
1950
Bayside, New York
1948
