Carpenter , Humphrey , and Mari Prichard. The Oxford Companion to Children's Literature. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1984. The authors give a brief overview of Townsend's life and work.

Commire, Anne, ed. Something about the Author. Vol. 4. Detroit: Gale Research, 1973. Contains a biographical overview punctuated by Townsend's own words about his life and work.

Egoff, Sheila, G. T. Stubbs, and L. F. Ashley, eds. Only Connect. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1969. This collection of essays about literature for children and young adults contains two essays by Townsend.

Riley, Carolyn, ed. Children's Literature Review. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale Research, 1976. Contains excerpts from reviews of books Townsend wrote before 1976.

Sarkissian, Adele, ed. Something about the Author, Autobiography Series. Vol.

2. Detroit: Gale Research, 1986. Along autobiographical essay by Townsend includes photos of the author at different stages in his life.

Townsend, John Rowe. A Sense of Story: Essays on Contemporary Writers for Children...