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I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives Caitlin Alifirenka & Martin Ganda with Liz Welch Little, Brown and Company Told through alternating chapters by Caitlin from the United States and Martin from Zimbabwe, this memoir will impress readers with the strong dedication from two teens to maintain a friendship by mail that many would have given up on. The inspirational writing will have many searching for their own pen pal. The photographs of the pair show their obvious differences and it was a pleasure to return to them again and again as the suspenseful story progressed. The book is organized into four parts (Hallo!, Clues, Generosity, A Future) following the deepening friendship of Caitlyn and Martin. The cover design resembles an airmail envelope reminding us this takes place before e-mail is common. The epilogue at the end updates readers on where the pair are now. This is a unique story and a cultural lesson full of love and caring that will appeal to tweens and teens. Jump Back, Paul: The Life and Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar Sally Derby Candlewick Press This book has not only an Ohio connection, but a Dayton, Ohio connection, which is one reason I appreciated it so much. Kid here have heard of Paul Laurence Dunbar, are taught about this fellow high schooler of Orville and Wilbur Wright, can visit his home just west of downtown, and can probably even recite some of his poetry. (Most adult readers will be familiar with his line from Sympathy, "I know what the caged bird feels, alas!") The voice of this book is distinct, reminiscent of a grandmother sharing Dunbar's story. There wouldn’t be a story without the inclusion of some of the poems written by Dunbar, and since his poems couldn’t tell his entire story either, this is a wonderful combination of both. |
I remember the excitement of visiting the public library as a child. The magic and suspense of reading favorites like The Velvet Room and The Secret Garden tugged at my imagination. Biographies of George Washington Carver and Betsy Ross allowed me to see the lives of those who came before me and to appreciate their accomplishments. Poetry collections like my favorite The Tall Book of Poems, which I took with me on sleepovers, introduced me to a range of poetry where I could consider how the placement and rhythm of words affected your mood – sometimes bouncy, other times melancholy. Plus, I really loved the way that book felt in my small hands. My goal in writing children’s books, I think, is an attempt to recreate those feelings, those early years of reading books where everything seemed possible.
I received an M.F.A. in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University and won the Karen and Philip Cushman Late Bloomer Award from SCBWI. I worked as a Children's Librarian for 20 years and still prefer to read books written for young people. I have two Cavapoo dogs named Prince Albert and Daisy Wu, and a black kitten named Mortimer. I am married and split time between homes with my husband Rod in Dayton, OH and in Cadiz, KY where we enjoy our pontoon boat on Lake Barkley.
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