Patricia Polacco

by Julia

     Picture a red headed farm girl in Michigan who loved her grandparents stories so much that she is still telling them today. That little girl is author Patricia Polacco. Patricia was born in 1944 in Lansing, Michigan. She grew up on a farm. Later she moved to California.  While growing up she spent time with her father in the summer and spent time with her mom in the winter. Patricia Polacco always made books with her drawings for friends, but she had difficulty reading so she wasn't a writer until later. Instead she focused on her art.

     When she was about 40 she joined a group of writers and illustrators. That's were she learned to turn her love of stories into books for children. Her first book was Meteor. This story was all about a meteor that actually crashed into her grandparents' front yard. The Keeping Quilt is another famous book she wrote. It is about how her grandma made a quilt to remind the family of their roots in another country. Some of her other books are Rechenka's Egg, Babushka's Doll, Just Plain Fancy, Thunder Cake and Chicken Sunday. Her latest book is January's Sparrow written in 2009.

     One of my favorite books is Thank You Mr. Falker. I like this book because  my teacher read it to me and it is about how Patricia learned to read. My other favorite book is Mrs. Katz and Tush.  Patricia Polacco has written more than 50 books. Most of them were from the stories that were shared in her family. So, if you want a heart warming tale about families, try reading a book by Patricia Polacco.