Welcome!

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I feel lucky to live a couple of miles from Paterson Great Falls National Historic Park, one of the newest national parks in the U.S.. I've visited the Great Falls many times, but now there are park rangers giving tours and a welcome center with lots of information about the history of Paterson, New Jersey. Alexander Hamilton saw the potential power of the Passaic River and the Great Falls to fuel industry. Paterson was established as the first industrial city in 1791. Cotton, silk, paper, airplanes, locomotives, and rifles were some of the products built in its mills and factories. How inspiring!  I'm working on a story about a girl who worked in a Paterson silk mill and helped lead the protests that led to higher wages for the workers in the early 1900's. 
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A young mill worker, and the silk workers strike of 1913 in Paterson

Writing News...

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​I was thrilled to receive Honorable Mention for the Candlewick Picture Book Award scholarship at Vermont College of Fine Arts in January 2016. 
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"Vivian and Victor Learn About Verbs is a fun and helpful title from the Language Builders series which helps kids learn how to use different parts of (English) speech correctly. (The author) uses the device of telling an exciting story about two nine year old friends training for running in a race. Describing verbs they both like encourages the young racers to bone up for their verb test at school tomorrow. .... A great teaching tool that makes language learning and building effortless and fun for students age 8 and up.                   -- Midwest Book Review
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Lee & Low Books released a paperback edition of Yasmin's Hammer in September 2015. In the noisy streets of Dhaka, Bangladesh, another busy morning is beginning as Yasmin rides to work in her father’s rattling rickshaw. Yasmin longs to go to school so she can learn to read, but her family needs the money she and her sister earn at the brickyard to help keep the rice bag full and the roof repaired. This is a story of persistence and hope--and the power of education to change a child's life and future. 
My book review of Shelley Pearsall's middle grade novel The Seventh Most Important Thing
“Unless someone like YOU cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not.” -- Dr. Seuss