Patricia Polacco was born in 1944 in Michigan. She struggled with dyslexia as a child and felt dumb, but found support from her family and teachers. Many of Polacco's books are inspired by her family history and childhood. She began her career restoring icons but found success writing children's books later in life. Polacco's books celebrate family traditions and culture through memorable stories.

1. Ann Marie Jakobsen
Byrd School Media Specialist

2. Patricia Ann Barber was born on July 11, 1944 in Lansing, Michigan. She has an
older brother, Richie.
Her mom was a teacher from a Russian/Ukrainian background. Her dad was a
salesman who became a television talk show host. He was of Irish descent.
Polacco’s parents were divorced when she was three. She lived with her mother
on her grandmother’s farm in Union City, Michigan. Polacco later moved to
Oakland, California with her mother.
In recent years she has returned to Michigan to live, dream, and create magical
picture books for children.
“In both Mom‟s house and Dad‟s place there was always a rocking
chair, just for me. I spent hours … just rocking and dreaming every
day. I spent a lot of time in my imagination.”

3. As a young girl, Patricia longed for the day she would be able
to read.
Her dreams shattered as she struggled to read while her
classmates passed her by.
Patricia felt dumb and was bullied by her classmates.
Finally, in fifth grade, a special teacher, Mr. Falker, realized
Patricia saw words in a different way. She was NOT stupid –
she was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 14.
http://dyslexickids.net/_Dyslexia_.html
“I knew that inside I was very smart, but at
school I felt stupid and slow.”

4. One of Polacco’s most popular books, The Keeping Quilt, is the
story of a wonderful quilt that has been in her family through
many generations.
Many of Patricia’s stories are inspired by her family and their
love of storytelling. When times were hard at school, her family
always made her feel safe and loved.
“Both sets of my grandparents were captivating
storytellers … they squinted up their eyes, watched our
faces, and began to „tell‟”

5. Patricia’s babushka (her Ukrainian grandmother)
told her incredible tales in the evening in front of
the fireplace. There was no TV in her house!
They called this “Firetalking” and Patricia loved
hearing her Babushka’s stories over and over
again.
Babushka’s Doll is a tale about a little girl who
bosses around her kind grandmother and the
magical doll that teaches her a valuable lesson.
“Whenever she finished one of her tales of magic and
mystery, my brother and I would always ask, “Bubby is
that a true story?” She would look at us and reply, “Of
course it‟s true … but it may not have happened.”

6. In Pink and Say, Patricia tells a story once told by her
great-great-great grandfather and passed down to
her.
Set during the Civil War, this is a story of a special
friendship between two very different boys – one
black and one white. Taken prisoner by the
Confederates, the boys are separated forever.
Patricia’s lifelong friend, Stuart, is an African-
American and inspired her to write this book.
“Family is more than blood. It crosses generations. It
should cross race, it should cross gender, it should
cross all of it. It can be someone you just connect to.”

7. • Oakland Tech. High School Oakland,
California
• California College of Arts and Crafts
Oakland, California
• Laney Community College Oakland,
California
• Monash University Mulgrave, Australia
• Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
Melbourne, Australia
• PhD in Art History Emphasis on
Iconography
“My brain scrambles images that my eyes see. But once I
got the hang of it, I went on in school. I even ended up
graduating from college, and getting my Ph.D. in Art
History.”

8. Patricia’s first career was restoring ancient icons for museums.
She began writing and illustrating children’s books when she was
41 years old! Her first book was Meteor and it was a “mostly true”
tale about when a real meteor crashed in the backyard of her
family home in Michigan. The small Midwestern town went crazy!
“I am so lucky … so very lucky! I love my life. Can you
imagine doing what you love every day?”

9. IN HER OWN WORDS
Patricia Polacco wrote this
autobiography in 1994 as part of a
“Meet the Author” series of books
for children.
She talks about her family, past and
present, and her childhood struggles
in school.
She talks about what inspires her
and her love of art.
The book includes many
photographs of Patricia Polacco and
her family.

10. CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF ALL OF
PATRICA POLACCO’S BOOKS:
http://www.patriciapolacco.com/books/index.
html
Polacco’s newest book is also from her childhood
memories. Recognized for her art talent, young Trisha is
chosen for a special art class taught by the high school art
teacher, Miss Chew.
Check it out at the Byrd School Media Center!
“My heart sings whenever I am drawing.”

11. • Polacco’s books are true memoirs.
• Her books celebrate family through
generations, tradition, and culture.
• Her signature art combines a variety of materials:
pencil, markers, acrylics, pastels and uses white space to
focus a reader’s attention on characters and story.
• Polacco writes about other important themes:
friendship, storytelling, tolerance, anti-bullying.
• But mostly – through her books and through her author
visits, Patrica Polacco empowers children to believe in
themselves and always to dream.

12. • International Reading Association Award for Younger Readers, 1989, for Rechenka’s
Eggs
• Sydney Taylor Book Award for Picture Books, Association of Jewish Libraries, 1989, for
The Keeping Quilt
• Commonwealth Club of California Award, 1990, for Babushka’s Doll, and 1992, for
Chicken Sunday
• Boston Area Education for Social Responsibility Award, 1992
• Golden Kite Award for Illustration, 1992, for Chicken Sunday
• Jane Addams Award Honor Book designation, 1993, for Mr. Katz and Tush
• American Book of the Year Award nomination, 1995, and West Virginia Children’s
Book Award, 1997, both for Pink and Say
• Jo Osborne Award for Humor, 1996; North Dakota Library Association Children’s Book
Award, 1996, and Missouri Show Me Readers’ Award, 1997, for My Rotten Redheaded
Older Brother
• Parents’ Choice Honor designation, 1998, and Gold Award, 1999, both for Thank
You, Mr. Falker
• Mid-South Independent Booksellers Humpty Dumpty Award, 1998
• 2012 Catholic Library Association Regina Medal Award Winner for her body of work.

13. http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interview
s/polacco/

14. http://www.patriciapolacco.com/

15. References
Bloem, P.L. & Manna, A.L. (1999, May). A chorus of questions: Readers respond to Patricia Polacco. The Reading Teacher, 52, 802-808.
Johnson, N.J. & Giorgis, C. (2005, September). Patricia Polacco: Weaving Family and Memory into Story. Book Links, 15, 52-55.
“Meet Authors and Illustrators: Patricia Polacco.” Retrieved June 9, 2012 from http://www.childrenslit.com.
“Patricia Polacco.” Contemporary Authors Online. Detroit: Gale, 2011. Gale Biography In Context.
“Patricia Polacco: Patricia Polacco Author Study.” Retrieved June 9, 2012 from http://www.readinglady.com
Polacco, P. (1990). Babushka’s doll. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.
Polacco, P. (1994). Firetalking. Katonah, NY: Richard C. Owen Publishers, Inc.
Polacco, P. (1988). The keeping quilt. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster for Young Readers.
Polacco, P. (1978). Meteor!. New York, NY: Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers.
Polacco, P. (1994). Pink and Say. New York, NY: Philomel Books.
Polacco, P. (1998). Thank you, Mr. Falker. New York, NY: Philomel Books.
www.patriciapolacco.com
National core content standards. (2012). Retrieved June 14, 2012, from http://www.corestandards.org/the-
standards/english-language-arts-standards
Standards for the 21st century learner. (2012). Retrieved June 14, 2012,
fromhttp://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/AASL_Learning_Standards_2007.pdf