Books with author Patricia Polacco

How did Patricia Polacco become a writer? A perfect companion to the classic Thank You, Mr. Falker, The Art of Miss Chew, and Mr. Wayne’s Masterpiece, this book celebrates a teacher who inspired a young Patricia Polacco to become the writer and storyteller she is today. Trisha is nervous about being chosen for Miss Keller’s writing class. “Killer Keller” demands that her students dazzle her with their writing, and rumor has it that she has never given an A. The rumors turn out to be all too true—there’s just no pleasing Miss Keller. Then an unexpected loss leaves Trisha heartbroken. Thoughts of teachers and grades forgotten, she pours out her soul in a personal narrative. And when Miss Keller reads it, she tells Trisha, “You’ve given your words wings.”

Patricia Polacco shares a never-before-told story about her mother's favorite doll."My Darlin Trisha, my mother wrote..." So begins the story of Patricia Polacco's mother's favorite doll.Whenever Mary Ellen needed Betty Doll, she was there. She survived blizzards and thunderstorms, attended parties and weddings, and helped mourn the deaths of old friends. From the day Trisha's mother first sewed Betty Doll together stitch by stitch, to the day, many years later, when she discovered she had cancer, her soft, sweet Betty Doll was there. Now Betty Doll lives on in Patricia Polacco's soft, beautiful artwork as Trisha shares the warm and poignant moments of her mother's favorite doll with readers of all ages.

The real-life, classic story of a dyslexic girl and the teacher who would not let her fail. A perfect gift for teachers and for reading students of any age.Patricia Polacco is now one of America's most loved children's book creators, but once upon a time, she was a little girl named Trisha starting school. Trisha could paint and draw beautifully, but when she looked at words on a page, all she could see was jumble. It took a very special teacher to recognize little Trisha's dyslexia: Mr. Falker, who encouraged her to overcome her reading disability. Patricia Polacco will never forget him, and neither will we.This inspiring story is available in a deluxe slipcased edition, complete with a personal letter to readers from Patricia Polacco herself. Thank You, Mr. Falker will make a beautiful gift for the special child who needs encouragement&150or any special teacher who has made a difference in the child's life.

Babushka's doll was special. She had played with it only once, when she was a little girl like her high-spirited granddaughter, Natasha. Now Babushka is going to the store and it's Natasha's turn to take the little doll down from the high shelf. When the naughty doll comes to life -- and is even more rambunctious than the little girl herself -- Natasha finds out why playing once with Babushka's doll is enough! Patricia Polacco's beautiful illustrations capture the warmth, humor, and timeless spirit of her magical tale.

When Mary Ellen gets bored with her reading, Grandpa knows a hunt for a bee tree is just what she needs. Half the town joins the exciting chase, but it's not until everyone returns home that Mary Ellen makes a discovery of her own: Sometimes, even the sweetest of things must be worked for.?Polacco has created another charming picture book featuring a child learning from a grandparent in an idyllic pastoral setting?Both the writing and artwork are fresh and inviting.? ? "School Library Journal," starred review?The newest gem from Polacco's treasure chest of family stories extols the virtue of reading?and of taking a study break.?Like Mary Ellen, readers will emerge refreshed from this respite, ready to seek out new adventures.? ? "Publishers Weekly"?Young readers will savor this. "The Horn Book"Patricia Polacco lives in Union City, MI.

Babushka's doll was special. She had played with it only once, when she was a little girl like her high-spirited granddaughter, Natasha. Now Babushka is going to the store and it's Natasha's turn to take the little doll down from the high shelf. When the naughty doll comes to life -- and is even more rambunctious than the little girl herself -- Natasha finds out why playing once with Babushka's doll is enough! Patricia Polacco's beautiful illustrations capture the warmth, humor, and timeless spirit of her magical tale.

Miss Eula is back! In this heartwarming companion to Chicken Sunday, young Trisha is devastated when her grandmother passes away, but finds joy in bonds with a new friend, her new California neighborhood—and the invincible Miss Eula.There will never be anyone like her grandmother, Patricia Polacco thinks, when her grandmother passes away. But when she and her family move to California—in the middle of a drought—she meets a new friend, the irrepressible Stewart, and his amazing grandmother, Miss Eula, who not only takes Trisha under her wing, but, with Trisha and Stewart, steps up to lead their entire extraordinarily diverse neighborhood to help a hurting neighbor—and her once lush garden—survive the drought. Trisha's grandmother's old saying about the stars being Holes in the Sky turns out to be Miss Eula's, too, convincing Trisha that she has miraculously discovered another unforgettable grandmother.

An Irish family stays together with the help of Fiona’s talent for making one-of-a-kind lace in this heartwarming immigration story from the New York Times bestselling creator of The Keeping Quilt.Many years ago, times were hard in all of Ireland, so when passage to America becomes available, Fiona and her family travel to Chicago. They find work in domestic service to pay back their passage, and at night Fiona turns tangles of thread into a fine, glorious lace. Then when the family is separated, it is the lace that Fiona’s parents follow to find her and her sister and bring the family back together. And it is the lace that will always provide Fiona with memories of Ireland and of her mother’s words: “In your heart your true home resides, and it will always be with you as long as you remember those you love.” This generational story from the family of Patricia Polacco’s Irish father brims with the same warmth and heart as the classic The Keeping Quilt and The Blessing Cup, which Kirkus Reviews called “deeply affecting” in a starred review, and embraces the comfort of family commitment and togetherness that Patricia Polacco’s books are known for.

A charming picture book set in an Amish community, by the beloved storyteller Patricia Polacco.Naomi lives with her farming family in an Amish village in Pennsylvania. As part of her household chores, Naomi looks after the chickens with her little sister, Ruth.One day Naomi and Ruth find an abandoned egg near the road. Naomi decides this special egg must be hatched. And when it is, it's plain to see that this is no ordinary chick!The girls keep the chick, named Fancy, a secret . . . until the day of their family's community working bee. On this day, Naomi is to receive a white organdy cap, an Amish tradition, as a reward for her hard work and responsibility. But on this day, too, Fancy the chick decides to introduce himself to the community!The results are a sheer delight, pure and simple. Accompanied by Patricia Polacco's beautiful artwork, this story of discovery and growing up will stay in the hearts of all who turn its pages.

A bond of love unites a family throughout generations in this companion to the beloved and bestselling classic The Keeping Quilt.As a young Russian Jewish girl in the early 1900s, Anna and her family lived in fear of the Czar’s soldiers. The family lived a hard life and had few possessions—their treasure was a beautiful china tea set. A wedding gift to Anna’s parents, the tea set came with a wish that “Anyone who drinks from this will have blessings from God. They will never know a day of hunger. Their lives will always have flavor. They will know love and joy and they will never be poor.”When Anna’s family leaves Russia for America, they bring the tea set and its blessings. A source of heritage and security, the tea set helps Anna’s family make friends and find better lives in America. A cup from the tea set—The Blessing Cup—became an anchor of family history, and it remains a symbol of lasting love more than a century later.This tender tribute to the importance of loving lineage is a prequel and companion to the perennial bestseller The Keeping Quilt and is told and illustrated with authenticity and tremendous heart.