Who Is Patricia Polacco?
- Born in
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Parents were divorced
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Lived with her mother and grandparents on the farm until her Babushka (grandmother) died.
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Relationships with grandparents and
children have influenced her life and work.
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PhD in Art History
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Did not learn to read until she was 14
years old.
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Discovered she had dyslexia, a learning
disability, at the age of 14
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Lived in
-
Started writing children’s books at the
age of 41 years
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Mother’s side- from
Father’s side- from
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Came from a background of incredible
storytellers
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It takes her a year and a half to write
one book
What To
Expect When You Read A Book By Patricia Polacco
Most
of Patricia’s books are based on personal experiences throughout her life. She uses many descriptive words that help the
reader picture in their mind what is happening in the story. Patricia also
elaborately illustrates her books as well.
Try These Great Books
Babushka
Baba Yaga
Babushka
Baba Yaga is the tale of a lonely, old woman who lives in the woods and longs
for the company of a grandchild. One day
she creates the idea that she will dress up like a Babushka, so that she too
can experience the love of a grandchild.
Will her plan work….?
My
Ol’ Man
My O’l Man is the story of a family who discovers
a magic rock. The family turns to the
rock when the father loses his job. Will
the rock get the family through this hard time?
My
Rotten Redheaded Older Brother
My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother is a story about a girl who is bothered by the fact that her brother is always telling her he could do just about anything better then she can. One night she wishes that she could do something, anything better than her brother. Will her wish come true?
Luba And The Wren
Luba is a sweet young girl who lives on a poor farm with her parents. One day Luba saves a wren while she is in the forest. The wren offers Luba a wish, but she says she is content and does not need anything. Luba returns to her parents and tells them what happened in the forest. Her parents scold her for not asking the wren for a bigger house and more fertile land. They insist that she go back and ask the wren for these wishes. Will the bigger house be enough to make her parents happy?
Your Task
· Choose
one of the books mentioned above.
· Have
your teacher read you the book you chose or buddy read with a partner.
· After
hearing or reading the book complete the following activities:
1. Identify a character you can relate to.
2. Draw a
picture of the character.
3.
Write a sentence or two to explain why you
chose this character.
4.
Write a few sentences of an experience or a
time in your life when you might have felt like the character.
For
more great activities log on to www.patriciapolacco.com