Author Bio: Patricia Polacco

This week, we're reading Rechenka's Eggs by Patricia Polacco (it's actually the only picture book we're reading this month.) 

Polacco was born in 1944.  She lived in three different towns in Michigan until 1949.  Her parents were divorced when she was three and each parent went back to their respective parent's home.  Polacco would live with both sets of grandparents year round (mom during the school year, dad during the summer.)

Because of this, she says it's why there is so much child/old person interaction in her books.  It's a subject that's near and dear to her heart and reminds her of her own childhood.

Pretty certain this is her as a senior in High School (It looks like a senior photo.)

Polacco had a lot of trouble learning when she was in school and actually, didn't learn to read until she was 14 years old.  It was around that time that she learned she had dyslexia, the reason for her poor grades in school.  Eventually, she majored in Fine Art and got her PhD in Art History.

Polacco is a little more rare for an author, because she did not start writing books until she was in her forties.  Before writing children's books, she actually restored art for a living.  Her family is Russian, Ukrainian and Irish, all cultures that are very rich in story telling.  She had been hearing stories all her life, until one day, she decided to write them down.

A much more current picture of her.  I have to admit, she has aged well.

Currently, she is living in Union City in Michigan (a place she LOVED as a kid when she lived there for a short time with her grandparents.)

She's got a great website, Facebook account, and a Twitter account. (Not bad with the technology for a 69 year old woman.)