Something About Hensley's

Patricia Polacco was born Patricia Ann Barber in Lansing, Michigan. Her family has roots in Russia, Ukraine, and Ireland. She spent her school years in Oakland, California, and her summers in Michigan. She describes her family as exceptional storytellers, with her fondest memories being of listening to elders share tales of their homelands and pasts.

Polacco studied in the United States and Australia, earning an M.F.A. and a Ph.D. in art history, with a focus on Russian and Greek painting and iconography. She has worked as a museum consultant on icon restoration and has traveled extensively in Russia and other former Soviet republics through writer and illustrator exchange programs. She remains committed to fostering Russo-American friendships and understanding, as well as supporting inner-city initiatives in the U.S. that promote conflict resolution and advocate for art and literacy programs.

She is the mother of a grown son and daughter and currently lives on an old farm in Michigan.

Polacco’s childhood experiences, particularly her relationships with her grandparents and her time on a farm in Union City, Michigan, have profoundly influenced her work. She notes that many of her books feature interactions between children and the elderly, a theme she considers one of the most valuable aspects of her life. Her respect for elders, learned at a young age, prepared her for the later years of her own parents. The farm itself holds a special place in her memory, a magical environment where she heard wonderful stories and witnessed a meteor fall into their yard—a meteorite that now serves as a family headstone.

Despite facing challenges in school, including dyslexia, which she was diagnosed with at age fourteen, Polacco overcame her difficulties with the help of a supportive teacher. She learned that having a learning disability does not equate to being unintelligent, but rather signifies a different way of learning. This realization fueled her success.

She pursued higher education, earning a degree in Fine Art and later a Ph.D. in Art History. Before becoming a writer, she worked as an art restorer for museums. She became a mother to two children, Steven and Traci, and dedicated herself to their upbringing.

Polacco began writing children’s books at the age of 41. Her artistic talents, evident from childhood, extended to drawing, painting, and sculpture. Her family’s tradition of oral storytelling, coming from diverse backgrounds, significantly shaped her narrative abilities. She started writing down the stories she told and illustrating them, leading to a successful career. She emphasizes that her ideas come from her imagination, nurtured by a childhood without television, which she believes allowed her inner voice and creativity to flourish. She often advises children and aspiring writers to “LISTEN…LISTEN…LISTEN” to their inner voice and minimize distractions.

Returning to Union City, she plans to host writing seminars, storytelling festivals, and other events focused on children’s literature.

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