The Art of Miss Chew

“The joy of artistic creation and the value of teachers who are willing to look outside the box come through clearly in the first-person narrative and Polacco’s fluid illustrations.” — Publishers Weekly

“Full of color and movement… . [Polacco’s] first-person narration tells her tragedy and triumph in a very down-to-earth way, using the tone of the 11-year-old she was.” — Kirkus Reviews

“The moving memoir will resonate with any student who has struggled with reading and should also spark empathy among their classmates.” — Booklist

“Heartwarming tribute… . Detailed representational paintings bring to life scenes that evoke both true sorrow and absolute joy.” — School Library Journal

“In this heartfelt autobiographical picture book, Patricia Polacco pays tribute to her first art teacher, Miss Violet Chew.” — Library Media Connection

Patricia Polacco was born in Lansing, Michigan, in 1944. Her early childhood was spent in Williamston and then on her grandparents’ farm in Union City, Michigan, a period she remembers as magical. Her grandmother, her “Babushka,” was a deeply inspirational figure.

Her parents divorced when she was three, and she spent school years with her mother and summers with her father, always cherished by her grandparents. These relationships profoundly influenced her life and work, particularly her recurring theme of young people interacting with the elderly in her books. She values the perspective gained from knowing both children and the elderly.

After leaving the farm in 1949 following her grandmother’s death, she lived with her mother and brother, Richard, in Coral Gables, Florida, for nearly three years. They then moved to Oakland, California, where she spent most of her youth and early adulthood in the diverse Rockridge District. There, she formed a lifelong friendship with Stewart Grinnell Washington.

Patricia struggled with reading and math in elementary school, not learning to read until she was nearly fourteen. She discovered she had dyslexia, a learning disability. Her teacher helped her overcome these challenges, leading her to understand that learning disabilities do not equate to being unintelligent but rather indicate a different learning process. This realization empowered her to succeed.

She pursued higher education, earning an M.F.A. and a Ph.D. in Art History, specializing in Russian and Greek painting and iconographic history. She worked as a museum consultant restoring ancient art. Later, she became a mother to Steven and Traci, dedicating herself to their upbringing and education.

Patricia began writing children’s books at age 41. Art had always been a significant part of her life, with drawing, painting, and sculpture being natural talents, possibly a symptom of her dyslexia. Her writing emerged from a family steeped in storytelling—her mother’s family from Ukraine and Russia, her father’s from Ireland, and extended family from Louisiana. Raised on spoken stories rather than visual media, she developed a strong ability to tell stories herself. At 41, she started writing down these stories and illustrating them.

She credits her fertile imagination to her storytelling background and the absence of a television in her childhood home, believing that electronic screens can drown out the inner voice essential for creativity. She encourages others, especially children and aspiring writers, to “listen to the voice” within.

Now returned to Union City, Michigan, she plans to open her home and community for writing seminars, storytelling festivals, and events celebrating children’s literature.

Patricia Polacco has had a distinguished career as an author and illustrator, a journey from a child who struggled in school to a celebrated artist. Her work, deeply rooted in her life experiences and rich family history, continues to inspire readers of all ages.

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