Thank You, Mr. Falker

“Polacco’s tale is all the more heartfelt because of its personal nature. Young readers struggling with learning difficulties will identify with Trisha’s situation and find reassurance in her success.” - Publishers Weekly

“Will encourage the child who feels like a failure and the teacher who cares.” - Booklist

“Polacco shares a personal story with engaging results. This moving saga … makes an inspiring picture book.” - School Library Journal

I was born in Lansing, Michigan, in 1944. After a brief stay in Williamston, Michigan, I moved to my grandparents’ farm in Union City, Michigan. I lived on the farm with my mom and grandparents until 1949. My grandmother’s passing that year coincided with our preparation to move away from Michigan. The time spent on that small farm with them remains the most magical period of my life, and my grandparents were profoundly inspirational figures.

My parents divorced when I was three years old, and both returned to live with their respective parents. I spent school years with my mother and summers with my father. In both households, I was cherished by my grandparents. These relationships have undoubtedly shaped my life and my work. You may have noticed that a young person interacting with an elderly person appears in nearly every book I write. I personally believe this to be the most valuable experience of my life—the wonder of knowing both children and the elderly.

The respect I learned at a young age has carried into my later years. I have always enjoyed hearing stories from older people. My genuine curiosity about the experience of a long life prepared me to accept the declining years of my own parents.

Returning to the farm in Union City—this place held such magic for me that I have never forgotten it. It was here I heard wonderful stories, and where a real meteor fell into our front yard. That very meteorite now serves as our family headstone in the Union City graveyard. I now live in Union City, after residing in Oakland, California, for nearly 37 years. However, I returned to Michigan every year to visit my Dad and family.

In 1949, we left the farm to move first to Coral Gables, Florida. I lived there with my mom and my brother, Richard, for almost three years. We then moved to Oakland, California, where I spent most of my youth and into adulthood. We lived on Ocean View Drive in the Rockridge District. What I loved most about this neighborhood was the diversity of my neighbors in terms of their backgrounds, beliefs, and religions. I felt fortunate to know so many people who were both different and yet so alike.

On Ocean View Drive, I met my best friend, Stewart Grinnell Washington. We remain best friends to this day. He has a younger brother, Winston, and three sisters: Jackie, Terry, and Robin. In elementary school, I was not a strong student. I struggled significantly with reading and math, not learning to read until I was almost 14. It was difficult to see my friends succeed academically while I faltered. I disliked school, partly due to a boy who constantly teased me, making me feel even more inadequate. At fourteen, it was discovered that I have a learning disability called dyslexia. I felt trapped in a body that couldn’t perform as others could. Then, a hero of mine, my teacher, identified my condition and helped me get the support I needed to succeed. As an adult, I now understand that being learning disabled does not mean being unintelligent. It simply means I learn differently. In fact, many learning-disabled children are brilliant. Once I learned to read and caught up with my peers, I excelled.

I went on to university, majored in Fine Art, and later earned a graduate degree and a Ph.D. in Art History. For a time, I restored ancient art pieces for museums. Eventually, I became the mother of two children, Steven and Traci, and dedicated much of my time to their education and upbringing.

I didn’t begin writing children’s books until I was 41. The “art” has always been a part of my life. Apparently, one of the characteristics of my academic learning disability was the ability to draw exceptionally well. So, drawing, painting, and sculpture have always been integral to my life, even before I began illustrating my books. The books were quite a surprise, really. I came from a family of incredible storytellers. My mother’s family hailed from Ukraine and Russia, and my father’s from Ireland. My extended family, including Stewart’s family, came from the bayous of Louisiana—also great storytellers. When you grow up hearing stories, not seeing them, you become adept at telling them yourself. So, at 41, I began to write down the stories I told and created drawings to illustrate them. The rest, as they say, is history.

I have enjoyed a fulfilling career writing books for children. Who would have imagined that the little girl who struggled so much in school would become an illustrator and author? Children and adults alike ask me where I get my ideas. I find them in the same place you do—my imagination. I suspect my imagination is so fertile because I grew up with storytelling, and we did not own a television! When one is a writer, actor, dancer, musician, or any kind of creator, they do so because they listen to that inner “voice.” We all have that voice; it’s the source of all inspired thoughts. However, when electronic screens are constantly in front of you, speaking for you, they drown out that voice. When I speak with children and aspiring writers, I always urge them to listen to their inner voice, turn off the television, and simply “LISTEN… LISTEN… LISTEN.”

Now that I have moved back to Union City, I plan to open my home and community to host writing seminars, storytelling festivals, literature conferences, and various events celebrating children’s literature.

Born Patricia Ann Barber in Lansing, Michigan, to parents of Russian and Ukrainian descent on one side and Irish on the other, Patricia Polacco grew up in both California and Michigan. She spent school years in Oakland, California, and summers in her beloved Michigan. She describes her family members as marvelous storytellers. “My fondest memories are of sitting around a stove or open fire, eating apples and popping corn while listening to the old ones tell glorious stories about their homeland and the past. We are tenacious traditionalists and sentimentalists…. With each retelling our stories gain a little more Umph!”

Studying in the United States and Australia, Patricia Polacco has earned an M.F.A. and a Ph.D. in art history, specializing in Russian and Greek painting, and iconographic history. She serves as a museum consultant on the restoration of icons. As a participant in many citizen exchange programs for writers and illustrators, Patricia Polacco has traveled extensively in Russia as well as other former Soviet republics. She continues to support programs that encourage Russo-American friendships and understanding. She is also deeply involved in inner-city projects in the U.S. that promote the peaceful resolution of conflict and encourage art and literacy programs.

The mother of a grown son and a daughter, Patricia Polacco currently resides in Michigan, where she owns a magnificent old farm built during the Lincoln era.

Copyright 2000 by Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved.

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