Juvenile Nonfiction – Biography/Autobiography

A Poet and A Slave

National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month so throughout the month we’ll be reviewing different poetry books we think you will enjoy.

0763660914I chose this particular biography to kick off National Poetry Month because I was drawn to it by the title and then moved by this remarkable and intelligent woman’s story. A Voice of Her Own: The Story of Phillis Wheatley, Slave Poet (Candlewick, $14.99, hardcover, ages 8-12; also available in paperback) by Kathryn Lasky with illustrations by Paul Lee is certain to enlighten curious young readers.

 

“At first there was just blackness. Complete blackness.  Then the blackness dissolved into darkness …”

The year is 1761 when Phillis Wheatley’s story begins with these short yet powerful sentences. I felt compelled to read on about this young girl stolen from her family in Africa. I tried to imagine her fears and sorrow as she was thrown on board a slave ship bound for America and treated more like cargo than a human being. I could not imagine at seven years old being separated from my mother, my life and my country and then enduring a grueling ten-week journey across the sea only to find myself being purchased for a few dollars upon arrival. Phillis’s only good fortune, if it can be called fortune, was that her new owners, John and Susannah Wheatley, were kind Bostonians and the laws for slaves in New England were far more lax than in the South.

Phillis was a quick study and not only learned English but Latin and Greek as well. She taught herself from books Mrs. Wheatley gave her and copied Bible passages by the light of a candle. Her passion for poetry soon emerged and her first published poem was in 1767 in the Newport Mercury newspaper. How many of your children know about this extraordinary black woman who at fourteen years old was visiting the “finest families in Boston” alongside Mrs. Wheatley, to read her poems? I think her story should be shared in every classroom.

 

Phillis’s earliest poems were written prior to the Revolution, and one particular poem, a tribute to Reverend George Whitefield upon his death, made her famous both “in the colonies and in England.” This English preacher who found slavery sinful, had made a profound and lasting impression upon young Phillis who had found a new kind of freedom through her words. Mrs. Wheatley, who considered Phillis more like a daughter than a slave, was determined to have Phillis’s collection of poetry published but printers in Boston refused to publish “the work of a Negro.” The only choice Mrs. Wheatley had then was to send Phillis to England where the collection was published in 1773.

The book is broken down into nine vividly illustrated chapters, plus an epilogue, notes from the author and illustrator, selected sources, an index and author and illustrator biographies. It’s an inspirational read for anyone interested in learning how individuals can overcome some of life’s harshest obstacles. Phillis Wheatley was kidnapped as a diamond in the rough from Africa and grew to become a polished poet who could shine on even the dullest New England day. Her outstanding contribution to poetry has truly earned her a place in American history.

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

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A One-Way Ticket to Salvation

Rapture Practice by Aaron Hartzler, (Little, Brown and Company, $17.99, YA), is reviewed by Rita Zobayan.

RP-CoverWriting an engaging memoir is tricky business, and writing one about a personal faith-based journey even trickier. Aaron Hartzler manages to convey his coming-of-age story with an earnest, often funny and sometimes heartbreaking memoir, Rapture Practice. In it, he grapples with trying to be the young adult that his parents desire him to be while coming to terms with who he really is and living the life that he wants – no easy feat and especially so as he is raised in a strict Christian household. Seemingly innocent everyday activities such as listening to pop music, watching movies and hanging out with friends become causes for lying, hiding and rebelling. Whether he’s performing a taboo song at the school vocal ensemble, sneaking into forbidden movies such as Pretty Woman or secretly forging a friendship with an individual whose parents are divorced, Aaron earnestly tries to balance his desire to please his parents and to experience adolescence as he chooses. Ultimately, however, he knows that he cannot have one without imposing consequences on the other, and that is the heart of this book. Rapture Practice is a moving story and an important one for adolescents struggling with identity and parental expectations.

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National Women’s History Month

I wrote and posted this review last year, but wanted to repost it in honor of a most inspiring woman I had the pleasure to know – Sandra McLeod Humphrey. She died along with her husband in a fire this past November and I could not think of a more fitting tribute to her kindness, talent and gift for connecting with children than to share her last book with you all once again. I hope you, too, will take a moment to honor the remarkable women you have known in your life.

– Ronna Mandel

They Stood ALONE!: 25 Men and Women Who Made a Difference
(Prometheus Books, $14.00, ages 9-12) by Sandra McLeod Humphrey is reviewed today by Ronna Mandel.


Meet 13 men and 12 women who all marched to the beat of a different drummer, often disregarding outside opinion, and by doing so made enormous contributions to our world. Parents can spark the flame of discovery by reading this book to children younger than the recommended age range because the writing is uncomplicated and straightforward and each chapter brief enough to hold their interest yet packed with substantial information. Written in second person, there’s an instant feeling of you are there connecting children to the important personages described.

Since March is National Women’s History Month, here’s a chance to introduce boys and girls to some outstanding women whose names they’ve heard of, but about whom they know very little. Take Marie Curie for example, the first person to receive the Nobel Prize not once, but twice or Mother Teresa who at the age of 12 received a calling from God to become a nun and help the poor.

Whether you seek to learn about artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci who barely had a formal education or the founder of modern astronomy, Nicolaus Copernicus, the inspiring people McLeod Humphrey has selected will leave the reader in awe and eager to know more.

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“Well Done is Better Than Well Said”

Debbie Glade reviews a beautiful book about Ben Franklin.

I can never seem to read enough about Benjamin Franklin. Part of the reason is that he was truly one of the most innovative founding fathers of our great franklinnation. Among his long list of accomplishments; he was a member of the Second Continental Congress, he signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America. Another reason he fascinates me is because my daughter attends the University of Pennsylvania, founded by Ben Franklin himself in the mid 18th century.

Electric Ben: The Amazing Life and Times of Ben Franklin ($17.99, Dial Books, Ages 5 and up) is a beautiful book, the kind you want to keep forever. Author and illustrator Robert Byrd does a marvelous job depicting Franklin’s life with both his written word and his intricate watercolor and ink paintings. In the back of the book Byrd discussed the process of finding accurate depictions of Franklin to complete his illustrations, giving readers valuable insight into the process of accurately writing a biography.

When you open the inside back or front cover of the book, you’ll find wonderful lists of famous Franklin quotes.  You may then find yourself surprised to learn that many of these quotes which we so often use without thinking about their origins actually come from Franklin, including the title of this review!

“Neither a borrower nor lender be.”

Inside the pages of the book you’ll find the story of Franklin’s life in 2-page topic segments. Readers learn about this founding father as a young boy, a scholar, printer, publisher, scientist, inventor, philosopher, political figure and seeker of justice and peace. Franklin was outspoken and a Renaissance man in so many ways.

This book is an excellent introduction to Benjamin Franklin for young readers. The text must be read to the youngest readers as it is quite advanced. But that is a positive because reading with your children is so important and rewarding. After you finish Electric Ben: The Amazing Life and Times of Ben Franklin both you and your child will want to learn even more about Franklin, one of our nation’s greatest historical figures.

If you enjoy this book, you may want to check out another book we reviewed about Ben.

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Suffrage: How Women Won the Vote

On this presidential election day, Debbie Glade reviews a book about the history of women voting in the USA.

Now is the perfect time to read Rightfully Ours: How Women Won the Vote; 21 Activities ($16.95, Chicago Review Press, Ages 9 and up) by Kerrie Logan Hollihan. Young readers will learn about the important struggles women of America faced for rights from the cradle of American history through the early 1920s when they were first allowed to vote. They will be introduced to the term, “suffrage,” the act of voting, and will become familiar with the most important figures in women’s voting history.

What I realized when I began reading this book is that there is a lot I didn’t know about the history of women’s rights in America. Sure, I was aware that women struggled for rights, but the details were always lacking in my education. I’m sure many other Americans can say the same.

This book proved to be so very inspiring for me. Women have been fighting for their rights in America since the very beginning of its history. It took great courage and resilience for them to stand up for what they believed in, in a time where their opinions were not respected. Had it not been for the efforts of: Lucy Stone, the first woman to earn a college degree in the state of Massachusetts; Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, organizers of the first women’s rights convention; Harriet Tubman, an organizer of the Underground Railroad; Harriet Beecher Stowe, who wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin and many other prominent female figures in the women’s rights movement, we as women would not have the rights we do today. Readers will understand more about the sacrifices our ancestors made that shaped American history and perhaps they will be grateful for their own civil rights.

As with all Chicago Review Press for Kids Series, there are 21 wonderful activities that accompany this book’s theme. Among my favorites are: crafting your own soap, which reminds us of the way women used to make their own from grease; making an oil lamp with a glass jar; staging a reader’s theater for suffrage; finding out how “comfortable” a corset may be; and making a coat hanger banner similar to those that suffragists marched with to promote their cause. In the back of the book are excellent resources for further learning – books, places to visit and websites of interest.

In October, 2011, I interviewed the author  of this book, Kerrie Logan Hollihan for her impressive Elizabeth I, the People’s Queen: Her Life and Times, 21 Activities book. She has also written, Isaac Newton and Physics for Kids: His Life and Ideas with 21 Activities and Theodore Roosevelt for Kids: His Life and Times, 21 Activities. I so admire Hollihan’s dedication to writing these factual historical books on such important subjects for children which take a great deal of time and passion and I look forward to her next book.

Check out all the Chicago Review Press Kids Series books here.

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Open Your Heart to Unlikely Friendships

Debbie Glade, who finds all animals to be fascinating, reviews this captivating book about unlikely friendships.

Part of a three-book series, Unlikely Friendships for Kids: The Dog and the Piglet and Four Other True Stories of Animal Friendships ($7.99, Workman, Ages 7 and up) is both heartwarming and informative. It’s the kind of book that while reading you find yourself expressing  a series of audible, “awwws” because it’s just that darling. Author Jennifer S. Holland is a science writer, who while scuba diving in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, discovered a fish swimming with a very different species of fish, an unlikely pair. This inspired her to seek out more stories about other animals from different species who became unlikely friends.

The photos in the book are so cute,your kids will love them. They will read five unique true stories about: a large dog and piglet from Germany; an orangutan and a cat who lived in a zoo; a hippo and a goat; a standard poodle and a white-tailed deer; and an iguana and a cat from NY City.  Each story is educational and lets readers into the hearts of the creatures featured in each story.

What is great about this book is that it teaches kids we don’t have to be alike to get along and that friendships, when they work well, don’t really need a rhyme or reason. They just work, and it’s a beautiful thing. They also learn a little bit about the habits of each animal and there’s a nice list of different species in the back of the book as well as a word and phrase list.

Any book that teaches kids compassion, that they can get along with others and be open to branch out into unknown territories is a wonderful book. I recommend checking out the other two titles in this series. What a lovely gift this set would make!

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Spend a Day with Monet

Heck, I’ll spend a day with Monet! You can too with this one-of-a-kind book, Monet Paints a Day ($16.95, Charlesbridge, Ages 6-9) Author Julie Dannenberg portrays a day in the life of Monet, one of the most celebrated of all Impressionist painters. The book is written in the first person from the perspective of Monet himself, as he describes where he is, what he sees and how he paints on one special day on the French seaside in 1885. It seems very realistic and is extremely informative. In addition to the interesting thoughts of Monet, there are small information boxes throughout the book giving intriguing details about how Monet painted and worked with light and glimpses into his personality (not all wonderful traits either!)

The watercolor illustrations by artist Caitlin Heimerl are colorful, wispy and perfectly fitting for the story.  In the back of the book is an author’s note with information about Monet and what inspired the her to write the story.

I love the fact that this book gives young readers an inside track to the painter’s life. It’s one thing to understand that a man was an artist, and yet another to understand how he worked and how much effort it took to get his paintings just the way he wanted them. Teaching kids that excellence takes time, patience and persistence is a wonderful thing, and Monet Paints a Day is a wonderful book.

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Good Golly, Miss Molly! The First Female Firefighter

Molly, by Golly: The Legend of Molly Williams, America’s First Female Firefighter ($16.95, Calkins Creek, Ages 7 and up) could not have come across my desk at a better time. It’s August, I live in Miami and every page of this book is magically illustrated with beautifully falling snow.  Naturally I found this very comforting and cooling.

Molly is an African American lady who cooks for the men of the New York Fire Company in the early 1800s. There is a blizzard outside, and many of the firefighters are home sick. Molly discovers there is a terrible fire in the city and is so concerned about the lack of workers, she runs through the snowy streets to the scene of the fire and instantly begins to lend a hand. What she does wins the hearts of the not just the firefighters, but all the people of the city.

What I love about Molly, by Golly is that it accurately depicts the era of the early 1800s. Author Dianne Ochiltree discovered a legend about Molly Williams while doing research for another historical fiction piece. To make the tale truly come to life, she was meticulous about depicting accurate firefighting techniques of that time period. I also applaud the fact that this is a book about heroine, an African American woman who stepped in when it was completely unexpected but desperately needed. Readers will truly appreciate the modern equipment we have available today as compared to back then!

You will thoroughly enjoy the superb, vivid illustrations by artist Kathleen Kemly, who studied old fire equipment at the NY City Fire Museum before beginning her work. In the back of the book are some great questions and answers, a list of additional valuable resources and a bibliography.

I highly recommend this book, as it would make a wonderful gift for any child.

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Despair, Courage and Triumph: The Life and Times of Frederick Douglas

Once I started reading Frederick Douglas for Kids: The Life and Times with 21 Activities, ($16.95, Chicago Review Press, Ages 9 and up) I couldn’t put the book down. (Even the Olympic Games could not distract me!) Douglas’ life story, as brilliantly and thoroughly told by author Nancy I. Sanders, is one of great risk and reward, despair and triumph.

Born as Frederick Augustine Washington Baily, the young slave boy from Baltimore, Maryland was taken from his mother, lived with his grandmother and then was sent into slavery at a young age.  Throughout the book we learn how he spoke out against the atrocities of slavery and took the most courageous risks through the Underground Railroad to become a free man. We also discover that his name was changed to protect his true identity. His life was one of many hardships and tragedies, yet he rose above it all to become a revered speaker against slavery, an author and a leader in the abolitionist and civil rights movements.

I really enjoyed every aspect of this book. In addition to the astounding life story of Douglas, there many excellent photographs and feature boxes with fascinating facts about other abolitionists and key figures of the era. The 21 activities in the book, such as forming a debate club, taking action in the current world slave market and making a carpet bag, are among the best I’ve seen in any of the Chicago Review Press books I’ve read.  In the back of the book are resources and a detailed index I found myself using often to cross-reference information.

Now that I’ve read this book, I am so much more knowledgeable about not only Douglas, but also slavery, the Civil War, civil rights and the abolitionist movement. Frederick Douglas will live on as one of the bravest and brightest Americans in history, and reading this book will inspire children to think about what they should stand up for – or against.  Simply put, Frederick Douglas for Kids: The Life and Times with 21 Activities an invaluable resource and a spectacular book that should be read by every American child (and parent too).

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Go Out and Play, You Say?

Debbie Glade reviews a book that reminds her of her own childhood, way, way back when.

You know you’re dating yourself when you say, “When I was your age, we did not have electronic toys. We went outside and made up games, playing and running around all day long.” Frankly, I thought those days were over until I read Go Out an Play: Favorite Outdoor Games from KaBOOM ($11.95, Candlewick Press, Ages 5 and up). KaBOOM (nonprofit) was created by Darell Hammond with the mission to keep children active and playing, while using their imaginations. What a stellar idea that was and what a big hit KaBoom has been!

Go Out and Play is simple, yet delightful. Page after page, you will find indoor and outdoor tag, hide and seek, ball, team, sidewalk, circle, race and other games to keep your little ones active and busy all day, just like you did when you were a kid. Remember Marco Polo, Mother May I?, Egg and Spoon Race and Red Rover? There are plenty of games like these in the book, plus some new ones your kids will want to try. There’s an intro from Darrell Hammond as well as information in the back of the book about getting and keeping kids active with a call to action.

In this age of sedentary living, computers, iPads and video games, any book, toy or product that encourages kids to get up, get out and play is a winner. There’s nothing like seeing children engaged in old-fashioned good fun, burning up energy and staying fit while having a ball. And perhaps just as wonderful is the fact that these activities don’t cost a dime!

Reading this book reminded me of a sidewalk game with chalk and a ball my older sister and I played for years called Rolly Polly. I remember winning much more often that she did, but she insists I’ve got that all wrong.

Now I’m in the mood for playing Follow the Leader. I’m the leader. Are you in?

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Slithering Snake Science

Debbie Glade pursues her thirst for scientific knowledge with this great book from Chicago Review Press.

Once again, I find myself with an amazing non-fiction children’s book from Chicago Review Press on my lap that I can’t put down. Awesome Snake Science: 40 Activities for Learning About Snakes ($14.95, Chicago Review Press, ages 9 -12) by author and naturalist, Cindy Blobaum, helps children appreciate these intriguing reptiles that are so often feared.

Like all other Chicago Review Press books for kids I’ve read, parents and teachers will benefit greatly from reading this book too. Readers learn about different species of snakes, where to find them, the anatomy of them, how they survive, why and how they strike and how they defend themselves.  Even the squeamish can appreciate learning fascinating facts such as this: It is common for snake teeth to get stuck in the animal it is eating and fall out, but since snakes can grow new teeth any time they need them, this is not a problem. Or how about this one? If the temperature of a snake’s body dips below 60 degrees Fahrenheit while food is in his stomach, the food will not digest. Rather it will simply rot, which may in turn poison the snake.

In addition to becoming a young herpetologist, readers can enjoy many different activities from making a research journal and making a snake spine to seeing through a snake’s eyes and testing your own tongue. All the activities use materials that are easy to find in your home and do not require any slithering thing (such as a real snake). There are wonderful photographs and illustrations throughout the book as well.

This book is a hit in many ways, but most importantly it works because it teaches readers to think like scientists, inspiring them to seek out the true facts about snakes. In turn this may help alleviate some of the fears they have about these slithering creatures and make them want to learn more. And perhaps they will one day become scientists themselves.

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Turning a Dream Into Reality – The Story Behind the Creation of Mount Rushmore

I had no idea that I could learn so much from a children’s picture book, but after reading Tina Nichols Coury’s book Hanging Off Jefferson’s Nose: Growing Up On Mount Rushmore ($16.99, Dial Books for Young Readers, ages 5 and up) with its fantastic, beautifully envisioned illustrations by Sally Wern Comport, I’m convinced.

Perhaps like me, you were on a cross country teen tour when you first laid eyes on Mount Rushmore National Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Or maybe you and your family were vacationing and taking in some of America’s most iconic landmarks. Whatever brought you to Mount Rushmore, I am sure it is something that you have not yet forgotten. Well neither could author Coury who was determined to share the story of “one little boy who grew up to complete one of America’s greatest monuments.”  I am so glad she did!

The book introduces us to young Lincoln Borglum, son of the renown sculptor Gutzon Borglum, and transports us back to the 1920s into his father’s art studio where he spent much of his childhood. Lincoln preferred sweeping up the studio or modeling for his father over socializing with other children his age. The family moved often for the elder Borglum’s commissions and forging friendships for a shy lad like Lincoln proved a lot less interesting than observing a master sculptor at work. 

When Gutzon Borglum shared with businessmen his idea to carve the faces of Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln into a South Dakota mountain, it was welcomed as a terrific venture.  What I did not know was that originally the monument was conceived with only the above mentioned three presidents and that it was President Calvin Coolidge who suggested the addition of Teddy Roosevelt.  I also was very surprised to learn that during the half-completed  carving of Thomas Jefferson it was discovered that the “rock under Jefferson’s face was unstable.”  The entire work had been for naught and had to be demolished and begun all over again.

There are so many other interesting facts that Coury has provided, but rather than go into too much more detail here, suffice it to say that we find out Lincoln eventually chose working alongside his father on the massive monument rather than attending university. The significance of  that choice was major as it was Lincoln, after his father’s death, who would be instrumental in continuing his father’s work and seeing it to fruition. 

While I do not picture 5 year olds reading this book on their own, I do envisage parents, older siblings and librarians happily sharing the story with them. With the publication of Hanging Off Jefferson’s Nose we now have a child-friendly vehicle from which to launch into our own impressions of this great monument depicting two Founding Fathers along with two other great presidents and for that alone we can be grateful. Happy Independence Day! 

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

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Philosophy for Middle Grade Readers

Lives of the Great Spiritual Leaders ($19.95, Thames and Hudson, middle grade readers) is the first book of its kind I have seen. 20 of the most powerful spiritual leaders from Moses (1250 BC) to the Dalai Lama (present day) are featured in this book, giving middle grade readers background and highlights of a wide variety of philosophies. Listed in chronological order of when he or she lived, each leader’s nationality, religious association and basic doctrine is listed, followed by more details about that individual’s life. We learn about how Socrates showed the people of the world they do not really know the answers to questions they think they understand, how Gandhi taught his people to peacefully protest against injustice to make positive changes and how Mother Teresa gave her life to the poorest of the poor.

From the most famous spiritual leaders in the world, to the lesser known, what I love about this book is that author Henry Whitbread gives us enough information to get a basic sense of the background, beliefs struggles and accomplishments of each individual. Every section of the book is complemented by excellent quotes, photographs and illustrations. No matter what religion a child follows, an important part of a well-rounded education is learning about other religions and philosophies and the spiritual leaders who made great impacts on the world. This book should be on classroom shelves and in the libraries of families everywhere.

This book was reviewed by Debbie Glade.

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Dare to Dream to Change the World

Me…Jane ($15.99, Little Brown Books, ages 1 and up) by author, illustrator and comic book artist, Patrick McDonnell, has won so many book awards that we simply cannot list them all. Most recently it was named a 2012 Caldecott Honor Book, and we at Good Reads with Ronna had to find out for ourselves just what all the buzz is about.

This story is about a curious ten-year-old girl named, Jane. Along with her favorite stuffed animal chimp, Jubilee, Jane explores the natural world outside her house, climbing trees, watching birds and reading books about what she discovers. She even hides in her granny’s chicken coup to watch a hen lay an egg. One day Jane takes a fancy to the animals of the African jungle after reading about them in Tarzan of the Apes. She is so touched by the book that she dreams of a life in Africa, living with and helping wild animals. One day her dream comes true, as she grows up to be Dr. Jane Goodall, world renowned for her studies of chimpanzees in Tanzania.

The story, written in simple prose, so beautifully and subtly depicts the innocence of a curious and highly intelligent child. The illustrations are really darling, with their muted tones, printed on matte-finished paper – perfectly fitting for the nature of this story. In the back of the book is a page with information about the accomplishments of Dr. Goodall and another page with an encouraging message from Jane herself. What I love about the book is that it inspires the youngest readers to embrace their passions and realize their own dreams of changing the world one day. (We certainly need more scientists to help save the planet!) There’s nothing better in life than finding your calling, and there’s no better example of a person who has done that than Jane Goodall.

– Reviewed by Debbie Glade

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A Graphic Novel About a Hotbed Era in History

A Tangible Retelling of a Troublesome Time

On the heels of Black History Month comes The Silence of Our Friends ($16.99, First Second Books, ages 14 and up/YA), Mark Long’s fact-based account of his family’s complicated relationship with a crosstown black family in 1968 Houston, Texas.  Co-written by Jim Demonakos with artwork by Nate Powell, Silence seeks to find the cultural and political common ground of the black/white experience during the hotbed era of Vietnam and the Civil Rights Movement, when neither side could afford to be allies.

Television reporter Jack Long strikes up a friendship with the brash, intelligent professor/activist Larry Thompson, a union that will be tested by the combustive, violent events at a campus protest.  Silence of Our Friends depicts the institutional indifference, abject human cruelty, and questions of ethnic loyalty that have been requisite to stories of race and racism.  Could an umpteenth interpretation of that savage time hold much weight in 2012?

What sets Silence apart, though, is its insistence on exploring the murky issues that lie between the black and white lines:   When Thompson stealthily abets his two kids in celebrating “Go Texan Day”– a decidedly deep-rooted, white Southern fried tradition– just after his wife vociferously prohibits it, the reader feels the push/pull dichotomy of cultural and social change.  The arrival of a down and out army buddy of Long’s, culminating in the drunk’s  venomous accusations of racial disloyalty on the part of Long and his family, has a similar effect.

Also on Silence’s side– the punk, Mad magazine-inspired aesthetic of Nate Powell; it manages to evoke two landmarks of 1960s socially-conscious filmmaking: the sweat-tainted In the Heat of the Night and the ethereal To Kill A Mockingbird.  The Silence of Our Friends is something to talk about.

Today’s book was reviewed by Jason Carpenter.  Jason Carpenter has been engaged in academic, athletic, literary, cinematic, and social pursuits for decades, currently immersed in a 15-year teaching career in various special education environments. The path began in Boston, MA and has touched down in Pasadena, CA at the renowned Frostig School. Jason’s B.A. and background in Communication Arts, English, and Film Studies, has imbued him with the sense that he can write. So, write he does.
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