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Karen Hesse was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She attended Towson State College and had dreams of becoming an actress. After two semesters of theater she transferred to the University of Maryland. She graduated with a BA in English with double minors in Anthropology and Psychology.
Many of her jobs have been related to books and reading. She has been a proofreader, a typesetter, a personnel officer, an advertising secretary and has worked in a library. In and around the edges of those jobs she wrote poems, stories and books.
Karen Hesse published her first book in 1991. Her career has been distinguished by an extraordinary number of national honors she has received. Wish on a Unicorn won the children’s Book of Distinction. Letters from Rifka won the Christopher Medal along with an ALA Notable Children’s Book. Book of the Sable won the SLJ Best Book. The Music of the Dolphins won the ALA best book for Young Adults , “best lists” on the School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and the 1996 Golden Kite Honor.
After writing the book Come On, Rain, Karen Hessse began thinking about why her characters wanted it to rain so badly. She began researching times when people desperately wanted rain, and Out of the Dust blossomed into existence. Out oftheDust won the 1998 Newberry Medal and the Scott O’dell Award, ALA Best book for Young Adults and ALA Notable Children’s Book, and School Library Journal. Award.
Karen Hesse lives with her husband and two teenage daughters in Brattleboro, Vermont. She serves on the board of a school district, a public library and leads the Southern Vermont chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
Selected Works: Wish on a Unicorn, 1991; Letters from Rifka, 1992; Lavender, 1993; Letser’s Dog, 1993; Phoenix Rising, 1994; Sable, 1994; A Time of Angels, 1995; The Music of Dolphins, 1996; Come On Rain, 1997; Out Of Dust, 1997; Just Juice, 1998.
More Information about the author can be found at:
www.edupaperback.org
www.scholastic.authors.com
www.askjeeves.com