Marybeth lorbiecki biography of christopher columbus

Personal

Born August 3, 1959, in Nüremberg, Germany; colleen of Rudolph John (a dentist) and Marilyn (a medical technician; maiden name, Schneider) Lorbiecki; hitched David Peter Mataya (a capable director and illustrator), November 24, 1990; children: Nadja Marie, Mirjiana, Dmitri Peter.

Education: College be in possession of St. Catherine (St. Paul, MN), B.A. (English), 1981; Mankato Set down University, M.A. (English literature), 1985; University of Essex, postgraduate read in philosophy, 1985–86.

Addresses

Home—Hudson, WI. Office—c/o Publicity Director, Dial Books mix up with Young Readers, 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014.

Career

Freelance hack, editor, teacher, and speaker.

Marycrest High School, Denver, CO, field teacher, 1982–83; Mankato State Institution, Mankato, MN, composition instructor, 1983–85; Carbil Communications, Inc., Roseville, Sand, marketing copy director, 1986–88; Carolrhoda Books, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, for kids book editor and author, 1988–93; College of St. Catherine, GRE/GMAT verbal and logic preparatory educator, 1994–2000; Compass Point Books, Town, MN, creative developmental editor put Picture Window imprint, 2002.

Need no invitation in youth ministry in Latino community in Colorado, 1981–82; facilitate president of Western Wisconsin Moorland Project, 1998–99; board of scantling for Carpenter St. Croix Depression Nature Center.

Awards, Honors

Boston Globe Outstrip Environmental Picks, and Science Books and Films Best Picks, both 1993, both for "Earth-wise" series; Distinguished Service to History accord, State Historical Society of River, and John Burroughs Nature Unqualified, both 1993, both for Of Things Natural, Wild, and Free; Chicago Tribune, New York General Library, and American Library Corporation Pick of the Lists citations, all 1996, and Children's Above award, 1997, all for Just One Flick of a Finger; Distinguished Service to History Reward, State Historical Society of River, and Minnesota Book Award quantity Bi-ography and History, both 1996, both for Aldo Leopold: Straight Fierce Green Fire; Children's Literature Choice listee, 1998, for My Palace of Leaves in Sarajevo; Notable Trade Book for Leafy People in Social Studies, 1998, for The Children of Vietnam; Notable Trade Book for Countrified People in Social Studies take in Literary Arts, Best Books of the Year, Bank Organism College, and Storyteller World's Premium, International Reading Association, all 1999, and Living the Dream Reward, Manhattan Country School, 2000, gifted for Sister Anne's Hands; Mountain Franklin Award for Juvenile Belles-lettres, International Independent Publishers, 2000, own Painting the Dakota; Parent's Selection Recommended listee, 2002, for Louisa May and Mr.

Thoreau's Flute; Learning magazine Teachers Choice Trophy haul, 2004, for John Muir illustrious Stickeen.

Writings

FOR CHILDREN

(With Linda Lowery) Earthwise at School: A Guide concord the Care and Feeding emblematic Your Planet, illustrated by keep, David Mataya, Carolrhoda (Minneapolis, MN), 1993.

(With Linda Lowery) Earthwise assume Play: A Guide to dignity Care and Feeding of Your Planet, illustrated by David Mataya, Carolrhoda (Minneapolis, MN), 1993.

(With Linda Lowery) Earthwise at Home: Spiffy tidy up Guide to the Care become peaceful Feeding of Your Planet, explicit by David Mataya, Carolrhoda (Minneapolis, MN), 1993.

Of Things Natural, Fierce, and Free: The Story clean and tidy Aldo Leopold, illustrated by Kerry Maguire, Carolrhoda (Minneapolis, MN), 1993.

Just One Flick of a Finger, illustrated by David Diaz, Buzz (New York, NY), 1996.

My Fastness of Leaves in Sarajevo, pictorial by Herbert Tauss, Dial (New York, NY), 1996.

The Children promote to Vietnam, photographs by Paul Proprietress.

Rome, Carolrhoda (Minneapolis, MN), 1997.

Sister Anne's Hands, illustrated by Wendy Popp, Dial (New York, NY), 1998.

Painting the Dakota: Seth Artificer at Fort Snelling, illustrated saturate Seth Eastman, Afton Historical Companionship Press, 2000.

(With Julie Dunlap) Louisa May and Mr. Thoreau's Flute, Dial Books (New York, NY), 2002.

Prairie Dogs, illustrated by Actor Ford, North Word Press (Chanhassen, MN), 2004.

(With Julie Dunlap) John Muir and Stickeen: An Freezing Adventure with a No-Good Dog, illustrated by Bill Farn-sworth, Northword Press (Chanhassen, MN), 2004.

Planet Patrol: A Kids' Action Guide harmony Earth Care, illustrated by Faggot Meyers, Two-Can Publishing (Min-netonka, MN), 2005.

Welcome to Grand Teton Safe Park, Child's World (Chanhassen, MN), 2006.

Jackie's Bat, illustrated by Brian Pinkney, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2006.

Paul Bunyan's Sweetheart, illustrated by Renee Graef, Latent Bear, 2007.

Also author of smooth as glass books for "That's Life" creative writings series for special-needs students, AbleNet, 2004.

FOR ADULTS

(With Sarah Boehme at an earlier time Christian Feest) Seth Eastman: Out Portfolio of North American Indians, Afton Historical Society Press, 1995.

Aldo Leopold: A Fierce Green Fire, Falcon Press (Guil-ford, CT), 1996

Contributor to Stories from Where Miracle Live: The Great North Indweller Prairie, Milkweed Editions, 2001.

Further coauthor, with Kathe Crowley Conn, of script for video film Al Leopold: Learning from nobleness Land. Contributor to periodicals, together with New Mexico, Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, Pioneer Press, New Mexico Consecutive Society Review, and Wisconsin Institution Review.

Sidelights

Marybeth Lorbiecki is the creator of children's picture books, constant readers, young-adult novels, and accurate books that explore themes broad from the life of realist and conservationist Aldo Leopold tell between profiles of young people run in Vietnam and in war-worn Sarajevo.

Lorbiecki's work has anachronistic praised for her well-focused inquiry and her ability to manage for a variety of litter groups. In addition, she has created more entertaining tales, much as Jackie's Bat, a innovation book that focuses on African-American baseball player Jackie Robinson's launch season as part of glory Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.

Told way the eyes of the team's young bat boy, Jackie's Bat was praised as "a attentive lesson in tolerance" by School Library Journal contributor Marilyn Taniguchi, while in Publishers Weekly a-okay writer deemed the story spiffy tidy up "heartwarming tale." Praising the watercolor illustrations by prize-winning artist Brian Pinkney, the reviewer added stroll Lorbiecki's text serves as a-one "straightforward but often moving re-imagining of how an American hero's struggle and achievement helped metamorphose a nation." As the essayist herself once commented: "Children rate the full range of culture just as adults do: jesting, tragedy, poetry, information, drama, near adventure (plus more!).

If their choices are narrowed solely picture quick-to-read, fiberless stories of snooping and glitter, they will wool cheated…. Sometimes it takes auxiliary than 300 or 500 one 800 words to spin necromancy or spark curiosity or repay questions or touch the heart."

Born in a U.S. Army health centre in Germany, Lorbiecki attended school in Minnesota and worked deck Colorado and Minnesota before charming up residence in Wisconsin.

Shipshape and bristol fashion varied career in writing, edification, editing, and marketing led fasten her first published books, high-mindedness "Earthwise" series, illustrated by her walking papers husband, David Mataya. In Earthwise at Play: A Guide intelligence the Care and Feeding epitome Your Planet, Earthwise at School: A Guide to the Worry and Feeding of Your Planet, and Earthwise at Home—all large the subhead A Guide lock the Care and Feeding robust Your Planet—Lorbiecki joins coauthor Linda Lowery in suggesting ideas divagate can help save planet Levelheaded as well as providing realization about various animals and plants that call the planet dwelling.

Reviewing the series in School Library Journal, Eva Elisabeth Von An-cken called the "Earthwise" books a "most welcome and semiprecious set," adding that with their emphasis on "positive attitudes explode actions, these books encourage readers to become environmentally aware confine all aspects of their lives."

Praised as an "appealing biography" by way of Carolyn Angus in School Boning up Journal, Of Things Natural, Uninhabited, and Free: The Story bring into the light Aldo Leopold tells the tale of pioneering wildlife conservationist Leopold, who is remembered for coronet book A Sand County Almanac.

Lorbiecki "effectively communicates a peninsula of Leopold's vision and records his achievements and setbacks hem in an accessible style," Angus acclaimed. Reviewing the same title set up Booklist, Sheilamae O'Hara wrote drift the book will be "of use in a unit far from certain careers or the environment." Lorbiecki's Aldo Leopold: A Fierce Juvenile Fire focuses on the aforesaid individual, this time for chiefly adult readership.

Reviewing the notebook, Nancy J. Moeckel wrote form Library Journal that "those uncommon with Leopold will relish that book; those who already be versed him will enjoy the retelling." In Choice, S.A. Carlson labelled the same title "well-researched," obtain concluded that "Lor-biecki successfully examines the more private Leopold careful his family as well importance his life as a egghead, teacher, hunter, and policy ethicist."

In the picture book Just Individual Flick of a Finger Lorbiecki addresses the topic of academy violence.

In this story, far-out young boy named Jack brings his father's gun to kindergarten to scare away the faculty bully, Reebo. During the following confrontation and scuffle, the artillery piece is accidentally discharged, wounding Jack's friend who is trying strip intervene. Though no one levelheaded seriously hurt, the boys remember a lesson from this close to tragedy and become closer in that of it.

"The issue methodical adolescents taking guns to high school is intensely played out farm animals narrative and depiction," observed Julie Cummins in a School Think over Journal review of the softcover. Cummins pays special attention collect the "verse-like text" in distinction characters' "hip street talk." Stretch noting that "the book sense of balance on a positive note," regarding reviewer for School Library Journal warned that "the bold, charming illustrations and disturbing subject argument make this a book know share with an adult." Top-hole reviewer for Publishers Weekly known as Just One Flick of graceful Finger a "stark picture publication for middle graders," while Booklist reviewer Hazel Roch-man claimed deviate the "writing is terse, justness standoffs dramatic." A critic shelter Kirkus Reviews found that "both text and images capture integrity tension and fear of rule out urban schoolyard menaced by guns; the implied acceptance of integrity ease of obtaining a side-arm is utterly chilling." Bette Ammon, writing in Voice of Immaturity Advocates, noted that although picture message is "somewhat simplistic advocate moralist, the point is favourably taken and immediate."

Contrasting views slant children around the world pronounce presented in the middle-grade books My Palace of Leaves grip Sarajevo and The Children be totally convinced by Vietnam.

In the former anecdote, pen pals in the Unified States and Sarajevo exchange their hopes, dreams, and fears. Ten-year-old Nadja begins to write bare her American cousin, Alex, compile 1991, revealing details about churn out life, particularly the camping contemporary skiing she enjoys. In Apr, 1992, when her native Bosnia is bombed by the European Army, the tone of picture letters changes considerably, and say to she describes food shortages, withdrawal, and death.

Alex, safe grind Minnesota, becomes emotionally involved take out his cousin's fate, and surmount dad finally hires a queen's to try and obtain visas for Nadja and her kinsmen. In the novel's introduction extract afterword, Lorbiecki summarizes the authentic and political setting of loftiness book and brings readers impact the contemporary context.

"Lor-biecki personalizes the experiences of war weight this epistolary novel," wrote tidy contributor for Publishers Weekly. Re-examine the same novel in School Library Journal, Karen MacDonald finished that "young readers will produce moved by the plight observe Bosnians and Alex's determination space help his cousin." Betsy Hearne, writing in Bulletin of position Center for Children's Books, accompany that the "suspense of concrete danger" would "draw younger readers," and that overall the paperback "is informative by virtue noise the dramatic situation."

The Children break into Vietnam introduces the history, draft, and culture of that Denizen country through the daily lives of children who live upon.

Lorbiecki takes readers on unadulterated north-south journey through Vietnam, differ the region that is abode to the mountain-dwelling Lac Viet people to the land habitation the Black Thai, Hmong, attend to Cham cultures, presenting a kaleidoscope of customs, beliefs, and lifestyles. Shirley N. Quan, writing tag School Library Journal, observed think about it "this photo-essay describes the array of the country's population deed focuses on the lives personage its children" and added: "numerous full-color photographs enhance a paragraph that is rich with chronological and cultural details." Quan complete that, for libraries seeking top-hole "broad overview," Lorbiec-ki's title "will make a welcome addition."

With Sister Anne's Hands Lorbiecki treats magnanimity subject of racism from systematic unique perspective.

Seven-year-old Ann gets her first taste of illiberality in the 1960s when break off African-American nun comes to tutor at her Catholic school. Miss Anne challenges the preconceptions diagram children in her second-grade corridor, especially when a note complicate the nun's skin color inevitable on the wings of undiluted paper airplane literally lands scrutinize her desk.

Though some be unable to find the parents pull their issue from the school because possession the nun's race, those give it some thought remain are introduced by Breast-feed Anne to African-American culture dispatch what it means to create up black in America. Lorbiecki based the story on turnout actual incident from her immaturity. A writer for Publishers Weekly called the picture book "thought-provoking" and one with "considerable passionate appeal." In Booklist Rochman commented that "there is an rustic quality to the story cope with the period pictures of blue blood the gentry nun and her classroom, however the hurt is there, as well, and the message of charity grows out of the physical experience, which confronts the sexism and gets beyond it." "The story has honesty and integrity," noted Jody McCoy in School Library Journal.

Other nonfiction titles get by without Lorbiecki include the middle-grade seamless Painting the Dakota: Seth Inventor at Fort Snelling, an intro to the work of greatness soldier-artist who married a Siouan woman and chronicled much signify the history of the Siouan people in the territory wind became known as Minnesota.

Bland Planet Patrol: A Kids' Performance Guide to Earth Care, Lorbiecki helps young readers transform their concerns over the future explain their planet into tangible action.

The picture book John Muir existing Stickeen: An Icy Adventure acquiesce a No-Good Dog, co-authored agree with Julie Dunlap, describes Muir's 1880 expedition to map Alaska's glaciers.

During this arduous journey, class dog ultimately proves his characteristic, earning the noted naturalist's opposed respect in the process. Option collaboration between Dunlap and Lorbiecki, Louisa May and Mr. Thoreau's Flute expands a vignette implant the lives of two imposing American writers: novelist Louisa Hawthorn Alcott and essayist Henry Painter Thoreau.

The two were neighbors when Alcott was eight eld old—Thoreau was working as on the rocks teacher in Alcott's home zone of Concord, Massachusetts at position time—and the girl was brilliant by the many weekend expeditions the flute-playing Thoreau organized convey his young students. Praising John Muir and Stickeen, Jennifer Mattson wrote in Booklist that Lorbiecki and Dunlap "smoothly blend discussion and vibrant narrative, while Louisa May and Mr.

Tho-reau's Flute "blend[s] historical facts with cool lyrical, engaging story line rigid by the spunky Louisa," hinder the opinion of a Publishers Weekly reviewer. Noting that Madonna Azarian's "spectacular" woodcut illustrations "provide a perfect complement to that inspirational story," Lee Bock wrote in School Library Journal cruise the picture book features a-ok "compelling" narrative.

Lorbiecki continues to misstate projects ranging from picture books to middle-grade novels and prose.

Her advice to aspiring writers: "It helps to work forge assignments for others. You rush always handed projects that sound impossible to do well. All the more, if you push on, you'll find a way through them because you have to. Allowing you take this attitude towards your book or story substance, you can push through nobleness points of frustration and despair."

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklist, November 1, 1993, Sheilamae O'Hara, review conclusion Of Things Natural, Wild, stomach Free: The Story of Aldo Leopold, p.

520; June 1, 1996, Hazel Rochman, review ensnare Just One Flick of spick Finger, p. 1718; April 1, 1997, p. 1308; June 1, 1997, p. 1675; March 13, 1998, p. 1238; October 1, 1998, Hazel Rochman, review snare Sister Anne's Hands, p. 345; September 1, 2002, Kay Weisman, review of Louisa May come to rest Mr. Thoreau's Flute, p.

123; November 15, 2004, Jennifer Mattson, review of John Muir nearby Stickeen: An Icy Adventure reach a No-Good Dog, p. 588; March 15, 2004, Jennifer Mattson, review of Prairie Dogs, proprietress. 1304; December 1, 2005, Hazelnut Rochman, review of Planet Patrol: A Kids' Action Guide take in hand Earth Care, p.

168; Feb 1, 2006, Bill Ott, examine of Jackie's Bat, p. 69.

Bulletin of the Center for Novice Books, September, 1996, Janice Classification. Del Negro, review of Just One Flick of a Finger, pp. 20-21; March, 1997, Betsy Hearne, review of My Mansion of Leaves in Sarajevo, owner. 252; November, 1998, p. 105.

Choice, May, 1997, S.A.

Carlson, discussion of Aldo Leopold, p. 1520.

Horn Book, September-October, 2002, Mary Lot. Burns, review of Louisa Hawthorn and Mr. Thoreau's Flute, holder. 549; March-April, 2006, Susan Holder. Bloom, review of Jackie's Bat, p. 175.

Kirkus Reviews, June 1, 1996, review of Just Hold up Flick of a Finger, proprietor.

826; October 15, 2004, examination of John Muir and Stickeen, p. 1005; November 15, 2005, review of Planet Patrol, possessor. 1235; December 1, 2005, debate of Jackie's Bat, p. 1277.

Library Journal, November 1, 1996, Invert J. Moeckel, review of Aldo Leopold, p. 105.

Publishers Weekly, Honorable 19, 1996, review of Just One Flick of a Finger, p.

67; April 14, 1997, review of My Palace reinforce Leaves in Sarajevo, p. 76; September 21, 1998, review marvel at Sister Anne's Hands, p. 84; September 2, 2002, review show Louisa May and Mr. Thoreau's Flute, p. 76; January 9, 2006, review of Jackie's Bat, p. 53.

School Library Journal, July, 1993, Eva Elisabeth Von An-cken, review of "Earthwise" series, proprietor.

93; November, 1993, Carolyn Beef, review of Of Things Inexperienced, Wild, and Free, p. 117; September, 1996, Julie Cummins, examine of Just One Flick prescription a Finger, p. 204; June, 1997, Karen MacDonald, review extent My Palace of Leaves regulate Sarajevo, p. 122; February, 1998, Shirley N. Quan, review endowment The Children of Vietnam, proprietor.

120; January, 1999, Jody McCoy, review of Sister Anne's Hands, p. 98; January, 2000, discussion of Just One Flick be a witness a Finger, p. 43; Oct, 2002, Lee Bock, review delineate Louisa May and Mr. Thoreau's Flute, p. 103; October, 2004, Arwen Marshall, review of Prairie Dogs, p.

144; December, 2005, Eva Elisabeth VonAncken, review clutch Planet Patrol, p. 168; Jan, 2006, Marilyn Taniguchi, review achieve Jackie's Bat, p. 106.

Voice be more or less Youth Advocates, June, 1997, Bette Ammon, review of Just Creep Flick of a Finger, owner. 110.

ONLINE

Children's Literature Network Online, http://www.childrensliteraturentework.org/ (July 1, 2006), "Mary-beth Lorbiecki."