FAVORITE AUTHOR

PROJECT SHARON CREECH

Kathleen Ortiz

May 11, 2010

LBSC 646

All Photos taken from www.sharoncreech.com

SHARON CREECH’S LIFE Born in South Euclid,

Ohio July 29, 1945 BA from Hiram

College, MA from George Mason University

Moved to England 1979

Married Lyle Rigg Two Children: Robin &

Karin Lives in Upstate NY

All Photos taken from www.sharoncreech.com

FROM LIFE TO BOOKSDraws on her

Childhood for Story Ideas

Her family in Absolutely Normal Chaos

Annual Trip to Cousins House in Quincy Kentucky which is Bybanks in her books

Family Trip to Idaho basis for journey in Walk Two Moons

All Photos taken from www.sharoncreech.com

THEMES AND WRITING Family Relationships Journeys Loss Death Known for her strong female protagonists Colloquialisms Journals Interweaves “fictional stories” with main

plot Good for Middle School Age Readers

BOOKS Adult Books (Under the Name of Sharon

Rigg) The Recital (1990)Nikel Malley (1991)

PlayThe Center of the Universe, Waiting for the

Girl (1992)

YA AND CHILDREN’S BOOKS Absolutely Normal Chaos (1990) Walk Two Moons (1994) Pleasing the Ghost (1996) Chasing Redbird (1997) Bloomability (1999) The Wanderer (2000) Fishing in the Air (2000) Love That Dog (2001) A Fine, Fine School (2001) Ruby Holler (2002)

YA AND CHILDREN’S BOOKS Granny Torelli Makes Soup (2002) Heartbeat (2004) Replay (2004) Who’s That Baby (2006) The Castle Corona illustrated by David

Diaz (2007) Hate That Cat (2008) The Unfinished Angel (2009)

MAJOR AWARDS Newbery Medal

1995 for Walk Two Moons

Newbery Honor Book 2001 for The Wanderer

Carnegie Medal 2002 for Ruby Holler

TEACHING IDEASLiterature Circles

Group Projects

Across the Curriculum

OTHER TEACHING LINKS http://litplans.com/authors/Sharon_Cree

ch.html

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=337_type=Contributor_typeId=1811

http://www.orrt.org/extensions_authors/4_creech.html

All Photos taken from www.sharoncreech.com

SHARON ON THE WEB

YouTube

Words We Say

BOOK DISCUSSIONS: WALK TWO MOONSPublished in 1994 and received the 1995 Newberry. Inspired by a fortune cookie message: “You can’t judge a man til you walk two moons in his moccasins.” It tells the story of Salamanca as she travels with her grandparents to find her mother in Idaho. This journey is interwoven with the story of Phoebe and the lunatic as Sal relates on the car ride how Phoebe lost her mother and then found her again. We find out that Sal’s mother has died in a bus

crash. Her Dad’s friend who Sal despises, Mrs. Cadaver, was the only survivor and was sitting next to Sal’s mother. The journey is one where secrets are uncovered and Sal faces the loss and grief of her mother. Like all of her stories, this book deals with family relationships, the power of storytelling and mature themes such as death and loss

BOOK DISCUSSIONS: CHASING REDBIRD

Chasing Redbird.Critic: Publishers Weekly. Publishers Weekly 244, no. 3 (20 January 1997): 403."…Creech weaves an affecting tale of love and loss… Zinnia Taylor, the third of seven children, is shaken by her aunt's recent death; although the doctor attributed it to diabetes, the 13-year-old feels sure that a prank she pulled was the real cause…"

BOOK TALK: THE WANDERER

Come join 13 year old Sophie and her three uncles and two cousins, Brian and Cody, as they sail across the Atlantic on the ship, The Wanderer to visit their grandfather, Bompie, in England. Learn about sailing, juggling, and why Bompie always gets a whipping and an apple pie as we hear what happens on that fateful voyage from both Cody and Sophie. Sophie, haunted by her the mystery of her past, is both drawn to and fearful of the sea. Sophie can neither remember that she had biological parents or how they died. Cody begins to suspect as Sophie’s stories about both Bompie and the Kid are more than what they seem. Sophie does not always tell the truth. Halfway through their crossing, these travelers must fight for their lives when a huge storm hits the boat. For Sophie, her storm and her nightmares blend as a huge wave covers the boat and she discovers the terrible secret of her childhood. Find out how they survive both the storm and the truth.

QUOTES “Creech won the 1995 Newberry Medal

for Walk Two Moons (HarperCollins), a story of thirteen year old Salamanca who sets out with her grandparents to search for her mother in Idaho. “The book is packed with humor and affection and is an odyssey of unexpected twists and surprising conclusions,” said Katherine R. Horning , chair of the Newberry Award Selection Committee.” by Olson, Renee, and Randy Meyer.  Newbery, Caldecott medals go to new creators." School Library Journal

All Photos taken from www.sharoncreech.com

QUOTES“The story is exciting, funny, and

brimming with life. For each crew member, there is a conscious journey to Bompie across the sea, and an unconscious one of self-discovery. This is a beautifully written and imaginatively constructed novel that speaks to the power of survival and the delicacy of grief.”

O’Dell, Katie. “The Wanderer (Book Review).” Rev. of The Wanderer. School Library Journal 46.4 (2000): 130. Academic Search Premier. Web. 11 May 2010.

QUOTESReaders always gain more than mere

entertainment with award-winning author, Sharon Creech. Sharon has a masterful way with the journey motif in her books. As readers become immersed in Sharon’s literary works, they live vicariously through characters’ journeys and, whether they realize it or not, they soak up lessons about life. Young readers (and even their parents) witness characters’ lessons about themselves, their families, and/or their immediate worlds. Sharon’s books might aim toward children through teens, but they influence readers of all ages.

By Sue Donckels from WOW: Women on writing website

REFERENCES Creech, Sharon. Sharon Creech. Harper Collins’ Children, 2007. Web. 10 May

2010. <http:/ http://sharoncreech.com/>. - - -. Interview by Sue Donckels. WOW: Women on writing. N.p., 2007. Web. 10

May 2010. <http://wow-womenonwriting.com/ 14-FE-SharonCreech.html>. Harper Collins Publishers. “Reading Guide: Chasing Redbird.” Reading Guide.

Harper Collins Publishers, 2010. Web. 10 May 2010. <http:/ http://www.harpercollins.com/ author/ authorExtra.aspx?isbn13=9780064406963&displayType=readingGuide>.

“An interview with Sharon Creech, 1995 Newbery Medal winner.” Reading Teacher 49.5 (1996): 380. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 10 May 2010.

“Litplans: Sharon Creech.” Litplans. www.teachers.net, 2006. Web. 10 May 2010. <http://litplans.com/ authors/ Sharon_Creech.html>.

Mitchell, Barbara, dir. Youtube Video on Chasing Redbird. Youtube. N.p., 1 Dec. 2009. Web. 10 May 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=D4ok0Xemr-4>.

“Newbery, Caldecott medals go to new creators.” School Library Journal 41.3 (1995): 108. Academic Search Premier EBSCO. Web. 10 May 2010.

O’Dell, Katie. “The Wanderer (Book Review).” Rev. of The Wanderer. School Library Journal 46.4 (2000): 130. Academic Search Premier. Web. 11 May 2010.

Pekarek, Ramona. “Newbery and Other Great Children’s Books.” Newbery. Metro State, 26 Apr. 2005. Web. 10 May 2010. <http:/ http://clem.mscd.edu/ ~pekarekr/ newbery/ creech_twomoons.html>.

Raymond, Allen. “Sharon Creech: 1995 Newbery medal winner.” Teaching Pre K-8 26.8 (1996): 48. Academic Search Premier EBSCO. Web. 10 May 2010.

All Photos taken from www.sharoncreech.com and clip art

PHOTOS