Darcy Pattison

Darcy S. Pattison (born June 28, 1954) is an American writer of fiction and nonfiction children’s literature,^[1] a blogger,^[2] writing teacher, and indie publisher.^[3] Her books have been translated into nine languages.^[4] Although she is best known for her work in children’s literature, she is also a writing teacher traveling across the nation presenting her Novel Revision Retreat.^[5][6] She has been featured as a writer and writing teacher in prestigious publications such as Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies,^[7] and 2012 Writer's Market.^[8] Pattison is also an independent publisher of ebooks for adults in the educational market.

She is the 2007 recipient of the Arkansas Governor’s Art Award for Individual Artist,^[9] and a member of the Authors Guild.

Personal life

Darcy Pattison is married and has four children.^[10] Her hobby is quilting. She is a member of International Quilters Association, American Quilters Society, Author’s Guild, Arkansas Quilter’s Guild. Exhibitions: Arkansas Art Center, Regional Craft Biennial, two times (quilts). Darcy's quilts have been shown nationally and her quilt, "Houses and Stars" is the cover quilt for the September, 1991 Quilting Today magazine.^[11] Twice her quilts hung in the seven-state, Regional Craft Biennial at the Arkansas Art Center and her award-winning quilt was in the Great Arkansas Quilt Show 2002; her daughter’s wedding quilt hung in the Great Arkansas Quilt Show II, 2007-8.

Education

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, B.A.; Kansas State University, M.A.^[12]

Works

Young Adult/Teen Fiction

• The Blue Planets World Series (2017)
  • Envoys, prequel
  • Sleepers, Book 1
  • Sirens, Book 2
  • Pilgrims, Book 3

Fiction Novels for children

• Got Me a Cat, illustrated by Kyle McBride. (Mims House, 2022)
• Liberty (Mims House, 2016)
• The Aliens, Inc. Series
  • Kell, the Alien. Aliens, Inc. Series, Book 1. Illustrated by Rich Davis. (Mims House, 2014) Publishers Weekly review
  • Kell and the Horse Apple Parade. Aliens, Inc. Series, Book 2. Illustrated by Rich Davis. (Mims House, 2014)
  • Kell and the Giants. Aliens, Inc. Series, Book 3. Illustrated by Rich Davis. (Mims House, 2014)
  • Kell and the Detectives. Aliens, Inc. Series, Book 4. Illustrated by Rich Davis. (Mims House, 2015) School Library Journal review
• Longing for Normal (Mims House, 2015) Booklist Online Review [1]
• Gargoyle: A Tale of Two Miracles (Mims House, 2014)
• Saucy and Bubba: A Hansel and Gretel Tale (Mims House, 2014).
• Vagabonds (Mims House, 2014).
• THE HEARTLAND SERIES
  • The Wayfinder (Greenwillow Books, 2000, republished by Mims House, 2019.), a middle-grade fantasy novel. Winchal Eldras goes on a quest for healing both for himself and for his land. Reviewed in SLJ,^[13] Booklist,^[14] BCCB,^[15] Horn Book, VOYA and Locus.^[16] Translated into Spanish, El buscador de camino. State award reading lists:^[17]

Fiction Picture Books for Children

• The Read and Write Series
  • I Want a Dog: My Opinion Essay, Book 1 (Mims House, 2015)
  • I Want a Cat: My Opinion Essay, Book 2 (Mims House, 2015)
  • My Crazy Dog: My Narrative Essay, Book 3 (Mims House, 2016)
  • My Dirty Dog: My Informative Essay, Book 3 (Mims House, 2018)
• "Rowdy, the Pirate Who Could Not Sleep" (Mims House, 2016)
• 11 Ways to Ruin a Photograph: Winner of “The Help” Children’s Story Contest. (Mims House, 2011) A girl decides it is not a family photo album while Dad is gone soldiering.^[18]
• The Scary Slopes, (My First Graphic Novel series, Stone Arch Books, Jan., 2011 ISBN 9781434225344). Snowboarding fun.
• 19 Girls and Me, (Philomel, 2006), illustrated by Steven Salerno, about friendship in a kindergarten class. Translated into Chinese (Commonwealth Magazine Co./Taiwan), Arabic (Dar El Shorouk/Egypt) and German. Reviewed in Kirkus,^[19] Publishers Weekly,^[20] the School Library Journal,^[21] Childhood Education.^[22] Children’s Book of the Month Club selection.
• Searching for Oliver K. Woodman (Harcourt, 2005), a picture book illustrated by Joe Cepeda. When Oliver is missing for sixty days, his friends send Imogene Poplar, P.I.–a wooden woman–to find him. Reviewed in Kirkus,^[23] PW,^[24] BCCB,^[25] SLJ,^[26] Booklist. 2007-8 Arkansas Diamond Award Reading list.
• The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman (Harcourt Inc., 2003), a picture book illustrated by Joe Cepeda . A wooden man travels across the United States to connect a family. Reviewed in PW, SLJ,^[27] BCCB,^[28] Booklist, and Horn Book.^[29] *Starred reviews in Kirkus^[30] and CCBC. Booklist review ^[31] Autumn 2003 Children’s Booksense 76. Child and Nick Jr. Family Magazine Best Books of the Year 2003. Irma S. and James H. Black Picture Book Award Honor Book. Nutmeg Media Children’s Picture Books on Video, June 2005; 2006 ALA Notable Video. 2008 Houghton Mifflin reading series. Paperback version, spring, 2009. The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman was adapted as a video by Nutmeg Media and was a 2006 ALA Notable Video (,^[32] May, 2005).^[33]
• The River Dragon, a picture book illustrated by Jean and Mou-sien Tseng,(Lothrop, Lee & Shepard 1991) Translated into Swedish, Danish & Norwegian. ABA Pick of the Lists 1991. Reviewed by PW,^[34] SLJ,^[35] Childhood Education,^[36] Instructor Magazine.^[37]

Non fiction for children

• Be Strong: The Rise of the Beloved Public Arts Sculptor Nancy Schön, illustrated by Rich Davis, (Mims House 2024)
• I Am the Thirsty Desert, illustrated by Jordan Kim, Mims House, 2023. 2023 Eureka! Nonfiction Honor Book (California Reading Association)
• George Washington’s Engineer: How Rufus Putnam Won the Siege of Boston Without Firing a Shot, illustrated by Terry Kole, (Mims House 2023). 2024 Best STEM Book from National Science Teaching Association.
• Field Notebooks: How Scientists Record and Write About Observations, (Mims House, 2021)
• A LITTLE BIT OF DINOSAUR SERIES
  • A Little Bit of Dinosaur by Elleen Hutcheson and Darcy Pattison. (Mims House, 2021)

Starred Kirkus Review, 2021 Arkansiana Award, Eureka! Nonfiction Honor (California Reading Assn.)

• • A Little Bit of This Dinosaur (Mims House, 2023)
  • A Little Bit of That Dinosaur (Mims House, 2023)
• The Wonder of Christmas: 25 Days of Advent Journaling for Girls, by Shanna Noel, with Darcy

Pattison. (Dayspring Books, 2019)

• MOMENTS IN SCIENCE series, illustrated by Peter Willis
  • Burn: Michael Faraday’s Candle (Mims House 2016), Korean rights to DaBom Publishing.
  • Clang! Ernst Chladni’s Sound Figures. (Mims House, 2018). 2019 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book. Korean rights to DaBom Publishing.
  • Pollen: Darwin’s 130-year Prediction (Mims House, 2019. Starred Kirkus review, Junior

Library Guild selection, Eureka! Honor Book (California Reading Association). 2020 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book. Korean rights to DaBom Publishing.

• • Eclipse: How the 1919 Solar Eclipse Proved Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity (Mims House, 2019). Korean rights to DaBom Publishing.
  • Erosion: How Hugh Bennett Saved America’s Soil and Stopped the Dust Bowl (Mims House, 2020). 2021 NSSTA Notable Social Studies Book. Korean rights to DaBom Publishing.
  • A.I. How Patterns Helped Artificial Intelligence Defeat World Champion Lee Sedol (Mims House, 2021). Korean rights to DaBom Publishing.
  • FEVER: How Tu YouYou Adapted Traditional Chinese Medicine to Find a Cure for Malaria (Mims House, 2022).
  • AQUARIUM: How Jeannette Powers Invented the Aquarium to Study Marine Animals (Mims House, 2023).
  • MAGNETS: How William Gilbert Discovered that the Earth is a Great Magnet (Mims House, 2024)
• The Nantucket Sea Monster: A Fake News Story. Illustrated by Peter Willis, Mims House 2017. Junior Library

Guild Selection, 2018 NCTE Notable Children’s Book in Language Arts. Korean Rights to Darim Publishing.

• My STEAM Notebook: 150 Years of Primary Source Documents for American Scientists

Workbook for science notebooks, Spring 2017. With Photos from the Smithsonian.

• ANOTHER EXTRAORDINARY ANIMAL SERIES
  • Pelorus Jack, the New Zealand Porpoise, illustrated by Eva Dooley, (Mims House, 2024)
  • Diego, the Galapagos Giant Tortoise: Saving a Species from Extinction, illustrated by Amanda Zimmerman, (Mims House, 2022). Starred Kirkus Review.
  • Rosie the Ribeter: The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. Illustrated by Nathaniel Gold, (Mims House, 2018).
  • Nefertiti, the Spidernaut: How a Jumping Spider Learned to Hunt in Space. Illustrated by Valeria Tisnes, (Mims House, 2017). Alabama Camellia Children’s Choice Book Award 2016-17 List. 2017 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book.
  • Abayomi, the Brazilian Puma: The True Story of an Orphaned Cub Illustrated by Kitty Harvill, (Mims House, 2014). 2015 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book. Translated into Portuguese/Brazil.^[38]
  • Wisdom, the Midway Albatross. Illustrated by Kitty Harvill., (Mims House, 2012). Starred review in Publisher’s Weekly. ^[39] Interviewed by Laurie Thompson.^[40]
• Desert Baths (Sylvan Dell Publishers, 2012). 24-hours of baths by desert animals. It was named a 2013 Outstanding Science Trade Book by the NSTA and CBC^[41] Reviewed in Kirkus.^[42]
• Prairie Storms (Sylvan Dell Publishers, 2011). A year of storms for the prairie animals. Reviewed in Kirkus,^[43] BookLoons,^[44] and SLJ.^[45]

Non fiction for adults

• Writing for the Common Core: Writing, Speaking and Listening Activities Aligned with the Common Core (Mims House, 2014)
• Start Your Novel: Six Winning Steps Toward a Compelling Opening Line, Scene and Chapter (Mims House, 2013).
• What is Common Core? (Mims House, 2013).
• Common Core ELA Activities: Month by Month Writing, Speaking and Listening Activities Aligned with the Common Core, (Mims House, 2012).
• Paper Lightning: Sparking Student Brainstorming for Effective Pre-writing (Prufrock Press, 2008). A teacher-resource book about pre-writing strategies.
• Novel Metamorphosis: Uncommon Ways to Revise (Mims House, 2008). A novel revision workbook.

Ebooks for adults

• How to Write a Children’s Picture Book (Mims House, 2010)
• The Book Trailer Manual (Mims House, 2010)

Speaker

Pattison has presented at the National Teachers of English national conference, the American Library Association national conference, the Society of Children’s Bookwriters and Illustrators national conferences and numerous local and regional conference. In 1999, she created the Novel Revision retreat and has taught it across the United States.^[46] She participated in the 2012 and 2013 Authors for Earth Day program.^[47]

References

1. Something About the Author Vol. 72, pp 194-196,
2. "Making the Common Core Practical". Commoncorestandards.com. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
3. "Indie Spotlight on Children's Authors". publishersweekly.com. 2014-06-27. Retrieved 2014-06-30.
4. 2009 Children’s Writer & Illustrators Market
5. SCBWI North California “Novel Revision Retreat”, Retrieved on August 11, 2013.
6. SCBWI Illinois. “Go on a Revision Quest with Darcy Pattison” Retrieved August 11, 2013.
7. Halverson, Deborah (2011). ‘’Writing Young Adult Fiction for Dummies”, p 303. For Dummies. ISBN 0470949546
8. Brewer, Robert Lee (2011). 2012 Writer's Market, p 85. Writer's Digest Books. ISBN 1599632268
9. Arkansas Arts Council “Governor’s Art Award Recipients’’ 2013-07-05 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on August 11, 2013.
10. Something About the Author Vol. 72, pp 194-196,
11. 9/91 Quilting Today Magazine
12. Something About the Author Vol. 72, pp 194-196,
13. January, 2001, Mara Alpert, review of The Wayfinder, p. 134
14. Booklist, December 15, 2000, Sally Estes, review of The Wayfinder, p. 821
15. Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, January, 2001, review of The Wayfinder, p. 192
16. "Locus Online: Index to Locus Magazine Reviews". Locusmag.com. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
17. (PDF). Gcbac.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-09-03. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
    • • The Falconer (Mims House, 2019).
18. . Archived from the original on 2013-09-01. Retrieved 2013-08-29.
19. Kirkus, May 15, 2006, review of 19 Girls and Me, p. 522
20. Publishers Weekly, July 10, 2006, review of 19 Girls and Me, p. 81
21. July, 2006, Shelley B. Sutherland, review of 19 Girls and Me, p. 84;
22. Volume 83, number 1, 2006, Mary Anne Hannibal, review of 19 Girls and Me, p. 51.
23. Kirkux, January 15, 2005, review of Searching for Oliver K. Woodman, p. 124
24. January 17, 2005, review of Searching for Oliver K. Woodman, p. 55
25. BCCB, Michael Cart, review of Searching for Oliver K. Woodman, p. 1369. Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, February, 1992,
26. May, 2005, Maryann H. Owen, review of Searching for Oliver K. Woodman, p. 94
27. SLJ, April, 2003, Kathleen Simonetta, review of The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman, p. 134
28. BCCB, June, 2003, review of The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman, p. 415
29. Horn Book, May–June, 2003, Barbara Bader, review of The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman, p. 333.
30. Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2003, review of The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman, p. 394
31. Booklist, April 1, 2003, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman, p. 1403; April 1, 2005,
32. School Library Journal
33. . Harcourtbooks.com. June 2, 2012. Archived from the original on February 28, 2009. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
34. Publishers Weekly, June 14, 1991, review of The River Dragon, p. 57
35. Review of The River Dragon, School Library Journal, December, 1991, JoAnn Rees, p. 99
36. Childhood Education, Volume 68, number 4, 1992, review of The River Dragon, p. 248
37. Instructor, May, 1994, review of The River Dragon, p. 72
38. "2015 National Science Teachers Association Outstanding Science Trade Book". nsta.org. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
39. "Children's Book Review: Wisdom, the Midway Albatross: Surviving the Japanese Tsunami and Other Disasters for Over 60 Years by Darcy Pattison, illus. by Kitty Harvill. Mims House". Publishersweekly.com. 2013-02-18. ISBN 978-0-9798621-7-5. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
40. "Interview: Darcy Pattison on Writing Wisdom". Lauriethompson.com. March 6, 2012. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
41. "National Science Teachers Association". Nsta.org. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
42. Wright, Virginia (2012-07-15). "DESERT BATHS by Darcy Pattison, Kathleen Rietz | Kirkus". Kirkusreviews.com. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
43. Brenner, Barbara (2011-07-15). "PRAIRIE STORMS by Darcy Pattison, Kathleen Rietz | Kirkus". Kirkusreviews.com. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
44. Lyn Seippel (June 2, 2012). "Review of Prairie Storms". Bookloons.com. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
45. School Library Journal, November, 2011, Nancy Baumann, review of Prairie Storms, p. 104
46. Novel Metamorphosis: Uncommon Ways to Revise (Mims House, 2008) is the workbook for the retreat.
47. Authors for Earth Day program [www.authorsforearthday.com]

External links

• Personal website
• Balkin Buddies, (June 2, 2012), author profile
• (June 2, 2012), Lyn Seippel, review of Prairie Storms
• Darcy Pattison, The Studio, GirlScouts.org. Featured author for August, 2012