BOOKS

multicultural middle grade fiction
Starfields
Living in the Mayan jungle, Rosalba knows nothing about the 2012 prophesy of the end of the world. Then sophisticated Alicia comes from Mexico City to tell her all about it...
Take Me With You
Susana and Pina grow up in an Italian orphanage Will either find a parent?
The Gold-Threaded Dress (Candlewick 2002)
Oy, a Thai immigrant, has to decide what she will give up to fit in. What would you do if the most popular girl demanded that you bring or special dress to school, or else?
Mama Had to Work on Christmas (Viking 2003)
Gloria wakes up on Christmas morning to find that Mama is going to work instead of taking her to Nana's house in Mexico to celebrate.
Silk Umbrellas (Candlewick 2004)
Will Noi be sent to the factory to work, or can she learn to paint umbrellas? Will a young artist be able to pursue her gift?
Moon Runner (Candlewick 2005)
What if your best friend is also your biggest rival?
The Quail Club (Candlewick 2006)
In this sequel to The Gold-Threaded Dress, Oy must again make a decision. In the talent show will she do what others want or be true to herself?
The Jade Dragon (Candlewick 2006)
Why won't the new Chinese girl be Ginny's friend?
When Heaven Fell (Candlewick 2007)
Binh's Ameican aunt is coming to her Vietnamese village. Will she bring the riches that Binh longs for?
Bird Springs (Viking 2007)
Gregory has to leave the Navajo reservation for the big city of Tucson.
The Buddha's Diamonds (Candlewick 2008)
Overnight, Tinh's Vietnamese village is destroyed by a cyclone.
Sahwira: An African Friendship (Candlewick 2009)
Can a white boy and an African boy keep their friendship in a changing world?

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ABOUT ME

TEN THINGS I LOVE TO DO:

1. Play with my dogs and cats
2. Hang out with my family
3. Boogie board in the ocean
4. Paint and do collage
5. Dance
6. Read great books
7. Take long walks by the beach
8. Travel to exotic places
9. Go to Deer Park Monastery on Sundays
10. Write!

Maleeka and Preeya years ago in their gold-threaded dresses

This is my older daughter, Maleeka, who is now in college. She's on the cover of MOON RUNNER.

My younger daughter, Preeya, holding the most important thing in life! Preeya is on the cover of THE GOLD-THREADED DRESS. Her drawing is on page 17 of the book.

This is my husband as a boy with his three brothers. Pal is the oldest.

EDUCATION:

*Pomona College, Claremont, CA

*University of Colorado, Boulder (BA in Philosophy)

*Prescott College, Tucson, AZ (Elementary Teaching Credential)

*Vermont College, Montpelier (MFA in Writing for Children)

This is Cici. We rescued her in Mexico.

My dog, Frankie. He's part Terrier and part Beagle. He loves to chase balls and rocks.

PLACES I'VE LIVED

Mexico City
Newport Beach, CA
Laguna Beach, CA
Santa Barbara, CA
Ojai, CA
Del Mar, CA
La Jolla, CA
Claremont, CA
Boulder, CO
Berkeley, CA
Santa Fe, NM
Philadelphia, PA
New York City
Tucson, AZ
Ensenada, Mexico
Tecate, Mexico

Phoebe

Jaguar

JOBS I'VE HAD:
phone solicitor
maid
dance teacher
check microfilmer
poetry teacher
care provider
bartender
landlady
paralegal
elementary and preschool teacher
writer (Yay!)
I love to paint. Here are some of my paintings.

Here I am with my giant "Conductor of the Jazz Band."

These paintings started out as monotype images. I painted the face on a piece of plexiglass, then pressed paper over the image. Afterwards, I filled in with paint and water-based oil pastels.

I played around with paint, using the monotype process, and came up with this abstract.

These are three figures sitting around a campfire.

My daughter, Preeya, did the monotype for this face and I finished the painting.

This one looks like a ceremonial mask to me.

This one is on canvas. Coincidentally, it looks like me when I was about ten years old.