Product Overview
For nearly fifty years, Katherine Paterson’s stories have captured readers young and old. From Bridge to Terabithia’s Leslie Burke to the unforgettable Gilly Hopkins to countless others, her characters are woven into the memories of several generations. Paterson’s writing has always explored the rich emotional landscape of childhood, for she has never forgotten how she felt as a child herself.
The writer she became grew from her own fascinating life, told here in a collection of stories that reach from earlier generations of her family to the present day. Born in China to Presbyterian missionary parents from the American South, her young adulthood led her to Japan and then back to the East Coast, where she began to raise her family and put stories on paper. Each of these experiences influenced the books that were to come. Through Paterson’s memories, we learn the origins of her characters and story lines and share in her unexpected literary acclaim. We see the intimate moments of family, creativity, and faith that come together for a life well lived.
With snapshots from her family albums and introductory remarks from fellow writers Kate DiCamillo and Nancy Price Graff, this is more than a behind-the-scenes look at favorite children’s books. It’s the story of a life infused with humor, joy, and gratitude, which inspired new stories embraced by readers everywhere.
Perfect for book clubs! Download the Reading Group Guide.
Reviews
“Paterson’s legions of fans, young and old, will welcome this peek into her life and process.” -Kirkus Reviews
“Paterson’s life story is full of adventures. . . . A highly recommended read.” -Book Page
“Honest, flecked with good humor, and heartrending.” -The Horn Book
“This set of personal tales offers the same openness and vibrant detail that helped Paterson garner Newbery Medals and National Book Awards. . . . For those of us never invited to dinner in Paterson’s undoubtedly welcoming home, this book allows us to at least imagine the stories we might hear while doing the dishes.” -School Library Journal
“‘Sometimes I can’t believe my own life,’ writes Paterson in these autobiographical stories about her missionary parents, her childhood in China and the U.S., and her career—first as a missionary herself and, after marriage and motherhood, as one of the most decorated authors in children’s literature. . . . What absolutely shines through is Paterson’s warm, self-effacing humor, and the extraordinary humility of a writer who has won two National Book Awards, two Newbery Medals, and the Hans Christian Andersen Medal. Like Mark Twain, to whom she is distantly related, Paterson is a true American treasure.” -Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Praise for Stories of My Life
“This book is a valentine. It is Katherine’s valentine to her parents and to her children. It is her valentine to life and to stories. It is her valentine to us.” -from Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo’s foreword