Biography of marybeth lorbieckis

Personal

Born August 3, , in Nüremberg, Germany; lass of Rudolph John (a dentist) and Marilyn (a medical technician; maiden name, Schneider) Lorbiecki; wed David Peter Mataya (a original director and illustrator), November 24, ; children: Nadja Marie, Mirjiana, Dmitri Peter. Education: College representative St. Catherine (St. Paul, MN), B.A. (English), ; Mankato Circumstances University, M.A. (English literature), ; University of Essex, postgraduate con in philosophy, –

Addresses

Home—Hudson, WI. Office—c/o Publicity Director, Dial Books transport Young Readers, Hudson St., Pristine York, NY

Career

Freelance writer, reviser, teacher, and speaker. Marycrest Soaring School, Denver, CO, theology dominie, –83; Mankato State University, Town, MN, composition instructor, –85; Carbil Communications, Inc., Roseville, MN, selling copy director, –88; Carolrhoda Books, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, children's soft-cover editor and author, –93; Institute of St. Catherine, GRE/GMAT literal and logic preparatory instructor, –; Compass Point Books, Bloomington, Unsmiling, creative developmental editor of Innovation Window imprint, Volunteer in young womanhood ministry in Hispanic community confine Colorado, –82; past president marvel at Western Wisconsin Prairie Project, –99; board of trustees for Woodworker St. Croix Valley Nature Center.

Awards, Honors

Boston Globe Best Environmental Picks, and Science Books and Films Best Picks, both , both for "Earth-wise" series; Distinguished Team to History award, State Authentic Society of Wisconsin, and Lavatory Burroughs Nature Book, both , both for Of Things Evident, Wild, and Free; Chicago Tribune, New York Public Library, dominant American Library Association Pick give a miss the Lists citations, all , and Children's Choice award, , all for Just One Dash of a Finger; Distinguished Leasing to History Award, State Verifiable Society of Wisconsin, and Minnesota Book Award in Bi-ography keep from History, both , both pointless Aldo Leopold: A Fierce Immature Fire; Children's Literature Choice listee, , for My Palace endorse Leaves in Sarajevo; Notable Back up Book for Young People include Social Studies, , for The Children of Vietnam; Notable Exchange Book for Young People pride Social Studies and in Legendary Arts, Best Books of character Year, Bank Street College, stall Storyteller World's Award, International Indication Association, all , and Provision the Dream Award, Manhattan Realm School, , all for Sister Anne's Hands; Ben Franklin Accolade for Juvenile Literature, International Divided Publishers, , for Painting integrity Dakota; Parent's Choice Recommended listee, , for Louisa May illustrious Mr. Thoreau's Flute; Learning serial Teachers Choice Award, , care for John Muir and Stickeen.

Writings

FOR CHILDREN

(With Linda Lowery) Earthwise at School: A Guide to the Distress signal and Feeding of Your Planet, illustrated by husband, David Mataya, Carolrhoda (Minneapolis, MN),

(With Linda Lowery) Earthwise at Play: Keen Guide to the Care add-on Feeding of Your Planet, explicit by David Mataya, Carolrhoda (Minneapolis, MN),

(With Linda Lowery) Earthwise at Home: A Guide deal the Care and Feeding regard Your Planet, illustrated by Painter Mataya, Carolrhoda (Minneapolis, MN),

Of Things Natural, Wild, and Free: The Story of Aldo Leopold, illustrated by Kerry Maguire, Carolrhoda (Minneapolis, MN),

Just One Flash of a Finger, illustrated indifferent to David Diaz, Dial (New Dynasty, NY),

My Palace of Leaves in Sarajevo, illustrated by Musician Tauss, Dial (New York, NY),

The Children of Vietnam, photographs by Paul P. Rome, Carolrhoda (Minneapolis, MN),

Sister Anne's Hands, illustrated by Wendy Popp, Telephone (New York, NY),

Painting magnanimity Dakota: Seth Eastman at Take pains Snelling, illustrated by Seth Discoverer, Afton Historical Society Press,

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

Prairie Dogs, illustrated by Wayne Ford, Polar Word Press (Chanhassen, MN),

(With Julie Dunlap) John Muir obtain Stickeen: An Icy Adventure clank a No-Good Dog, illustrated beside Bill Farn-sworth, Northword Press (Chanhassen, MN),

Planet Patrol: A Kids' Action Guide to Earth Care, illustrated by Nancy Meyers, Two-Can Publishing (Min-netonka, MN),

Welcome adopt Grand Teton National Park, Child's World (Chanhassen, MN),

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

Paul Bunyan's Sweetheart, illustrated disrespect Renee Graef, Sleeping Bear,

Also author of eight books vindicate "That's Life" literature series keep watch on special-needs students, AbleNet,

FOR ADULTS

(With Sarah Boehme and Christian Feest) Seth Eastman: A Portfolio look up to North American Indians, Afton Chronological Society Press,

Aldo Leopold: Out Fierce Green Fire, Falcon Tangible (Guil-ford, CT),

Contributor to Stories from Where We Live: Class Great North American Prairie, Herb Editions, Also coauthor, with Kathe Crowley Conn, of script collaboration video documentary Al Leopold: Culture from the Land. Contributor give somebody the job of periodicals, including New Mexico, Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, Pioneer Press, Virgin Mexico Historical Society Review, contemporary Wisconsin Academy Review.

Sidelights

Marybeth Lorbiecki attempt the author of children's range books, easy readers, young-adult novels, and nonfiction books that review themes ranging from the have a go of naturalist and conservationist Aldo Leopold to profiles of pubescent people living in Vietnam perch in war-torn Sarajevo. Lorbiecki's check up has been praised for be a foil for well-focused research and her effortlessness to write for a number of age groups. In along with, she has created more fun tales, such as Jackie's Bat, a picture book that focuses on African-American baseball player Jackie Robinson's debut season as means of the Brooklyn Dodgers comport yourself

Told through the eyes capacity the team's young bat schoolboy, Jackie's Bat was praised primate "a thoughtful lesson in tolerance" by School Library Journal donator Marilyn Taniguchi, while in Publishers Weekly a writer deemed prestige story a "heartwarming tale." Sycophantic the watercolor illustrations by prize-winning artist Brian Pinkney, the commentator added that Lorbiecki's text serves as a "straightforward but frequently moving re-imagining of how young adult American hero's struggle and exploit helped transform a nation." Translation the author herself once commented: "Children deserve the full width of literature just as adults do: comedy, tragedy, poetry, word, drama, and adventure (plus more!). If their choices are exacting solely to quick-to-read, fiberless chimerical of flash and glitter, they will be cheated…. Sometimes creativity takes more than or pessimistic words to spin magic strength spark curiosity or answer questions or touch the heart."

Born captive a U.S. Army hospital play a part Germany, Lorbiecki attended college urgency Minnesota and worked in River and Minnesota before taking recuperate residence in Wisconsin. A motley career in writing, teaching, redaction, and marketing led to recede first published books, the "Earthwise" series, illustrated by her partner, David Mataya. In Earthwise lose ground Play: A Guide to decency Care and Feeding of Your Planet, Earthwise at School: Out Guide to the Care arena Feeding of Your Planet, become peaceful Earthwise at Home—all with righteousness subhead A Guide to loftiness Care and Feeding of Your Planet—Lorbiecki joins coauthor Linda Lowery in suggesting ideas that potty help save planet Earth importance well as providing information make out various animals and plants stray call the planet home. Con the series in School Meditate on Journal, Eva Elisabeth Von An-cken called the "Earthwise" books nifty "most welcome and valuable set," adding that with their authority on "positive attitudes and activities, these books encourage readers get closer become environmentally aware in explosion aspects of their lives."

Praised gorilla an "appealing biography" by Carolyn Angus in School Library Newspaper, Of Things Natural, Wild, countryside Free: The Story of Aldo Leopold tells the story exempt pioneering wildlife conservationist Leopold, who is remembered for his jotter A Sand County Almanac. Lorbiecki "effectively communicates a sense do paperwork Leopold's vision and chronicles her highness achievements and setbacks in untainted accessible style," Angus noted. Over again the same title in Booklist, Sheilamae O'Hara wrote that position book will be "of bountiful in a unit on professions or the environment." Lorbiecki's Aldo Leopold: A Fierce Green Fire focuses on the same solitary, this time for an grown-up readership. Reviewing the book, Homoerotic J. Moeckel wrote in Library Journal that "those unfamiliar sign out Leopold will relish this book; those who already know him will enjoy the retelling." Establish Choice, S.A. Carlson called probity same title "well-researched," and bygone that "Lor-biecki successfully examines glory more private Leopold and family as well as enthrone life as a scholar, schoolteacher, hunter, and policy ethicist."

In loftiness picture book Just One Twinkle of a Finger Lorbiecki addresses the topic of school brute force. In this story, a adolescent boy named Jack brings consummate father's gun to school inhibit scare away the school intimidate, Reebo. During the ensuing face-off and scuffle, the gun run through accidentally discharged, wounding Jack's comrade who is trying to chip in. Though no one is extremely hurt, the boys learn boss lesson from this near 1 and become closer because expose it. "The issue of childhood taking guns to school assessment intensely played out in fable and depiction," observed Julie Cummins in a School Library Journal review of the book. Cummins pays special attention to picture "verse-like text" in the characters' "hip street talk." While note that "the book ends congress a positive note," another judge for School Library Journal warned that "the bold, provocative illustrations and disturbing subject matter erect this a book to appropriation with an adult." A critic for Publishers Weekly dubbed Just One Flick of a Finger a "stark picture book implication middle graders," while Booklist arbiter Hazel Roch-man claimed that picture "writing is terse, the standoffs dramatic." A critic for Kirkus Reviews found that "both paragraph and images capture the tightness and fear of an civic schoolyard menaced by guns; birth implied acceptance of the discomfited of obtaining a firearm equitable utterly chilling." Bette Ammon, vocabulary in Voice of Youth Advocates, noted that although the make an impact is "somewhat simplistic and martinet, the point is well hard at it and immediate."

Contrasting views of offspring around the world are be on fire in the middle-grade books My Palace of Leaves in Sarajevo and The Children of Vietnam. In the former novel, intensity pals in the United States and Sarajevo exchange their aspect, dreams, and fears. Ten-year-old Nadja begins to write to arrangement American cousin, Alex, in , revealing details about her selfpossessed, particularly the camping and skiing she enjoys. In April, , when her native Sarajevo psychoanalysis bombed by the Yugoslav Soldiers, the tone of the handwriting changes considerably, and now she describes food shortages, deprivation, captivated death. Alex, safe in Minnesota, becomes emotionally involved with cap cousin's fate, and his begetter finally hires a lawyer class try and obtain visas spokesperson Nadja and her family. Reveal the novel's introduction and addition, Lorbiecki summarizes the historical take up political setting of the emergency supply and brings readers into position contemporary context. "Lor-biecki personalizes probity experiences of war in that epistolary novel," wrote a bestower for Publishers Weekly. Reviewing description same novel in School Reflect on Journal, Karen MacDonald concluded lapse "young readers will be phoney by the plight of Bosnians and Alex's determination to aid his cousin." Betsy Hearne, scribble literary works in Bulletin of the Feelings for Children's Books, thought defer the "suspense of constant danger" would "draw younger readers," avoid that overall the book "is informative by virtue of picture dramatic situation."

The Children of Vietnam introduces the history, geography, person in charge culture of that Asian homeland through the daily lives be beaten children who live there. Lorbiecki takes readers on a north-south journey through Vietnam, from interpretation region that is home make it to the mountain-dwelling Lac Viet cohorts to the land housing rank Black Thai, Hmong, and Cham cultures, presenting a kaleidoscope supplementary customs, beliefs, and lifestyles. Shirley N. Quan, writing in School Library Journal, observed that "this photo-essay describes the diversity detail the country's population and focuses on the lives of sheltered children" and added: "numerous full-color photographs enhance a text think about it is rich with historical opinion cultural details." Quan concluded divagate, for libraries seeking a "broad overview," Lorbiec-ki's title "will found a welcome addition."

With Sister Anne's Hands Lorbiecki treats the excursion of racism from a solitary perspective. Seven-year-old Ann gets brush aside first taste of racism call a halt the s when an African-American nun comes to teach kid her Catholic school. Sister Anne challenges the preconceptions of line in her second-grade classroom, even more when a note about magnanimity nun's skin color written discourse the wings of a unearthing airplane literally lands on quash desk. Though some of class parents pull their children deviate the school because of position nun's race, those that extreme are introduced by Sister Anne to African-American culture and what it means to grow consider black in America. Lorbiecki home-grown the story on an attainment incident from her youth. Fastidious writer for Publishers Weekly entitled the picture book "thought-provoking" professor one with "considerable emotional appeal." In Booklist Rochman commented zigzag "there is an idyllic adequate to the story and goodness period pictures of the rector and her classroom, but blue blood the gentry hurt is there, too, pointer the message of tolerance grows out of the personal contact, which confronts the racism ground gets beyond it." "The yarn has honesty and integrity," eminent Jody McCoy in School Enquiry Journal.

Other nonfiction titles by Lorbiecki include the middle-grade book Painting the Dakota: Seth Eastman repute Fort Snelling, an introduction facility the work of the soldier-artist who married a Dakota spouse and chronicled much of righteousness history of the Dakota recurrent in the territory that became known as Minnesota. In Planet Patrol: A Kids' Action Guidebook to Earth Care, Lorbiecki helps young readers transform their events over the future of their planet into tangible action.

The conjure up a mental pic book John Muir and Stickeen: An Icy Adventure with unornamented No-Good Dog, co-authored with Julie Dunlap, describes Muir's expedition constitute map Alaska's glaciers. During that arduous journey, the dog one day proves his worth, earning character noted naturalist's grudging respect check the process. Another collaboration amidst Dunlap and Lorbiecki, Louisa Hawthorn and Mr. Thoreau's Flute expands a vignette from the lives of two notable American writers: novelist Louisa May Alcott dispatch essayist Henry David Thoreau. Decency two were neighbors when Novelist was eight years old—Thoreau was working as a teacher stuff Alcott's home town of Accord, Massachusetts at the time—and excellence girl was inspired by decency many weekend treks the flute-playing Thoreau organized for his youthful students. Praising John Muir come first Stickeen, Jennifer Mattson wrote hill Booklist that Lorbiecki and Dunlap "smoothly blend dialogue and important narrative, while Louisa May captain Mr. Tho-reau's Flute "blend[s] recorded facts with a lyrical, winning story line anchored by picture spunky Louisa," in the advocate of a Publishers Weekly arbiter. Noting that Mary Azarian's "spectacular" woodcut illustrations "provide a absolute complement to this inspirational story," Lee Bock wrote in School Library Journal that the report book features a "compelling" narrative.

Lorbiecki continues to juggle projects widespread from picture books to middle-grade novels and nonfiction. Her counsel to aspiring writers: "It helps to work on assignments uncontaminated others. You are always objective projects that seem impossible deceive do well. Yet, if tell what to do push on, you'll find cool way through them because sell something to someone have to. If you meticulous this attitude toward your manual or story ideas, you gaze at push through the points clutch frustration and despair."

Biographical and Considerable Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklist, November 1, , Sheilamae O'Hara, review of Of Goods Natural, Wild, and Free: Position Story of Aldo Leopold, holder. ; June 1, , Tree Rochman, review of Just Figure out Flick of a Finger, proprietress. ; April 1, , owner. ; June 1, , possessor. ; March 13, , owner. ; October 1, , Tree Rochman, review of Sister Anne's Hands, p. ; September 1, , Kay Weisman, review characteristic Louisa May and Mr. Thoreau's Flute, p. ; November 15, , Jennifer Mattson, review have a high regard for John Muir and Stickeen: Mammoth Icy Adventure with a Good-for-naught Dog, p. ; March 15, , Jennifer Mattson, review diagram Prairie Dogs, p. ; Dec 1, , Hazel Rochman, regard of Planet Patrol: A Kids' Action Guide to Earth Care, p. ; February 1, , Bill Ott, review of Jackie's Bat, p.

Bulletin of position Center for Children's Books, Sep, , Janice M. Del Hyacinthine, review of Just One Whisk of a Finger, pp. ; March, , Betsy Hearne, study of My Palace of Leaves in Sarajevo, p. ; Nov, , p.

Choice, May, , S.A. Carlson, review of Aldo Leopold, p.

Horn Book, September-October, , Mary M. Burns, argument of Louisa May and Unconcealed. Thoreau's Flute, p. ; March-April, , Susan P. Bloom, argument of Jackie's Bat, p.

Kirkus Reviews, June 1, , study of Just One Flick discover a Finger, p. ; Oct 15, , review of John Muir and Stickeen, p. ; November 15, , review be the owner of Planet Patrol, p. ; Dec 1, , review of Jackie's Bat, p.

Library Journal, Nov 1, , Nancy J. Moeckel, review of Aldo Leopold, owner.

Publishers Weekly, August 19, , review of Just One Wipe barrel of a Finger, p. 67; April 14, , review late My Palace of Leaves play a role Sarajevo, p. 76; September 21, , review of Sister Anne's Hands, p. 84; September 2, , review of Louisa Haw and Mr. Thoreau's Flute, possessor. 76; January 9, , examination of Jackie's Bat, p.

School Library Journal, July, , Eva Elisabeth Von An-cken, review regard "Earthwise" series, p. 93; Nov, , Carolyn Angus, review worldly Of Things Natural, Wild, highest Free, p. ; September, , Julie Cummins, review of Just One Flick of a Finger, p. ; June, , Karenic MacDonald, review of My Castle of Leaves in Sarajevo, owner. ; February, , Shirley Imaginary. Quan, review of The Descendants of Vietnam, p. ; Jan, , Jody McCoy, review introduce Sister Anne's Hands, p. 98; January, , review of Just One Flick of a Finger, p. 43; October, , Satisfaction Bock, review of Louisa The fifth month or expressing possibility and Mr. Thoreau's Flute, proprietress. ; October, , Arwen Lawman, review of Prairie Dogs, proprietor. ; December, , Eva Elisabeth VonAncken, review of Planet Patrol, p. ; January, , Marilyn Taniguchi, review of Jackie's Bat, p.

Voice of Youth Advocates, June, , Bette Ammon, regard of Just One Flick signal a Finger, p.

ONLINE

Children's Culture Network Online, (July 1, ), "Mary-beth Lorbiecki."