Published Books


Middle grade historical fiction published by Royal Fireworks Press in 1994.
ISBN:  0-88092-104-8 Paperback
           0-88092-105-6 Library Binding

Eleven-year-old Josh and his little sister, Maribelle, are orphans; Pa was hanged as an outlaw and Ma died from hard work and heartbreak.  Both kids travel to Colorado in 1879 to live with childless relatives, crotchety old Uncle Caleb who wants only a farm hand and sweet Aunt Abigail who welcomes a little girl to fuss over.  As Josh struggles to make a new life for himself, he faces challenges as harsh and unforgiving as the rugged West -- farm work, unrelenting weather, hunting and fishing, illness, wild animals, a dangerous fire, even the school bully.  But with the help of Widow McClendon, an intriguing woman with a secret in her past, Josh learns that reputation and acceptance are determined more by action than by ancestry, even for the son of an outlaw.
JOSH
Picture Book published by Holiday House in 1999
Illustrated by Lynne Rowe Reed
ISBN:  0-8234-1395-0

What's a witch to do when she needs a new cat? Grizzorka simply snatches Grandmother Katt's beloved grandkitten, Tabithia.  But the witch has definitely picked the wrong cat to mess with since Grandmother Katt is one feisty feline with an army of friends who have their own scores to settle with the witch.  Spider, Frog, Bat and Grandmother Katt prepare for the showdown.  Will the determined foursome be able to prove that love and friendship are stronger than magic, or will they end up simmering in the witch's Halloween stew?
THE HALLOWEEN SHOWDOWN

Picture Book published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux in 2005
Illustrated by Erin E. Kono
ISBN-13: 978-0-374-35508-1
ISBN-10: 0-374-35508-8

When Desperado Dan escapes from jail, the town is in  an uproar.  The mayor refuses Nellie's offer of help, telling her to hide under the bed if she must.  After all, she's a mere girl.  Well, that's all this spunky, self-reliant gal needs to propel her into action!  Nellie marches off to the Cripple Creek Gold Mine to find her Pa.  But as Desperado Dan closes in on her, Nellie must figure out what a smart gal should do when being trailed by an outlaw.  Why, play dumb of course!  That is, until she leads him directly into her trap.  
NELLIE AND THE BANDIT