Patricia Polacco

Author Information
Patricia Polacco's Latest Book

Newest Release

  • Bibliography:
    70 Books
  • First Book:
    November 1987
  • Latest Book:
    December 2024
  • Author Rating:
  • Share:

Book List in Order: 70 titles

  • Meteor!

    The meteor that crash lands in the middle of Grandma and Grandpa Gaw's yard sets off a chain of events that brings magic to the residents of Mudsock Meadow. A remarkable true-life event comes alive in this reissue of Patricia Polacco's very first pic...

  • Boat Ride with Lillian Two Blossom

  • Thunder Cake

    A loud clap of thunder booms, and rattles the windows of Grandma's old farmhouse. "This is Thunder Cake baking weather," calls Grandma, as she and her granddaughter hurry to gather the ingredients around the farm. A real Thunder Cake must reach the o...

  • Appelemando's Dreams

    Appelemando loves to dream! The villagers think he will never amount to much, but his friends know better. They can see his dreams drift up from the top of his head and float into the sky.
    Then, one rainy day, Appelemando's dreams are blown onto a...

  • Chicken Sunday

    After being initiated into a neighbor's family by a solemn backyard ceremony, a young Russian American girl and her African American brothers' determine to buy their gramma Eula a beautiful Easter hat. But their good intentions are misunderstood, unt...

  • Mrs. Katz and Tush

    In this special Passover story, Larnel Moore, a  young African-American boy, and Mrs. Katz, an  elderly Jewish woman, develop an unusual friendship  through their mutual concern for an abandoned cat  named Tush...

  • Picnic at Mudsock Meadow

    It?s time for the annual Halloween picnic. But the kids are worried about the ghost of Titus Dinworthy. Except William, who?s pretty sure old Titus is just swamp gas; it?s Hester Bledden he?s worried about. Every time William is about to win a contes...

  • The Bee Tree

    When Mary Ellen gets bored with her reading, Grandpa knows a hunt for a bee tree is just what she needs. Half the town joins the exciting chase, but it's not until everyone returns home that Mary Ellen makes a discovery of her own: Sometimes, even th...

  • Babushka Baba Yaga

    She was the last of her kind. A creature of legends. A being of the forest. AAnd? stories . . . were told of her - stories of the terrible, horrible Baba Yaga.

    In truth, Baba Yaga was kind, and very lonely. And as she watches the babushkas of ...



  • Some Birthday!

    "Anything special happening today, Daddy?" Patricia asked, hoping it would help him remember. "Nope, honey. Today's about the same as any other day, I'd say." Some birthday! Where was the cake with all the candles, the brightly wrapped present, and t...

  • Just Plain Fancy

    A charming picture book set in an Amish community, by the beloved storyteller Patricia Polacco.Naomi lives with her farming family in an Amish village in Pennsylvania. As part of her household chores, Naomi looks after the chickens with her little si...

  • My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother

    There's nothing worse than a rotten redheaded older brother who can do everything you can do better! Patricia's brother Richard could run the fastest, climb the highest, and spit the farthest and still smile his extra-rotten, greeny-toothed, weasel-e...

  • Pink and Say

    When Sheldon Russell Curtis told this story to his daughter, Rosa, she kept every word in her heart and was to retell it many times.
         I will tell it in Sheldon's own words as nearly as I can.

    He was wounded in a fierce battle and lef...

  • Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair

    How much TV is too much TV? Welcome to Triple Creek, where the townspeople watch TV day and night. They watch it when they're eating, working, playing, and sleeping. They even use TVs to teach the kids at school. But when Eli's eccentric Aunt Chip (w...

  • Rechenka's Eggs

    Old Babushka, known throughout all of Moskva for her beautifully painted eggs, is preparing her eggs for the Easter Festival when she takes in an injured goose. She names the goose Rechenka, and they live happily together until one day when Rechenka ...

  • Tikvah Means Hope

    Justine and Duane and their neighbors are happily getting ready for Sukkoth, the Jewish harvest holiday. Suddenly, catastrophe strikes as a fire sweeps through their town. Luckily for everyone, there are still miracles in this world--sometimes in the...

  • Babushka's doll

    • / General Fiction
    • Buy Buy

    Babushka's doll was special. She had played with it only once, when she was a little girl like her high-spirited granddaughter, Natasha. Now Babushka is going to the store and it's Natasha's turn to take the little doll down from the high shelf. When...

  • In Enzo's Splendid Gardens

    This is the bee that stopped on a tree in Enzo's splendid gardens. . . .

    And that's how this rollicking adventure from Patricia Polacco begins. A boy drops his book when he takes a good look at that very bee. Then a waiter, who'd just turned a...

  • The Keeping Quilt

    American Booksellers Association Pick of the Lists Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Book Award Carnegie Medal Honor BookThis beloved and bestselling picture book tells the story of one family’s history through the generations and the p...



  • My Ol' Man

  • Welcome Comfort

    It's not easy being Welcome Comfort-a foster child always moving from home to home and getting picked on by the kids at school. Even Christmas, the most wondrous time of the year, isn't so wonderful for Welcome, who has no family, no presents, and no...

  • I Can Hear the Sun

    From the beloved New York Times bestselling author-illustrator of Thank You, Mr. Falker and Pink and Say.

    Fondo's life is sad and lonely until he meets Stephanie Michele. She takes care of the geese who live on the shore of Lake Merritt, ...

  • The Butterfly

    Since the Tall Boots--the Nazis--have marched into Monique's small French village, terrorizing it, nothing surprises her. Until the night Monique encounters "the little ghost" sitting at the end of her bed. When she turns out to be--not a ghost at al...

  • Babushka's Mother Goose

    From the beloved New York Times bestselling author-illustrator of Thank You, Mr. Falker and Pink and Say.

    Meet Yasha, whose beard grows down to the ground and keeps growing, and an old babushka who lives in a boot with too many children. Bel...

  • The Trees of the Dancing Goats

    Trisha loves the eight days of Hanukkah, when her mother stays home from work, her Babushka makes delicious potato latkes, and her Grampa carves wonderful animals out of wood as gifts for Trisha and her brother. In the middle of her family's preparat...

  • Mrs. Mack

    Patricia is thrilled when her father decides that she's finally old enough to learn to ride. But her dreams of having a beautiful horse of her own are dashed when he takes her to a stable in Dogpatch, the rundown section of town. Patricia is sure tha...

  • Betty Doll

    Patricia Polacco shares a never-before-told story about her mother's favorite doll.

    "My Darlin Trisha, my mother wrote..." So begins the story of Patricia Polacco's mother's favorite doll.

    Whenever Mary Ellen needed Betty Doll, she was there. She...

  • Mr. Lincoln's Way

    Mr. Lincoln is the coolest principal ever! He knows how to do everything, from jumping rope to leading nature walks. Everyone loves him. . . except for Eugene Esterhause. "Mean Gene" hates everyone who's different. He's a bully, a bad student, and he...

  • Luba and the Wren

    When Luba helps a frightened wren, it promises to grant all of her wishes. "I am content, I have no wish," Luba says-at first. Then Luba's parents convince her to ask for a bigger house. After that, they want an estate, and later, they ask for a pala...



  • When Lightning Comes in a Jar

    It's family reunion time! Trisha and her cousins can hardly wait to see one another again. They can't decide what they like best: the great feast (with zillions of meatloafs and gazillions of Jell-O salads), the softball game, the storytelling . . . ...

  • Christmas Tapestry

    When a bad leak ruins the sacristy wall in his father's church, Jonathan Jefferson Weeks thinks his family's first Christmas Eve service in Detroit will be ruined, too. But then he and his father find a beautiful tapestry for sale in a secondhand sho...

  • G Is for Goat

    This very simple rhyming alphabet book takes on a subject dear to the author's heart: goats! These lovable, frisky animals prance through  the pages, wreaking havoc and charming young children on each spread, from A is for Apple (a goat's favorit...

  • The Graves Family

    The Graves family has just moved to Union City, and they definitely don't fit in. With giant spiders in the living room, a voracious Venus flytrap named Phoebe in the kitchen, and a secret laboratory in the basement, the neighbors are afraid to visit...

  • Oh, Look!

    The famous Polacco goats are back!  In this playful interactive chant, three mischievous little goats find their way out of the gate (squeak, squeak, squeak!), over a bridge (click, click, click!) through some mud (squish, squish, squish!), onto a c...

  • John Philip Duck

    Edward loves his pet duck more than anything. He raised it from a baby, and now it follows him everywhere&150even to the big fancy hotel in Memphis where he works with his father. Everyone at the Peabody loves to watch that little duck do tricks; why...

  • An Orange for Frankie

    Patricia Polacco's most poignant Christmas tale!

    The Stowell family is abuzz with holiday excitement, and Frankie, the youngest boy, is the most excited of all. But there's a cloud over the joyous season: Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and Pa hasn...

  • Mommies Say Shhh!

    Goats say "Maa-Maa-Maa." Birds say "Cheep-Cheep-Cheep." Horses say "Neigh-Neigh-Neigh." Rabbits say nothing at all! But when all of these animals get together and raise a honking, braying, neighing ruckus, what do mommies say? "Shhhhhh!"
    With th...

  • The Graves Family Goes Camping

    When the Graves family goes camping to mysterious Lake Bleakmire, so doall their ghoulish sidekicks -- bats, spiders, and even their Venus Flytrap. Yet nothing can prepare them for their latest sidekick: a fire-breathing dragon, who eats the Grave...

  • Emma Kate

    That adorable Emma Kate has an imaginary friend.They walk to school together every morning, and sit together in class.They sleep over at each other’s houses, and do their homework side by side.They even have their tonsils out and eat gallons of pin...



  • Rotten Richie and the Ultimate Dare

    Seems like Richie’s entire goal in life is to make Trisha’s impossible. Especially when he takes to teasing her about her beloved ballet class. Trisha knows how much work it takes to be good at ballet -- much more than the stupid hockey Richie pl...

  • Gracias, Sr. Falker

  • Something about Hensley's

    There's something about Hensley's! No matter what you need, that general store is sure to have it. It's almost magical the way the manager, Old John, seems to know what the townsfolk need before they do! But then a new family moves to town. The young...

  • Ginger and Petunia

     


    Virginia Vincent Folsum, better known as Ginger, is a very elegant lady. An accomplished pianist, socially active -- and what style! “You are what you wear” is her motto. But Ginger’s greatest passion is her pet pig, Petunia, whom ...

  • The Lemonade Club

    Everyone loves Miss Wichelman?s fifth-grade class?especially best friends Traci and Marilyn. That?s where they learn that when life hands you lemons, make lemonade! They are having a great year until Traci begins to notice some changes in Marilyn. Sh...

  • For the Love of Autumn

    Tender and sweet: A love story from Polacco.

    Miss Parks just loves her new home, her new teaching job, and all her new students. But most of all, she loves Autumn, her perfect little kitten. Then one night, during a terrible storm, Autumn runs aw...

  • Someone for Mr. Sussman

    Jerome?s bubbie is a matchmaker?the greatest in the whole neighborhood. She even found a match for the Firesteins? son, and that was a miracle! She?s found a match for everyone. Everyone except for Mr. Sussman?and herself, that is. But Mr. Sussman is...

  • In Our Mothers' House

    Marmee, Meema, and the kids are just like any other family on the block. In their beautiful house, they cook dinner together, they laugh together, and they dance together. But some of the other families don't accept them. They say they are different....

  • Uncle Vova's Tree

    Christmastime is special at Uncle Vova?s house. Laughing and singing, he dances, takes the children on a sleigh ride, and gathers them to trim the tree that he and Svetlana planted when they first came to America. But when Vova is gone, to the surpri...

  • January's Sparrow

    Patricia Polacco's most powerful book since Pink and Say.

    In the middle of the night, The Crosswhites?including young Sadie?must flee the Kentucky plantation they work on. Dear January has been beaten and killed by the plantation master, and they ...



  • Junkyard Wonders

    When young Trisha finds out her class at the new school is known as "The Junkyard," she is devastated. She moved from her old town so she wouldn't be in a special class anymore! But then she meets her teacher, the quirky and invincible Mrs. Peterson,...

  • Just in Time, Abraham Lincoln

    Michael and Derek don't expect the adventure of a lifetime visiting a Civil War museum with their grandmother. But the mysterious museum keeper invites them to play a game, and before they know it, they're walking through a door straight into a very ...

  • Bun Bun Button

    Paige loves cuddling with Gramma and all of Gramma's pets in the Old Blue Chair. And when Gramma makes her Bun Bun Button, an adorable homemade stuffed bunny with a button nose, this special time becomes even more cozy. Then a balloon carries the lit...

  • The Art of Miss Chew

    After spending the summer with her artist grandmother, Trisha knows she wants to be an artist, too. She's thrilled when her sketches get her into Miss Chew's special art class at the high school. A substitute teacher tells her she's wasting time on a...

  • Thank You, Mr. Falker

    When Trisha starts school, she can't wait to learn how to read, but the letters just get jumbled up. She hates being different, and begins to believe her classmates when they call her a dummy. Then, in fifth grade, Mr. Falker changes everything. He s...

  • Bully

    Patricia Polacco takes on cliques and online bullying Lyla finds a great friend in Jamie on her first day of school, but when Lyla makes the cheerleading squad and a clique of popular girls invites her to join them, Jamie is left behind. Lyla know...

  • The Blessing Cup

    bond of love unites a family throughout generations in this companion to the beloved and bestselling classic The Keeping Quilt. As a young Russian Jewish girl in the early 1900s, Anna and her family lived in fear of the Czar’s soldiers. The fam...

  • Gifts of the Heart

    Beloved author-illustrator Patricia Polacco's holiday story is a wonderful ode to the magic of family, Christmas, and giving the right kind of gifts--gifts filled with love. Richie and Trisha want to buy Christmas gifts for their family, but they...

  • Mr. Wayne's Masterpiece

    In this inspiring true story, beloved artist Patricia Polacco conquers her fear of public speaking, allowing her to discover her remarkable voice. A wonderful companion to Thank You, Mr. Falker and The Art of Miss Chew, it celebrates the lifelong imp...

  • Fiona's Lace

    An Irish family stays together with the help of Fiona’s talent for making one-of-a-kind lace in this heartwarming immigration story from the New York Times bestselling creator of The Keeping Quilt. Many years ago, times were hard in all of Irela...

  • Tucky Jo and Little Heart

    Friendship, loyalty, and kindness stand the test of time in this heartwarming World War II-era picture book based on a true story from the beloved author-illustrator of Pink and Say and The Keeping Quilt. Tucky Jo was known as the “kid from Kent...

  • An a from Miss Keller

    How did Patricia Polacco become a writer? A perfect companion to the classic Thank You, Mr. Falker, The Art of Miss Chew, and Mr. Wayne’s Masterpiece, this book celebrates a teacher who inspired a young Patricia Polacco to become the writer and...

  • Because of Thursday

    From critically acclaimed author Patricia Polacco comes a heartwarming story about a girl named Annie, her lucky Thursdays, and a special cat who comes into her life just in time to make everything right. Thursdays have always been lucky for Annie...

  • The Mermaid's Purse

    Based on the life of beloved author-illustrator Patricia Polacco’s own amazing grandmother, this wonderful celebration of reading and community is as exhilarating as it is heartwarming. Young Stella loves books so much, her books begin to take ...

  • Remembering Vera

    From beloved author Patricia Polacco comes the heartwarming and true story of Vera, an amazing dog who was found as a stray by the US Coast Guard, moved into the San Francisco Bay base, and became a hero and friend. In 1962 a stray dog was found u...

  • Holes in the Sky

    Miss Eula is back! In this heartwarming companion to Chicken Sunday, young Trisha is devastated when her grandmother passes away, but finds joy in bonds with a new friend, her new California neighborhood--and the invincible Miss Eula. There will n...

  • The Bravest Man in the World

    From master storyteller Patricia Polacco comes the tragic and beautiful story inspired by Wallace Hartley -- the musician who played with his band to calm the passengers of the Titanic as the ship sank. One afternoon, Jonathan Harker Weeks didn’...

  • Sticks and Stones

    From New York Times bestselling author and master storyteller Patricia Polacco comes the uplifting tale of three inseparable friends who pursue their talents and stop at nothing to achieve their dreams. Based on her own childhood memory, author Pa...

  • Go Ask Ozzie

    In this companion story to My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother, beloved storyteller Patricia Polacco tells a lively and warmhearted tale of comic sibling tension and brotherly love based on her own childhood.There’s nothing worse than a rotten redhea...

  • Palace of Books

    From beloved storyteller Patricia Polacco comes a picture book based on her childhood about how a very special librarian and town library made her life happier after moving to a new state in elementary school.When young Patricia’s family moves to B...

  • A Sea of Gold

    “An empathetic, heartbreaking look at how warfare can tear families apart -- and how traditions still endure.” -- Kirkus ReviewsBeloved and bestselling storyteller Patricia Polacco draws on her Ukrainian heritage in this picture book following o...

Award-Winning Books by Patricia Polacco

The Blessing Cup
2014 Sydney Taylor Book Award -- Older Readers
The Butterfly
2001 Bookseller's Choice -- Nonfiction
2003 Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award -- Grades 3-6
For the Love of Autumn
2009 Alabama Camellia Award -- Grades 2-3
January's Sparrow
2010 Michigan Notable Books -- Notable Book
John Philip Duck
2004 Parents Choice Award (Fall) (1998-2007) -- Silver
The Keeping Quilt
1988 Sydney Taylor Book Award -- Younger Readers
Mr. Lincoln's Way
2004 South Carolina Childrens, Junior and Young Adult Book Award -- Children's
2005 California Young Reader Medal -- Picture Bk/Older Reader
An Orange for Frankie
2005 Michigan Notable Books -- Notable Book
Pink and Say
1994 Irma S. & James H. Black Award -- Children's Literature
1996 Maine Student Book Award -- Grades 4-8
Thank You, Mr. Falker
1998 Parents Choice Award (Fall) (1998-2007) -- Gold
1999 Bookseller's Choice -- Picture Book
2000 Keystone to Reading Book Award -- Primary
2000 South Carolina Childrens, Junior and Young Adult Book Award -- Children's


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Patricia Polacco has published 70 books.

The next book by Patricia Polacco, A Sea of Gold, will be published in December 2024.

The first book by Patricia Polacco, Meteor!, was published in November 1987.

No. Patricia Polacco does not write books in series.
Top Authors in Paranormal Romance
No ads, please...

$20 / year

FictionDB Premium Membership

Subscribe