The books listed below are available from
the publishers, from bookstores, or from an Internet bookseller such as Amazon.com
or barnesandnoble.com. If your local bookstore does not have a copy in stock, they
will be happy to order it for you. I also have some of my older books available for
sale. For more information about the books available from the author, please click
here: Out-of-Print Books
For a list
of book honors and awards click here: Honors & Awards
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Valley of the Moon: The Diary of Maria Rosalia Milagros,
Sonoma Valley, CA, 1846 (Scholastic, 2001). With the arrival of white settlers in
northern California, and the Bear Flag Revolt as the background, this is the diary
of an orphaned Mexican girl writing about life on a grand rancho during turbulent
times, and her struggle to find out who she is and where she belongs. Ages 9-12
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A Line in the Sand: The Alamo Diary of Lucinda Lawrence,
Gonzales, TX 1836 (Scholastic, 1998) Lucinda lives in a log cabin in a small Texas
colony when Texas was part of Mexico. Through her young eyes Texas history is brought
to life -- the struggle of colonists, their fight for independence, the tragic fall
of the Alamo, and the fateful retreat of women and children. Made into HBO movie.
Ages 9-12.
For more information about the Dear America series, click below:
www.Scholastic.com/dearamerica
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The Last Rainmaker (Harcourt, 1997) In 1900, a 13
year old girl runs away from her strict great-aunt and joins a Wild West show in
search of the truth about her mother. Through her friendship with an old Native American
rainmaker, she learns about her heritage and about the treatment of Native Americans
in wild west shows. NY Library Best Book for the Teen Age. Ages 11 and up. [hard
cover and paperback ]
Available from author. See Out
of print books
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Letters from the Mountain
(Harcourt, 1996) A troubled city boy who partakes in a gang initiation that goes
wrong, is sent to live with elderly relatives on top of a mountain. He is torn between
loyalty to his old gang vs. doing what is right. After meeting a poor post-cutter
family, he learns the meaning of true friendship. His innermost feelings are revealed
through letters written to his friends back home. NY Library Best Book for the Teen
Age. Ages 11 and up.[hard cover and paperback]
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Cabin 102 (Harcourt, 1995) 13 year old Dusty struggles
to hide his fear of water from family and friends, but when he goes on an ocean cruise
with the family it seems to be a losing battle. When he discovers an Arawak Indian
girl crying in the cabin next door (is she a ghost or a figment of his imagination?),
Dusty learns of the fate of the native people of the Caribbean Islands. A sudden
storm at sea forces Dusty to face his phobias. Ages 10 and up. [hardcover and paperback]
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Indio (Harcourt, 1995) The
life of a Native American girl living along the Rio Grande in the Big Bend area of
Texas is changed forever by the arrival of Spaniards in late 1500s. Winner of Western
Writers of America Spur Award; ALA Best Book for Young Adults; Amer. Bookseller
"Pick of the Lists." Ages 12 and up. [hardcover and paperback]
Available
from author. See Out of print books
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Shadow of the Dragon (Harcourt, 1993) A Vietnamese
teen living in Houston is trying to fit into American society, but the arrival of
his cousin from Vietnam throws him into a conflict between gang violence, family
loyalty, and the love of an American girl. ALA Best Book for Young Adults; Booklist
"Top of the List;" NY Public Library Best book for the Teen Age; Texas
Lone Star Reading List; California Young Readers Medal. Ages 12 and up. [hardcover
and paperback]
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The Silent Storm (Harcourt, 1993) A girl, mute since
the tragic death of her parents at sea, struggles with inner turmoil and family problems
as a hurricane approaches Galveston Island. With the help of the son of a poor shrimper,
she faces the demons of her past. (Girls love this book!). Starred reviews; Junior
Library Guild selection; NY Library Best Book for Teen Age; National Lamplighter
Award. Ages 10 and up. [hardcover and paperback]
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Song of the Buffalo Boy (Harcourt,1992) A 17 year
old Amerasian girl living in a farming village in the mountains of central Vietnam
runs away to Saigon to avoid an arranged marriage and to search for the truth about
her American father. After weeks of struggling to stay alive and making friends with
a street urchin, she finds acceptance with herself. ALA Best Book for Young Adults;
CBC Notable Children's Book in the Field of Social Studies; NY Library Best Book
for the Teen Age; Amer. Bookseller "Pick of the Lists;" Texas Lone Star
Reading List; Texas Institute of Letters Award; RWA RITA Award. Ages 12 and up. [hardcover
and paperback]
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The Buffalo Soldier (Pelican Publishing, 2006)
illustrated by Ronald Himler. American history.
This
first person narrative follows the life of a "Buffalo Soldier,"
from the day he is emancipated as a slave, joining the US Army, training, serving
in western forts, daily duties, hardships, encounters with Native Americans,
and fighting in the Spanish-American War. Covers time period from 1865 through 1945,
with extensive Author's Note about the formation of African-American regiments
and the important role they played in the "wining of the West." National
Council of Social Studies-Children's Book Council Notable Book; Texas Institue of
Letters (Honor); Storytelling World Award (Honor).
Voices
of the Alamo (Scholastic, 2000) picture book illustr. by Ronald Himler.
Texas history, from ancient times to present, told through historical voices -- Native
American, Spanish, Mexican, Texian, Tejano, and more up until modern times. An NCTE
Orbis Pictus recommended book; San Antonio Conservation Society Award. Ages 6 and
up. This title was reprinted by Pelican Publishing in 2004.
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My Father’s Boat (Scholastic, 1998) picture book
illustrated by Ted Rand. Story about a Vietnamese father & son
shrimping along the Gulf coast; topic is fathers and sons, separation from loved
ones, and passing on of family traditions.. CBC Notable book in the Field of Social
Studies. Ages 6 and up.
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The Summer Sands (Harcourt, 1995) Illustrated by
Robert Lee. Beautiful illustrations depict the life cycle of sand dunes along the
Gulf coast and recycling of old Christmas trees to rebuild dunes destroyed by storms.
Great book for nature lovers and those concerned with the environment. Ages 6 and
up.
Available from author. See Out of print
books
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The Lotus Seed (Harcourt, 1993) Illustrated by Tatsuro
Kiuchi. A Vietnamese girl tells the story of her grandmother’s life in Vietnam and
how she came to America as a refugee. A story of passing on family traditions and
hope for a new future. ALA Notable Book; Amer. Bookseller "Pick of the Lists;"
Texas Bluebonnet List; Children's Book-of-the-Month Club; Reading Rainbow
Main Feature. All ages.
For a really great website about lotus flowers and to
obtain free lotus seeds, click here:
www.victoria-adventure.org/lotus_images/kids/the_lotus_seed.html
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We
waited eleven years for this one.
Children of the Dragon: Selected Stories
from Vietnam (Harcourt). Illustrated by the late Caldecott medalist Trina
Schart Hyman. A collection of six Vietnamese folk tales with fabulous illustrations.
Junior Library Guild book club selection; Parents Choice recommended book; CBC
Notable Book in Field of Social Studies; two starred reviews. A condensed version
of one of the stories appeared in TIME (for Kids) magazine (Winter,
2001).
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Books Available from Author
