Stories of My Life by Katherine Paterson

When Katherine Womeldorf was a child, no one, herself included, thought she had “the makings of a writer.” They couldn’t have been more mistaken. Katherine Womeldorf, now Katherine Paterson, is the world-renowned author of more than 30 books, including Jacob Have I Loved and Bridge to Terabithia. She is also the winner of numerous awards, including two Newbery Medals.

Katherine was born in China to American missionaries In 1932. Twice the family was evacuated to the United States because of Sino-Japanese conflicts, and they eventually settled there. As an adult, Katherine became a teacher and a missionary in Japan. Later, she married John Paterson and the couple had four children.

Inthis memoir, Paterson gives some insight into her success. Writing out of the experiences of her life, Paterson has so effectively been able to relate to how children feel because, she says, “I still carry that child that I was inside myself. She is very much alive.” (Dial)