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First presented in 1949, the Christopher Awards salute writers, illustrators, directors, producers and executive producers who remind audiences and readers, of all ages and faiths and of no particular faith, of their worth, individuality and power to positively impact and shape our world. Read Tolan's latest Christopher Award winning tale for all ages, Listen!. This dog is wild at heart. How can Charley reach him? And is it worth the risk? Tolan weaves together themes of nature, family, and love into a complex and powerful portrait of recovery... Read the first chapter on-line!
 Surviving the Applewhites
Tolan's critically acclaimed novel, a 2003 Newbery Honor book, and now a
play. Don't
miss it! Read the first chapters on-line!
“In this laugh-out-loud novel, a young teen on the fast track to the juvenile detention center suddenly finds himself living in rural North Carolina with the outrageously eccentric Applewhite clan. Jake Semple, 13, has been expelled from a long line of schools before coming to the Applewhites to be home-schooled. This extended family forms what a visiting reporter christens an “artistic dynasty,” with various creative endeavors absorbing the adults’ time and attention. Jake is left largely to his own devices, since the family doesn’t believe in telling their charges what or when to study. He develops a loyal following consisting of an active four-year-old and an overweight basset hound, and his transformation is complete once he becomes enmeshed in the family’s production of The Sound of Music. Quirky characters, from the cub reporter to the visiting guru, add to the offbeat humor. The Applewhites’ over-the-top personalities mark them as literary kin of Helen Cresswell’s Bagthorpes. Running beneath the narrative that gently pokes fun at everything from sculpture to TV documentaries, though, is also the story of a boy allowing himself to belong and begin to discover his own potential. This has terrific booktalk and read-aloud potential, and will help fill the need for humorous contemporary fiction.” -- Starred review, School Library Journal Stephanie S. Tolan is the well known author of young adult and children's fiction, as well as an author and speaker on her topic of passion: exceptionally gifted children. Is It a Cheetah? has become a metaphor for gifted children everywhere. Her appearances at conferences on parenting and educating the gifted child are much sought after. Contact Information
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Mail to
author@stephanietolan.com with questions or comments for the author.
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