Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (born June 24, 1967) is a children's and young adult book author. Her children's book The War That Saved My Life received the Newbery Honor Award in 2016.

Life

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on June 24, 1967. She was raised in Fort Wayne and lived there until 1989.[1] Her love of reading began at an early age.[2]

She attended Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts and received a degree in chemistry[1] in 1989.[3] Bradley was always fascinated with chemistry, but when her sophomore roommate convinced her to take an Introduction to Children’s Literature course, she immediately loved it. Her instructor, the Newbery medalist Patricia MacLachlan encouraged Bradley to continue writing and helped her learn more about writing for children.[1]

During college she began writing by working as a freelance writer for equestrian magazines. Bradley’s knowledge of horses influenced some of her children’s literature, such as the award-winning The War That Saved My Life. After college, Bradley married her high school sweetheart, Bart Bradley. While he attended medical school, she worked primarily as a research chemist, while still writing as a part-time editor for equestrian magazines and creatively whenever she could.[1]

Bradley currently lives with her husband and two children on a 52-acre farm in Bristol on the Tennessee/Virginia border in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

Career

Her first novel, Ruthie’s Gift, was published in 1998 and she has continued to publish 17 books catered to children and young adults. She has won numerous awards for her stories as well as many other literary honors.

Publications

Bradley has published 17 books, which have won various awards and honors.

Ruthie's Gift

Brubaker Bradley’s first novel follows eight-year-old Ruthie as she struggles to become what her mother has always wanted her to be: a lady. However, this is made more difficult by having five older brothers and a sixth little brother. She attempts to lose her tomboy attitude by saving up enough money for a doll. She also makes her two first friends who are girls and catches pneumonia.[4]

Jefferson's Sons: A Founding Father's Secret Children

Bradley's 2011 book, Jefferson’s Sons: A Founding Father’s Secret Children, received 5 starred book reviews and numerous accolades. The story is told by three young boys, two of whom were the children of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, one of his slaves.[3] Although Jefferson's children get special treatment from him, they are still his slaves and cannot mention who their father is to anyone. The lighter skinned children have a chance to convert to white society, but the children who look more like their mother do not.[5] As each child continues to grow up, the distinction between freedom and slavery becomes even more prominent.[3]

The War That Saved My Life

Aimed at middle-school readers, The War That Saved My Life follows 10-year-old Ada[6] and her little brother Jamie, who are in the middle of London during World War II. When Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the bombings, Ada sneaks off with him to escape their cruel mother. Ada has never left her one-room flat before because her mother was embarrassed of Ada’s clubbed foot.[2]

Ada, Jamie, and Susan Smith, the children’s caretaker in the country, all begin a new adventure together. Ada then learns how to ride a pony while also overcoming her feelings of worthlessness. Ada gains the courage needed to fight her own battles and the much needed love of a mother figure. Overall, this story has been described as, “the rare novel that can take something as massive as a world war and distill it to its human essence.” [2]

Awards and honors

  • 1998 Publisher’s Week “Flying Start” Award for Ruthie’s Gift[1]
  • 2011 Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Books of 2011 for Jefferson’s Sons: A Founding Father’s Secret Children[7]
  • 2012 ALA Notable Children’s Book for Jefferson’s Sons: A Founding Father’s Secret Children[7]
  • 2012 NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People for Jefferson’s Sons: A Founding Father’s Secret Children[7]
  • 2016 Newbery Honor for The War That Saved My Life[8]
  • 2016 Schneider Family Book Award for The War That Saved My Life[8]
  • 2016 #1 New York Times bestseller for The War That Saved My Life[8]

Bibliography

  • The War I Finally Won (2017)
  • The War That Saved My Life (2015)
  • Jefferson’s Sons: A Founding Father’s Secret Children (2013)
  • The Lacemaker and the Princess (2007)
  • Leap of Faith (2007)
  • The Perfect Pony (2007)
  • Ballerino Nate (2006)
  • For Freedom: The Story of A French Spy (2005)
  • The President’s Daughter (2004)
  • Favorite Things (2003)
  • Halfway to the Sky (2002)
  • Weaver’s Daughter (2000)
  • One-of-a-Kind Mallie (1999)
  • Ruthie’s Gift (1998)[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Kimberly Brubaker Bradley". www.bookreporter.com. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
  2. 1 2 3 "Bristol author Kimberly Brubaker Bradley wins Newbery Honor Award". Retrieved 2017-11-15.
  3. 1 2 3 Jefferson's Sons by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley | PenguinRandomHouse.com.
  4. ↑ RUTHIE'S GIFT by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley , David Kramer | Kirkus Reviews.
  5. ↑ "Jefferson's Sons by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley | Scholastic". www.scholastic.com. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
  6. ↑ The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley | PenguinRandomHouse.com.
  7. 1 2 3 "Jefferson's Sons: A Founding Father's Secret Children". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
  8. 1 2 3 The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley | PenguinRandomHouse.com.
  9. ↑ "Books". Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. 2017-07-06. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
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