About Great Chicago Stories
The authors
Pamela Dell
Author of A Bronzeville Story and A Tough Call
Pamela Dell is the author of 12 books of historical fiction for young readers as well as more than 40 nonfiction children's books. She has written several biographies as well as books about animals, plants, history, and geography. She has also created award-winning interactive multimedia and written for numerous children's publications. As of January 2008, she is authoring an ongoing fictional series for Spider Magazine, called "Doodlebug 'n' Dandelion." Pamela grew up in the Chicago area and now divides her time between there and California.
Melody Herr
Author of Halfway to Freedom and Where the Neighborhood Ends
Since earning a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University, Melody Herr has pursued a career in scholarly publishing. She writes history and historical fiction, and she is currently working on a book about student protests during the American Civil Rights Movement. "History," she says, "is full of fascinating characters, surprising events, and great stories."
Kris Nesbitt
Author of The Best of the Fair, Joseph's Railroad Dreams, Trading Mystery, and Hot Dog!
Kris Nesbitt is a writer and exhibit developer based in Chicago, Illinois. In addition to her work for museums, zoos and aquariums such as Shedd Aquarium, the Morton Arboretum, and Speed Art Museum, she has authored two books for children: My Amazon River Day and Sokita Celebrates the New Year: A Cambodian American Holiday. After completing an M.A. in folklore at North Carolina-Chapel Hill, she spent a year as a Fulbright Fellow teaching English writing to students in Turkey. In her free time Kris loves to travel and has enjoyed trips to Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and South America.
Katherine San Fratello
Author of His Father's Namesake, Angelo's Saturdays, It's a Long Way from Home, and Peace
Katherine San Fratello is a writer based in Chicago, Illinois. Katherine has pursued a wide-ranging career in education as a public school teacher, a museum educator, and an educational writer. Her work has appeared in numerous textbooks and in print and online projects for cultural institutions including the Chicago History Museum and the Shedd Aquarium. When she is not writing, Katherine enjoys studying Latin and spending time with her husband, twin sons, and the family's two dogs.