Patricia Reilly Giff

Patricia Reilly Giff (born April 26, 1935, Brooklyn, New York, United States) is an American author and teacher. She was educated at Marymount College, where she was awarded a B.A. degree, and St. John's University, where she earned an M.A. and Hofstra University, where she was awarded a Professional Diploma in Reading and a Doctorate of Humane Letters. After spending some twenty years as a full-time teacher, she began writing, specializing in children's literature. Giff now resides in Trumbull, Connecticut, along with her husband Jim and their three children. Giff's writing workshops have influenced other children's authors such as Tony Abbott and Elise Broach.

Giff's series of children's books about the kids from Polk Street School has proven popular and won critical acclaim. The stories revolve around second-grade teacher Ms. Rooney and the students in her class, in particular perpetual troublemaker Richard Best (nicknamed "Beast"), who is good at art but terrible at reading and Emily Arrow, who is good at math but also terrible at reading. Some novels in the series also feature Emily's younger sister Stacy as the central character.

Books in the series include:

Awards: Newbery Honor Book 1998

Awards: ALA Best Book For Young Adults Book 2003

Awards: Newbery Honor Book 2003. Hollis is an abandoned orphan that is searching for a home.

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