Yet being an author was never an early career thought. In fact when I was young, it somehow escaped me that all those books on the library shelves were written by someone. Although books were my inseparable companions, it didn't occur tome to write one myself. Creating stories such as those in the library, which took me into another world, were done by some magical process completely outside my experience. Or so I thought, then.
In those days, I planned to be a librarian, then a veterinarian, then an archaeologist. I actually became a secretary, a mother, and finally a teacher-all occupations which have taught me handy skills for my career as a writer.
My husband is a former high school teacher whose primary interest is anything to do with Russia, from art to zoology, with heavy emphasis on Russian people, posters, and politics. Not surprisingly, we travel to Russia and other European countries quite frequently and extensively, both for historical research (we both have degrees in history) and for business purposes. We have two grown sons, and, so far, four perfect grandchildren. Our empty nest is ruled by one quiet American cat and one exuberant Russian dog; the menagerie of lizards, fish, birds, dogs, rabbits, mice, white rats, and gerbils having moved out with our sons.
After putting my husband through school to earn two degrees on my secretarial "income," I finished my Master's degree and became a teacher. I was a teacher for over twenty-five years and, for most of those years, taught first, second, and/or third grade in a large school near downtown Los Angeles. I began writing biographies about ten years ago to meet a need in my own students' lives. Searching for books for my students, books in which they could find people to emulate, I found that many great and brave men and women had been overlooked. These heroes had changed the world around them for the better, but had not been recognized, often because of their race. In some cases, if not completely overlooked, at least they had not been written about in a lively and accessible way for young students.
My goal is to make these determined men and women inescapably alive, to make their deeds inescapably real, and to plant seeds of similar determination and self-confidence in the children who read about them. My goal is that children, no matter their ethnic and social backgrounds and despite the obstacles, will say to themselves, "I, too, can make a difference."
Walking the Road to Freedom: A Story About Sojourner Truth. Illus. by Peter E. Hanson. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books, 1988.
What Are You Figuring Now?: A Story of Bejamin Banneker. Illus.by Amy Johnson. Minneapolis,MN: Carolrhoda Books, 1988.
Go Free or Die: A Story About Harriet Tubman. Illus. by Karen Ritz. Minneapolis,MN: Carolrhoda Books, 1988.
Artic Explorer: The Story of Matthew Henson. Minneapolis,MN: Carolrhoda Books, 1989.
Native American Doctor: The Story of Susan LaFlesche Picotte. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books,1991.
What I Had Was Singing: The Story of Marian Anderson. Mineapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books, 1994.
1988--Carter G. Woodson Award for "most distinguished book written for young readers depicting diversity in the United States."Included in "Guide to Great Books for Children and Teens"
1988-Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children
1989-Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies1989-Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children
1989-Society of School Librarians International Award-winning Title
1990-Carter G. Woodson Outstanding Merit Book
1991-Sequoyah Children's Book Award Masterlist
1991-Carter G. Woodson Award Winner, "most distinguished book written for young readers depicting ethnic diversity in the United States."1991-Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
1992-SCCLCYP Award for "significant contribution to the field of biography"
New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age
1995-Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies1994--Kirkus Reviews Best of the Issue
1995-Carter G. Woodson Award Winner, "most distinguished book written for young readers depicting ethnic diversity in the United States."
"Using a clear direct style, Ferris does not swell on the brutal injustices of [Tubman's] early life, but rather her against-all-odds perseverance to fight for equal rights." ALA Booklist
"In a short chronological account of Tubman's life, author Ferris creates a fascinating portrait of an intelligent woman who used her leadership and determination to fight for equal rights." Boston Sunday Globe March 6, 1988
"This woman's story comes alive through Ferris' sensitive interpretation." Booklist
"Go Free or Die: A Story About Harriet Tubman and Walking the Road to Freedom: A Story about Sojourner Truth are both spellbinding stories of two courageous black women who not only escaped the bonds of slavery themselves, but helped others to do the same. While neither book negates the horror of slavery and the toll it took on these women, their families, and all black people, each emphasizes the courage and resourcefulness of these people and their fellow whites who assisted in their escapes. Both books will leave children with a positive respect for courage and victory rather than hatred and frustration." Wilson Library Bulletin September 1968
"Following this valuable endeavor came his publication, Benjamin Banneker's Almanack, praised at the time as 'fresh proof that the powers of the mind are [not connected to] the color of the skin.' Ferris' judicious use of dialogue and Johnson's full-page gray washes enhance this smooth, engaging biographical story; the mature style and succinct text make this a good choice for reluctant readers." Booklist, January 1, 1989.
"Ferris' gripping chronicle of the explorers' sic perilous attempts over 18 years to reach the North Pole includes diary quotes that vividly re-create scenes of the arctic winter's 'gorgeous bleakness, beautiful blackness.' Smoothly integrated into the compelling text are everyday details of shipboard and base-camp life that contrast with harrowing descriptions of the treks in which the men 'looked death squarely in the face.' A solid asset, filled with intriguing expedition photos, that can be used for research on explorers and in black studies courses." Booklist June 1, 1989.
"Filled with precise details about Arctic survival skills and Inuit customs, the book is a jewel of an adventure story." SchoolLibrary Journal June,1989
"This engaging biography of the first female Indian doctor and the first Indian missionary depicts a woman dedicated to improving the living conditions of her people, the Omaha." Science Books & Films, November 1991.
"In this triumphant portrait . . . Ferris lovingly tracks Anderson's life and career as a singer, from her youth in Philadelphia to her debut at the Metropolitan Opera. Warm and informative, the biography shows how the accomplished contralto, who at first received more recognition in Europe than in her own country because of racism, paved the way for careers of future African-American singers." The Horn Book Guide January 6,1994.
"With many anecdotes from the singer's own recollections, meticulously researched, and told in moving but unsentimental prose, the narrative is augmented by high-quality, captioned photos.. . . Personaldefeats, particularly a diastrous Town Hall concert in NYC early in her career, are described in the context of their importance to her character development and stand as an inspiration to readers." Kirkus Reviews June 15, 1994
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Created March 21, 1997