Cynthia Grady

I have two early memories of writing: writing letters to my grandmother beginning around age 4 and writing poems for school in fourth grade. I still have some of the poems and a couple of those letters that my mother had given me long after I'd grown up. My most recent book: WRITE TO ME: LETTERS FROM JAPANESE AMERICAN CHILDREN TO THE LIBRARIAN THEY LEFT BEHIND, tells the story of San Diego children's librarian, Clara Breed, and her fearless determination to be sure her former library patrons were lavished with kindness and books during their unjust incarceration during WWII. I write more often than I sew quilts, but I combined my interests for my first book, I LAY MY STITCHES DOWN: POEMS OF AMERICAN SLAVERY. After STITCHES came out, Michele Wood, the amazing illustrator of STITCHES, asked if I would consider writing the text for a new book idea she had. LIKE A BIRD: THE ART OF THE AMERICAN SLAVE SONG is the result. I have more books coming out, so check back soon. In the meantime, visit me at https://cynthiagrady.com