Kimberly Willis Holt

1. Kimberly Willis Holt Maria O’Toole 07/06/09

2. Objectives • The class will gain basic knowledge about the life and writing of Kimberly Willis Holt. • The class will be able to connect biographical information about Kimberly Willis Holt to the content of her fictional works. • The class will be able to select Kimberly Willis Holt titles they are interested in reading.

3. Warm-up • If you had to sum up your childhood memories by naming one type of food, what would it be?

4. Biography • www.kimberlywillisholt.com • A Life in Food • Born a Navy Brat in Pensacola, Florida • Oldest of 3 girls • Also lived in Paris, France; Norfolk, Virginia; Forest Hill, Louisiana; Guam; New Orleans, Louisiana • Worked as: radio news director, water park marketer, display ad salesman, interior decorator • Writing was always her dream • Lives in Amarillo, Texas with her husband Jerry and daughter Shannon

5. Biography to Literature Links

6. Novels

7. My Louisiana Sky (1998) • Tiger Ann Parker lives in Saitter, Lousiana, a fictional town based on Forest Hill, Louisiana. • Holt considers Louisiana her “emotional home.” • Kimberly remembers from her childhood a family in which both parents were slow. • Tiger’s grandmother’s specialty of chicken and dumplings is based on the chicken and dumplings both of Holt’s grandmothers used to prepare. • Tiger’s Aunt Dorie Kay lives in New Orleans.

8. Mister and Me (1998) • The story is set in a Louisiana sawmill town, and two of Holt’ great-grandfathers worked in the sawmill in Longleaf, Louisiana.

9. When Zachary Beaver Came to Town (1999) • The story is set in Antler, TX, supposedly near Amarillo, where Kimberly now resides. • Holt once paid $2 at the Louisiana Fair to see the “Fattest Teenage-Boy in the World”

10. Dancing in the Cadillac Light (2001) • The sisters in the story, Jaynell and Racine, are modeled after the relationship between Kimberly and her sister, Alicia. • Jaynell’s favorite candies are Reese’s Peanut Butter cups, just like Holt’s favorite candy as a child.

11. Keeper of the Night (2003) • The story is set on the island of Guam, where Holt once lived with her family. • Holt attended a mixed school of native and military children. In the story, Mary Kelly lives on the base with her family but attends St. Cletus with Isabel. • The characters eat mangoes dipped in hot sauce and salt, a local treat that became one of Kimberly’s favorites.

12. Part of Me (2006) • Kimberly Willis Holt’s grandmother used to take her to the Rapides Parish Bookmobile. • The character Rose eventually lives out her dream of becoming a writer. Kimberly didn’t have to wait quite so long. • Animation

13. The Piper Reed Series • Piper Reed is one of 3 girls in a Naval family. • Tori = Kimberly • Piper = Alicia • Sam = Angela • Father, a naval chief • Mother, artistic • Piper and her family move to Pensacola, Florida.

14. Picture Books

15. Waiting for Gregory (2006) • The story is inspired by the time Kimberly spent with her daughter Shannon waiting for her nephew Gregory to be born. • Holt discusses her writing and learning process

16. Skinny Brown Dog (2007) • The story is inspired by the unplanned adoption of a stray dog by her aunt and uncle. • Animation

17. Due Out in August

18. Works Cited • Danielson, Julie. “Seven Impossible Interviews Before Breakfast #60: Our Cyber Breakfast and Chat with Kimberly Willis Holt.” 19 Dec 2007. Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, Why Stop at Six?: A Blog about Books. 4 July 2009. <http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/?p=1066>. • Holt, Kimberly Willis. Dancing in the Cadillac Light. New York: Holt, 2001. • --. Keeper of the Night. New York: Holt, 2003. • --. KimberlyWillisHolt. DK Design Services. 29 Jun 2009. <www.kimberlywillisholt.com>. • --. My Louisiana Sky. New York: Holt, 1998. • --. Part of Me: Stories of a Louisiana Family. New York: Holt, 2006. • --. Piper Reed:The Great Gypsy. New York: Holt, 2008. • --. Piper Reed: Navy Brat. New York, Holt, 2007. • --. Skinny Brown Dog. New York: Holt, 2007. • --. Waiting for Gregory. New York: Holt, 2006. • --. When Zachary Beaver Came to Town. New York: Holt, 1999.