JACINTA PATTERSON

Picture Book Author

Jacinta has been hooked on phonics for as long as she can remember; even her first "big kid" bed came equipped with a bookshelf and a reading lamp. Everything about books was magical to her, from the cadence of the language to the intoxicating smell of the pages. They had the power to transport her to other worlds, even as they brought her family together in a single room.

Jacinta's love of books has shaped much of her life. It led her to major in English at Rutgers, where she met her incredible husband. It drew her away from her law degree and into teaching high school literature and creative writing. It brings her together with her three beautiful children every day. And now, it inspires Jacinta to create her own stories.

Jacinta hopes that her writing will bring families together, open up new worlds, and create a passionate generation of readers.

POETRY-INSPIRED SERIES

Like fractured fairy tales with different source material

BECAUSE I CANNOT SPEAK MYSELF

Baby A shares close quarters with her two brothers and has no way to voice her discomfort; the triplets have to rely on Mom to do the talking. Thankfully, the babies soon become accustomed to their cozy home. Then, without warning, everything changes. But there is an upside: Baby A finds her own voice!

Because I cannot speak myself is the first installment in a pb series inspired by famous poems. It takes Emily Dickinson's "Because I could not stop for Death" and turns it on its head.

Home: My Work

STANDALONE TITLES

Non-series picture books

Home: My Work

BLAISE, THE DINOSORTA

Blaise doesn't understand why everything is so much harder for him than for the other dinosaurs. He's always the first to be cratered when they play Asteroids, and his dietary preferences do not include steg tartare. Why doesn't he fit in?

In this modern retelling of The Ugly Duckling, Blaise learns the truth about why he feels so different, but he also discovers that true friends will love him no matter what.

Home: Image