Phyllis Duke

Born in 1932 at the height of the great depression, the author met many physical, emotional, and financial obstacles. The pandemic of 2020 reminded her of the tough times she endured during World War II when at the age of nine, she heard the live announcement on the radio that Pearl Harbor was being bombed in 1942. She remembers overhearing her parents and other adults discussing the war and what it meant when she and her classmates were silently led into the basement of her school during the many bomb shelter drills they endured. These memories led to an urgency for her to write books for young children during this most confusing time of their lives with lockdowns, masks, gender confusion, and news about the war in Ukraine that would help children everywhere find a new sense of security and comfort. The author spent her career teaching children in public schools in lowa, Minnesota, and California, as well as training teachers to meet the needs of children. She founded several private schools in Southern California beginning in 1975. She believes the messages in these books will help develop a solid foundation and emotional stability for each child. This will erase the tension of the present-day crisis that young children are suffering.