Elana Ackerman

At 14, Michigan native Elana Ackerman was a published writer
and Newbery Award recipient. While she was undergoing
treatment for leukemia, writing helped Elana feel more in
control. She saved a bunch of her poems, but never imagined
turning them into a book. With help and encouragement from
Lynne, a counselor who taught Elana at writing camp, Elana
created In the Shadow of the Tree. Elana explains. "There's
so much beauty in nature, and I wanted to write about
positive things. It's been an amazing experience to see the
book come together." Her biggest thrill is getting letters
from kids who've used her book as a way to handle being
sick. What we find thrilling is that Elana has donated all
the proceeds (so far, an awesome $30,000!) to cancer
research. You don't have to be sick to enjoy this great book.