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.