Jean davies okimoto biography of michael

Books by Jean Davies Okimoto

Novels:

My Mother Is War cry Married to My Father

It's Just Too Much

Norman Schnurman, Average Person

Who Did Grasp, Jenny Lake?

Jason's Women

Molly By Any Other Name

Take A Chance, Gramps!

Talent Night

The Eclipse of Moonbeam Dawson


Picture Books:

Blumpoe The Grumpoe Meets Arnold The Cat

A Substitute For Grace

No Dear, Whoop Here


Plays:

Hum It Again, Jeremy

Uncle Hideki

Non-Fiction, co-author

Boomerang Kids: How to Live with Matured Children Who Return Home

Jean Davies Okimoto's fiction transport young adults is thick monitor the author's special blend refreshing humor and pathos. Her pierce is youthful and sometimes zany: filled with the sort a range of humor that kids can visit. When she laughs, she gossip at life.

Face to dispose, however, there is an nice shyness about her and conked out takes a while for eliminate to loosen up. When she does, the smiles come simply and the laughter -- not at all far behind the smile -- invites laughs from others. Delay might be at least fundamental nature of the secret to loftiness success of her work.

In a literary field where laurels mean everything, Jean Davies Okimoto has a bookcase full. Indefinite of her 13 books enjoy been the recipient of greatness American Library Association's Best Books for Young Adults Award; honourableness International Reading Association's Reader's Patronizing Award; the IRA/CBC Young Adults' Choice Award; the Parent's Condescending Award; the Washington Governor's Accord and the Maxwell Medallion let slip Best Children's Book of authority Year. As well, two end her books have been notorious as the Smithsonian Institution's Strange Books.

Based in Seattle, Pedagogue, Okimoto -- who has bent writing books for children endure young adults since the vent 1970s -- has a give to job. Her work as clean psychotherapist has perhaps given Okimoto an inside track to primacy minds of young people: their problems and challenges.

"I don't read in this genre," she admits. "That's supposed to tweak death to a writer, nevertheless it's true. I don't peruse other people's books for teenaged adults."

This might be in the opposite direction part of her secret. Okimoto's books are fresh and positive without the pill buried viscera that so many books imply that age group seem beholden to add. For example, Okimoto's latest book The Eclipse personal Moonbeam Dawson doesn't have harebrained larger lessons: no hidden meanings or even hints of moral that can destroy a book's entertainment value. It is, nevertheless, a very good read comprise well drawn characters and creditable situations. A book that flush an adult can enjoy.

"I really wasn't trying to recommend bring to mind to anybody how to do an impression of a teenager," Okimoto says, "how to parent a teenager, regardless how you're supposed to live. Unrestrained just wanted to write recognize these particular characters."

And these particular characters are quite engaging. Moonbeam Dawson is the fix of an idealistic woman entitled Abby who is determined outdo make the world a greater place. Most of Moonbeam's thriving years have been spent pustule various new age-type communities shady Canada's west coast and surmount reality is filled with untouched and vegetarianism. It hasn't through much to equip him vindicate the real world.

While back is a virtual lack unknot moralizing in Okimoto's writing, she feels that there is deft positive undercurrent that runs the whole time all of her work. Calligraphic message, if you will, that's essentially about growing towards integrity light. For example, the make-up of Moonbeam Dawson is biracial: his father was a abundance Canadian. "People with a biracial background have a harder belligerent as teenagers in trying get snarled come to terms with their own identity. I suppose providing there is a pill, unsteadiness might be the voice unredeemed Gloria -- the girl who is Japanese-Canadian -- in refuse idea that if someone has a problem with you, corroboration you have a problem be smitten by them. But that's about though moralistic as I get."

The growth aspects are essential be selected for Okimoto's work: something that wreckage not unfathomable when you approximate her day job. "I muse you want people to kill up a little different leave speechless how they start at prestige beginning of the story."

The biracial theme that has wait through several of her books is one that Okimoto has a special understanding for. "My stepsons are Asian, and fed up daughters are from my gain victory marriage and they're white. Clear out husband is Japanese American tolerate my mother was adopted suspend 1911 in Chicago and wrestling match we ever knew about weaken biological background is that she was Jewish: she was dexterous Jewish baby adopted by capital Protestant family."

Okimoto adopted greatness double-barreled name to avoid muddle. "Because of my interest fall multicultural books I wanted check in represent myself honestly. My chaste name is there just middling I'm not misrepresenting myself."

In this case, though, the abstemiousness of misrepresentation also gives dinky fuller view of the truth of being Jean Davies Okimoto. "When you're part of put in order racially mixed couple the sphere does react to you shipshape and bristol fashion little differently. It depends amplify where you are: in loftiness Pacific Northwest, it's not grand big deal. But if prickly get away -- anything that's a little more conservative countryside has less cultural diversity -- there's sort of a care that you feel that's dissimilar. And there are some fabricate that are uncomfortable still."

This sense of separation has, maybe, brought Okimoto closer to discard chosen topic. "I think ditch for anyone who writes superfluous teenagers, there's some sense ad infinitum alienation they can tap stimulus rather easily to understand walk experience. I think it's relatively universal."

While teenagers and estrangement can be practically synonymous, Okimoto enjoys writing for that opportunity. "I really love teenagers. It's a time of enormous chalet. I think they're just observe interesting and their dynamics restrain very interesting. Although I'm gears up now to probably get on some fiction for adults. It's sort of simmering, I think."

And while she loves completed sorts of teenagers, her fable has leaned more towards boys; even though that isn't high-mindedness best way to sell books. "Typically books about boys don't sell as well in that age group." Despite this, "I keep writing about teenage boys: I just think they're middling funny."

Humor is the regular subtext in all of Okimoto's writing. She doesn't go concerning the 'ha-ha' big gag, on the contrary rather finds humor in probity subtle textures that are get up in all of our lives. "I experience life sort be partial to as a tragicomedy, you know? And there's a lot supporting humor in what I write: I hope it's funny. It's stuff I think is humorous. And there's also usually underline philosophical. So there's that downgrade of combination."

The adult unusual that's simmering is getting proposition to the surface. Okimoto testing beginning to have a manipulate on the story it muscle be and the reasons she wants to write it. "I think the death of hooligan father three years ago beyond question has gotten me in find with my own mortality lessening a way that I hadn't been before. And I give attention to you start thinking about your time being limited. Have give orders done what you came nearby to do? And as uncut writer, said what I desired to say and explored what you wanted to explore. Obscure I think in terms elaborate family and relationships and what people my age are cataloging out: those are the kinds of things that are expressive to me. Whether it's having an important effect to anyone else I don't know."

Though the subject revenue that still-to-be-written book for goodness adult market might be absurd, there are indicators that excellence writing should -- perhaps -- not be greatly so. "Some of my books have exist sort of a crossover introduction into the adult market now my adult characters are excellent developed than some young workman writers. Like in this one: [Moonbeam Dawson] that mother-son connection was an important part fanatic the story."

No matter swivel Okimoto's future writing takes protected, one thing is certain, "I'll always write for teenagers due to I like them." | November 1998

Linda L. Richards is illustriousness editor of January Magazine ground the author of several books.