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Patricia McCormick Biography, Books, and Similar Authors

Author Biography  | Interview  | Books by this Author  | Read-Alikes

Patricia McCormick

Patricia McCormick

Patricia McCormick Biography

Patricia McCormick is a journalist and writer. She graduated from Rosemont College in 1978, followed by an M.S. from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 1986 and an M.F.A. from New School University in 1999. Her first novel for teens was Cut, about a young woman's troubles with self-injury. This was followed by My Brother's Keeper in 2005, about a boy struggling with his brother's addiction, Sold in 2006, and Purple Heart in 2009. Her awards include the American Library Association Best Book of the Year, New York Public Library Best Book for the Teenaged and the Children's Literature Council's Choice.

She has written for The New York Times, Parents Magazine, The New York Times Book Review, Ladies Home Journal, Town & Country, More, Reader's Digest, Mademoiselle and other publications and has been an adjunct professor of journalism at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and an instructor of creative writing at the New School University. She lives in New York with two children, a husband and two cats.

Patricia McCormick's website

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Interview

Patricia McCormick discusses her heartrending novel for teens and adults, about a thirteen-year-old Nepalese girl who is sold into an Indian brothel - a fate shared by an estimated 12,000 Nepalese children each year.

What inspired you to tell this story?
In the past year or so, the trafficking of children has gotten a good deal of media attention. But nearly five years ago, when I had a chance meeting with a photographer who was working undercover to document the presence of young girls in brothels overseas, I knew immediately that I wanted to do what no one else had done so far: tell this heartbreaking story from the point of view of one individual girl.

I believe that young adults want to know what’s happening to their peers on the other side of the world, but that media accounts, by their very nature, cannot usually go beyond the surface. To me, there is nothing more powerful- or permanent- than the impact of a book.

What did your travel to India and Nepal bring to your story?
I spent a month in India and Nepal tracing Lakshmi’s steps- going from a poor, isolated village in the foothills of the Himalayas all the way to the teeming red-light district of Calcutta. Trained as an investigative reporter, I took notes and photos observing the sights, smells, foods, sounds, and the customs- details to give the book authenticity. I also interviewed women in the red-light district, girls who had been rescued, and a man ...

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Books by this Author

Books by Patricia McCormick at BookBrowse
Never Fall Down jacket Sold jacket
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Read-Alikes

All the books below are recommended as read-alikes for Patricia McCormick but some maybe more relevant to you than others depending on which books by the author you have read and enjoyed. So look for the suggested read-alikes by title linked on the right.
How we choose read-alikes

  • Laurie Halse Anderson

    Laurie Halse Anderson

    Laurie Halse Anderson is the New York Times-bestselling author who writes for kids of all ages. Known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity, her work has earned numerous international, national, and state ... (more)

    If you enjoyed:
    Sold

    Try:
    Wintergirls
    by Laurie Halse Anderson

  • Jennifer Bradbury

    Jennifer Bradbury

    Jennifer Bradbury is the author of A Moment Comes, Wrapped, and her debut novel, Shift. Shift—which Kirkus Reviews gave a starred review, calling it "fresh, absorbing, compelling"—was picked as an ALA and a School ... (more)

    If you enjoyed:
    Sold

    Try:
    A Moment Comes
    by Jennifer Bradbury

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