Dorothea Jensen, born in Boston, Massachusetts, grew up in Chillicothe, Illinois. She majored in English literature at Carleton College. After teaching high-school English and serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Brazil, she earned a master's degree in education at the University of New Mexico. In 1989, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich published Dorothea's novel for young readers about the American Revolution, The Riddle of Penncroft Farm. In addition to other honors, it was named an International Reading Association Teacher's Choices Selection and is read in classrooms throughout the U.S. A Buss from Lafayette is set in the small New Hampshire town where Dorothea lives. Two things inspired her to write this story. First was learning that Lafayette passed right by her house during his 1824-5 "Triumphal Tour." Another was meeting a woman whose ancestor received a kiss from Lafayette. That "buss," passed down through generations, eventually came to Dorothea. This sparked her Interest in Lafayette's contributions to our struggle for independence. Dorothea also enjoys writing rhyming verse. She has written a series of award-winning illustrated modern Christmas stories in verse featuring Santa's Izzy Elves.
"[T]his novel is well-researched . . . . Jensen still manages to
deliver a lot of historical facts without dull expositionit's
perfectly plausible, for instance, that the adults in Clara's life
would tell her stories about Lafayette's exploits, and her
curiosity becomes infectious. Jensen also includes a glossary and
bibliography for further reading. A winning historical tale that
may appeal to young fans of the musical Hamilton." Kirkus
Reviews
"Our aim is to show them how a story can 'send' them on
fascinating, exciting and adventurous journeys whenever they want."
David Bruce Smith, gratefulamericanbookprize.com
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