Born:
  Seattle, Washington,

Ken Mochizuki

Biography

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I was born in Seattle, Washington, spent most of my life there, and still live near that city. While growing up, I was always fascinated by storytelling in all its forms, whether it was someone telling a story, or stories told through books, television programs, or movies. Throughout my school years and while in college, I never thought about becoming a writer, since music and movies were my main interests.

I attended the University of Washington, hoping to learn about making movies. After graduating with a degree in communications, I worked as an actor for five years in Los Angeles. Since actors are out of work much of the time, I spent a lot of time reading. That's when I decided to become a writer, and started writing a novel about my high school and college days in Seattle.

I figured there was only one way to learn how to be a writer — write! I returned to Seattle and became a newspaper writer/reporter for about ten years. While working as a journalist, I learned how to use the least amount of words to say the most. That skill would later help me immensely in writing books for young readers.

Even though I always wanted to write adult novels, I was given a chance to write a children's picture book. The result was my first published book, Baseball Saved Us. Two more picture books followed, Heroes and Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story. And that novel I started writing in Los Angeles (the one about my high school and college days in Seattle) became the young adult novel Beacon Hill Boys; set to be published this fall.

Because I am of Japanese descent (my grandparents were from Japan), I have often experienced prejudice or being stereotyped, and those subjects are often included in my books. And because of those experiences, I feel it is my responsibility to tell America, through my books, that people of Asian descent have been a part of America for a long time.

My dream from my college days has now come true. I am making my own movies, except they are books in bookstores, rather than movies in theaters.

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  	Tunes That Teach American History by Ken Sheldon View Sample Pages: Table of Contents Sample Page American history comes to life with these engaging, original songs that teach about the important events that shaped our country, $16.99 Professional Book | Grades 3-6

  
  Tunes That Teach American History
  Grades 3-6 $16.99
  
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  The Teacher Store

  Just For You! Level 1: I Hate to Be Sick by Ken Wilson-Max and Ken Wilson-Max Scholastic presents a new early literacy series created by authors and illustrators from diverse backgrounds. These child-centered stories support literacy learning and include literacy activiites and a "meet the author and illustrator" section. Three levels help build reading confidence. Just for You! books make reading fun for everyone. $3.99 Paperback Book | Grades K-2

  
  Just For You! Level 1: I Hate to Be Sick
  Grades K-2 $3.99