Born:
  Jacksonville, Florida,

Billy Merrell

Biography

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At 22, Billy Merrell is the youngest author to date published by the Push Imprint of Scholastic Inc.  Merrell, who grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, began writing poetry around eighth grade.  He had a better grasp of rhyme and meter than the other students in his classes, and as a result, the teacher began giving him more challenging poetry assignments rather than less expressive work.  It wasn’t until his sophomore year of high school that Merrell began to write about his own feelings, and recognized writing poetry as a liberating activity.

Merrell is recent graduate of the University of Florida with a B.A. in English.  One summer earlier in his college career, Merrell was hired as the first PUSH Writing Intern.  During this summer internship, Merrell came to New York City and began work on his first book.  The culmination of his work with PUSH is talking in the dark, a memoir composed of poetry that documents a story of growing up, coming out and exploring love.  As a gay man himself, Merrell sought to write a book that he felt could have been of use to him as a teenage boy coming out.  It is “an affecting memoir told in verse, this work launches a promising young poet..., [Merrell’s] sophisticated verse and compelling story will capture attention as it stirs compassion.” —School Library Journal

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  Oman by Leila Merrell Foster SET FEATURES:     Highly visual introduction to world geography     Packed with photos, original maps, and browser-friendly sidebars     Timelines compare each country's history to world history     "Fast Facts" appendix highlights key information from the text     "To Find Out More" listings encourage independent research     Ind $25.90 You save: 30% Library Binding | Grades 5-9

  
  Oman
  Grades 5-9 $25.90
  
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  Goodnight, My Angel: A Lullaby by Billy Joel and Yvonne Gilbert First written as a song by Grammy winner Billy Joel, this is a bedtime tale about a father putting his daughter to sleep at night. The composition of gentle lyrics with the lovely pastel illustrations captures the emotional bond between parent and child. Fun Factor Listen to the original song with the complimentary CD single included with the book. $16.95 Novelty Book | Grades Pre-K-14

  
  Goodnight, My Angel: A Lullaby
  Grades Pre-K-14 $16.95