NEW ENGLAND AUTHOR VISITS: Learn more
about Debbie's travels and availability for school visits in Massachusetts and
the surrounding region. Now scheduling for the 2010-2011 school year. debbiesmiller@hotmail.com
New: Canoe
Trip - See pictures from my 400-mile adventure through Alaska's Arctic in June, 2009
** Newest Book, February, 2010: SURVIVAL AT 40 BELOW. Click here to learn about the book, see pictures and hear sounds of the featured animals. Click here to see the booksigning schedule.
New: Australia Journey: Debbie will be researching the sequel to Survival at 40 Below in Australia's deserts in late March and April. Survival at 120 Above will describe the adaptations of desert animals for survival in extreme heat. Watch for photos and trip reports beginning at the end of March. Many thanks to the Alaska State Council for the Arts, University of Sydney, and Walker Books for Young Readers for making this research trip possible.
Recent Awards: BIG ALASKA: JOURNEY ACROSS AMERICA'S MOST AMAZING STATE: Travel to Alaska's extraordinary wild places through the eyes of a bald eagle. Big Alaska recently received the 2009 Forget-Me-Not Book Award from the Alaska State Literacy Association. It was also selected as a 2007 Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children - National Science Teachers Association. It was chosen for the 2008 Kentucky Bluegrass Book Award Master List.
A CARIBOU JOURNEY A POLAR BEAR JOURNEY A WOOLLY MAMMOTH JOURNEY
RIVER OF LIFE ARE TREES ALIVE? ARCTIC LIGHTS, ARCTIC NIGHTSBIG ALASKA THE GREAT SERUM RACE: BLAZING THE IDITAROD TRAIL
FLIGHT OF THE GOLDEN PLOVER: THE AMAZING MIGRATION BETWEEN ALASKA AND HAWAII
PUBLISHED ADULT BOOKS AND ESSAYS:
MIDNIGHT WILDERNESS: JOURNEY'S IN ALASKA'S ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
ARCTIC WINGS: BIRDS OF THE ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
SEASONS OF LIFE AND LAND: ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
ARCTIC REFUGE: A CIRCLE OF TESTIMONY
AUDUBON GUIDE TO THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES: ALASKA AND THE NORTHWEST: ALASKA, OREGON, WASHINGTON
MORE:
FUTURE BOOKS SCHOOL VISITS AND AUTHOR PROGRAMS BOOK SIGNING SCHEDULE
MY FAMILY SUMMER IN ALASKA ALASKA IMAGES
ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE: How You Can Help Protect This Extraordinary Place
Greetings from the land of the midnight sun! I've lived in northern Alaska for 35 years, and have developed a passion for writing nature books about the extraordinary wilderness and wildlife that surround our home near Fairbanks. When I look out my office window, I may see a moose walking by, chickadees or gray jays at the bird feeder, or a fox on the prowl.
During the early years, I taught school in Arctic Village, a small village in the Brooks Range. I learned about the fascinating culture of the Athabaskan Indians, the natural history of the region, and the wonders of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, or ANWR. For many years our family has explored this incredible place, studied the great caribou herds, and observed wolves, grizzly and polar bears, musk oxen, migratory birds, and other Alaska animals. Our many outdoor adventures and encounters with wildlife have inspired me to write nature books for children and adults.
I work closely with Jon Van Zyle, an outstanding Alaska wildlife artist who has illustrated nine of my children's picture books. Jon has lived in Alaska for 38 years and he has a deep love for the wilderness and wildlife of our state. He turns simple words into captivating paintings that authentically reflect the beauty of Alaska's environment.
As a former teacher, I love sharing Alaska's natural world with my own children and with students in schools around the country. Northern species, whether it be a caribou or hibernating butterfly, have developed unusual adaptations to survive our rugged winters. I choose to write creative nonfiction books, or, as a student once described, "storyfact books." The facts, my personal wildlife observations, and scientific research are presented through an engaging story. It's my hope that readers will truly experience the environment of Alaska and the lives of animals when reading my books.
MY GOALS AS A CHILDREN'S BOOK WRITER:
> fostering a child's curiosity and love of our natural world through the writing of creative and engaging nonfiction
> teaching children about our environment and helping them better appreciate and respect the world around them
> inspiring children to develop their own writing skills
> integrating my nature books into the science curriculum of elementary schools
> sharing the beauty and wonders of Alaska
Debbie S. Miller
visitors have been here
It'sin Fairbanks, Alaska
