Mark Birch
Born: 1983 in Springfield, Illinois
Pen Name: Mark Eldrich Connection to Illinois: Eldrich was born in Springfield, IL. and raised in Cantrall. In 1999 he lived in Lexington, KY. for nine months, upon returning to Illinois he finished his education and now works at the Illinois State Library. Biography: Mark Eldrich began writing at the age of thirteen with his entry in a local poetry contest called the ''The Write Stuff'', where he was named a finalist. The former youth pastor and current left-handed guitar player resides in the Midwest with his wife and two sons. He works full time at the Illinois State Library Talking Book and Braille Service. When he isn’t at the library or playing with his boys, you will find him at home writing stories. His next middle-grade novel, ''The Shaming Tree'', is due out in 2017.
Awards:
- '''''Imaginary Boy'''''
- -- Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award
- -- Number 1 Kindle Bestseller/Special Needs in Canada and UK
- -- Silver Medal for Juvenile fiction, Independent Publisher Book Awards, 2016
Website: http://www.markeldrich.wordpress.com
Mark Birch on WorldCat : http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=mark++birch
Selected Titles
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Imaginary boy / ISBN: 1513702874 OCLC: 992723127 Eleven-year-old Benji Saintaubin dreams of becoming a hero like the ones in the books he reads while banished in the dark attic of his family home. But those heroes are all strong and handsome, not like Benji who uses a crutch and hides his disfigured face. When his father dies, leaving behind an unfinished story about an imaginary boy who must defeat a cruel and mighty dragon, Benji's safe and secluded world is turned upside down. After venturing out of the attic and onto the perilous streets of 19th century London, Benji finds himself separated from his mother in a frightening and unfamiliar world. Nearly trampled to death and sold into slavery, Benji comes to believe his father's story may be more fact than fiction after his captor reveals a dragon-tail tattoo around his arm and plans that could destroy Benji. If he ever hopes to escape, be reunited with his mother and finish his father's cryptic story, Benji must trust that a crippled boy can discover the unseen power needed to defeat a brutal and powerful dragon. Join Benji on his treacherous journey in this compelling, edgy and inspiring middle-grade novel by debut author Mark Eldrich. |
| Navigating the social world : ISBN: 9780199361069 OCLC: 813220915 Oxford University Press, Oxford ; ©2013. Navigating the Social World covers the development of social cognition from infancy into adolescence, with a focus on the first decade of human life. (dust cover). |