About Carolyn Mulford
Carolyn grew up on a farm near Kirksville, Missouri. Summer days meant helping in the fields, pumping water for the cows, and climbing trees to read books that took her to other times and places. After completing a master's degree in journalism at the University of Missouri, she taught as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ethiopia, a place where farmers tilled as they did centuries ago and students walked days to reach the province's only high school.
Her novel, The Feedsack Dress, is set in Northeast Missouri in 1949, the year electricity came to farms. Carolyn captures a special place and time that marked a major economic and social transition for farmers and the nation. In the novel, this transition begins for one 13-year-old farm girl when she starts school in town.
A wonderfully talented author, Carolyn has written articles and nonfiction books for special and general audiences. She also has edited magazines, newsletters, reports, and books. The Feedsack Dress is her first novel for young people.
Read Carolyn's "Ten Common Mistakes" featured on Kristina Stanley's "Mystery Mondays"
Read an article in Vox Magazine featuring Carolyn: "The Write Stuff "
The Feedsack Dress
Fall 1949 is scary but exciting for farm girl Gail Albright. When she begins junior high at the nearby town of Craigsburg, Gail has no idea of the struggles and friendships she will find.
She's the butt of jokes made by class snob Veronica Holt and Veronica's stuck-up clique. And they especially make fun of Gail for wearing a feedsack dress her mother made.
After Gail's first taste of humiliation, she must find a way to overcome her embarrassment and anger. The only thing harder than putting up with Veronica's mean teasing is finding the strength to beat her at her own games.
With a little help from her friends, Gail might just pull it off.
Praise for the Show Me Mystery Series
*Recommended by the Missouri State Teachers Association in their new Reading Circle list for grades 5-8!
*Chosen as the Missouri Center for the Book state's recommended read at the ninth annual National Book Festival (Library of Congress). http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/
"A welcome and confidently recommended addition to school and community library collections, "The Feedsack Dress" is a charming, original, and deftly written novel by an author who has a readily discernible talent for story telling and an impressive ability to make her readers care about her characters."
Midwest Book Review, September 2007 “If you're looking for a holiday gift for the young people in your family, I'd like to highly recommend The Feedsack Dress…. It's a wonderful story, compellingly told, and while aimed at an audience of younger people, adults also will find it a fast, interesting read.” - John De Lellis
Writer's Web Watch, November 15, 2007 “Mulford has produced a well-written story of an intelligent young girl with indomitable spirit, who is able to overcome teasing and harassment to become an outstanding student. I recommend...readers share this book with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren as a bit of teen history."- Roberta Page
Lebanon Daily Record, December 16, 2007
For more information, go to www.FeedsackKids.typepad.com