Meet Piper, a rugged Pacific Northwest nature-loving 4th grader, who struggles in school. The numbers on her math quiz dance and prance all over the page until she feels like giving up. Though she is encouraged by her teacher to embody the word of the week “persevere,” it’s not until she’s on a backpacking adventure that she truly understands the work required to overcome a challenge. Join Piper as she trades her unlucky pencil for her beloved, muddy hiking boots, and heads out for an Olympic National Park coastal exploration. Usually, the woods is where she feels the most at peace, but this trip becomes more than towering Douglas Firs and chew chews of Northern Flickers when the unexpected sand wall she encounters forces her to grip a little tighter, and truly persevere.
Coming soon!
Meet Allison
WRITER | TEACHER | ADVENTURER | MOM | CAFFEINATOR
Allison is a writer, teacher, adventurer, and mom whose love of stories began with Beverly Cleary books and a winning entry in a young author’s contest. A Nationally Board Certified educator with 12 years of experience teaching around the world, she holds degrees in English Literature and Teaching from the University of Puget Sound. Raised in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest and now a mom of three, she finds joy in muddy hikes, homemade lattes, and helping kids believe they can do hard things.
What Teachers Are Saying:
“This book spoke to my students on so many levels. It works wonderfully as a read aloud, and could even function as a full unit of study! I can’t wait for more books from Rataezyk to share with my kids!”
— Katherine, 4th Grade Teacher
“An incredible story of what it means to persevere both in and outside of the classroom! Rataezyk is a wonderful and moving writer. This should be in every teacher’s classroom library!”
— Andy, 1st Grade Teacher
