What if you learned you were half-human and half-dragon—and the dragon side was winning out? Author Jude Mandell explores this dilemma in her “Princess Dragonblood,” (Scholastic) which Publisher's Weekly described as " . . . engaging . . . lyric."
 
Jude Mandell’s first love is writing for children. Winner of the Golden Heart Award from Romance Writers of America, she writes fiction, poetry, nonfiction, even pop-up books! Jude’s latest is "I'm The One," in AMAZING FACES, edited by celebrated poet/ anthologist, Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by renowned artist, Chris Soentpiet (Lee & Low Books, projected release: Spring, 2010 ).

Jude’s school presentations are interactive and high-energy, thanks to experience as an educator, TV performer, and writer/actor/singer with Chicago's famed Second City children's productions. She pulls students, teachers, even principals, into celebrating creativity! Jude also provides classes, workshops and private coaching for writers of varied ages and expertise.

Jude is one of a handful of authors chosen by juried competition for the 2007-2008 Sierra Nevada SCBWI Mentorship program. Jude’s YA novel-in-progress—a hybrid of prose and verse telling the story of first-time juvenile offenders—was mentored by acclaimed Random House novelist, poet and speaker, Susan Hart Lindquist, with collaboration from author/poet Ellen Hopkins, whose celebrated YA verse-novels appear on NY Times Best Seller Lists.

JUDE’S MOST POPULAR WORKS:

• “BALLAD OF A PRODIGY,” in WHAT A SONG CAN DO, YA stories edited by award-winning author, Jennifer Armstrong (Knopf)
• "A Thoroughly Modern Rapunzel, or How I Outsmarted the Witch," in NEWFANGLED FAIRY TALES, Book #2 (Meadowbrook Press) 
• Super Sports Star Gary Payton, middle-grade biography (Enslow)
• "Princess Dragonblood," in Half-Human, middle-grade/YA fantasy stories, edited by award-winning author, Bruce Coville (Scholastic)

SAMPLE PRESENTATIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS 
(Visit http://www.judemandell.com for more!)

• SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK!
• CHARACTERS, CHARACTERS, CHARACTERS!
• THE PLOT THICKENS!
• RAPPIN' 'ROUND RHYMES!