Julie Phend
Julie Phend loves everything about books: reading, writing, discussing, speaking and teaching about them. An author and teacher based in Naperville, Illinois, Julie graduated from Valparaiso University with a BA in English and Theater and received her MS in Education from the University of Wisconsin. She recently retired from teaching middle school language arts, where she taught students to love writing as they explored their own interests and ideas in Writing Workshop. She also collaborated with students to write and produce ten original plays.
"D-Day and Beyond: A True Story of Escape and POW Survival" is Julie’s first book. It tells the story of WWII pilot Stanley Edwards, Jr., whom she met when he spoke to her classes about his experiences in the war. A young pilot shot down over Normandy on D-Day, Stan Edwards was cut off from news sources, ignorant of military plans, without weapons, and unable to speak the language. Despite this, he managed to escape Nazi capture three times before finally being sent to prison camp at Stalag Luft III, where he learned some of the most important lessons of his life.
ISBN 1-57249-362-3, Burd St. Press, $8.95 in paperback
Julie’s Presentations:
Surviving the Nazis: Julie uses PowerPoint photographs, artifacts, and personal stories collected through her interviews with Stanley Edwards to weave a dramatic tale of escape and survival in WWII. Appropriate for grades 5-12, the 40-60 minute presentation puts a personal face on WWII history.
Memoir Writing: A workshop specifically tailored to help students discover, interview, and write family history. This workshop is suitable for grades 5-adult and is a wonderful intergenerational activity.
Students Say:
“Thank you for coming to tell us all about Stanley Edwards. You are a very inspiring person. Now I want to learn and write about my grandparents.”
“Your book was amazing, and you are a lively and entertaining person.”
Contact Information:
Email: julie@juliephend.com
Website: http://www.juliephend.com
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