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2011 London Book Festival Honorable Mention
2012 Gold Award Winner, Historical Fiction, Mom's Choice Awards
2012 New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards, Winner for Historical Fiction
2013 Nautilus Book Awards, Silver Award for Midgrade/Young Adult Fiction
In 1940, Beatrice Sims, a spoiled English girl arrives in Santa Fe to escape the war in London. At first the twelve-year-old hates the dusty little town. But soon Beatrice makes friends with goofy Arabella, develops a crush on handsome Esteban and aids Ana, a shy Indian girl. First accused of being "faceta" - stuck up, Beatrice learns to change tires, ride wild ponies and helps the public health nurse, Clementine Pope, rescue a sick baby on an Indian pueblo.
Now in its second printing, True Brit was inspired by accounts of children who were sent to Santa Fe and elsewhere in the United States to escape the war in Europe. The book is the first of a series titled Far and Away, which features young people displaced and relocated between 1939 - 1945. The second book in the Far and Away series features the struggles of a young Jewish boy from Germany who is sent to live with a distant relative in New York City.
About the author
Rosemary Zibart is an award-winning playwright and children's book author. Her charming picture books include
"I have a Grandma who..." (for passionate boomer grandmas) and
Kit Coyote: A Brave Pup (for foster children). Her first two middle grade novels,
True Brit and
Forced Journey, featured youths dislocated by World War 2, and both won the New Mexico Book Award for historic fiction and a Silver Nautilus Award for historical fiction. An upcoming book in this series,
Beatrice, focuses on a Japanese Internment Camp built outside Santa Fe which angers locals. Ms. Zibart lives in Santa Fe with her husband and family. Learn more about her at www.rosemaryzibart.com.
George Lawrence is an illustrator living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He received a bachelor's degree in Architecture from Auburn University and worked as a designer in New York City for twelve years. Since relocating to Santa Fe in 1991 he has specialized in architectural illustrations, as well as natural and cultural history subjects for interpretive exhibits. George has recently completed illustrations for a children's book on the scientific discoveries of Charles Darwin. He is also working on a series of illustrations of New Mexico city plazas.
