Review
Empower your kids to stand up for what is right. It is the right thing to do. This book helps open that discussion and helps show them how they can make a difference. --Capri
This belongs in EVERY bully-proofing program in the United States!!! --
EJ Thornton, Author of I Have a Secret, Speaker, ParentThis belongs in EVERY bully-proofing program in the United States!!! It is in ours!!! --Administrator Santa Barbara Schools.
About the Author
J. Richard Knapp was born in the Pacific Northwest in a small rural community beside the banks of the great Snake River in the fall of 1949. It was one of those communities where everyone knew each other, and often worked side by side picking fruit to be sent by train to New York City, Chicago, or even Boston. Everyone was either picking fruit or packaging it to be sent by train somewhere in America. The stories told by Knapp often reflect his experiences as a young boy in this small community exploring the banks of the large river and his community with his closest friends. His adventurous nature and creative mind often led to great tales of the river and fantasies enjoyed by all.
In the early 1960's the United States allowed fruit from Asia to be sold in America for the first time. The small community on the banks of the Snake River could not compete in this new world market. As the months passed by, they could not find any place to sell their fruit. Eventually, apples were left unpicked or rotting on the ground. Workers began to lose their jobs. Small businesses were forced to close their doors forever. Families had to sell everything they owned and move away in hopes of finding work elsewhere. The trains stopped coming. Knapp's parents soon found themselves without jobs and no future. They sold everything they owned and moved to a nearby city in hopes of starting over again. The months and years ahead were hard, as the family struggled in deep poverty just to survive. Knapp's book, Bobby's Story, is based upon this time in his life.
J. Richard Knapp graduated from high school in 1967. His accomplishments as an athlete earned him a scholarship to college, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree, Master of Arts Degree, and a pre-doctorate. He has spent the past thirty two years as a writer, elementary teacher, administrator, graduate school instructor, and recognized leader in education. Knapp has served as a member of the International Symposium on Education with leaders from Great Britain, Japan, Canada, China, Germany, Australia, and the United States of America. Additionally, he has lobbied for schools and youth both in Congress and in his home state of Oregon for over a decade.
J. Richard Knapp lives with his wife of thirty two years in a small community along the banks of the beautiful Umpqua River in western Oregon. He continues to share his stories with children everywhere, and tells them about his adventures along the banks of the great Snake River.
