At Claymore Middle School in Florida, it's time for a new season of cheerleading! Not everyone in the incoming seventh grade class will make the team, but four fiercely determined girls will give 150% at the challenging tryouts.
Jeanne Betancourt grew up in rural Vermont, where she spent a lot of time playing on the dairy farm across the road from her family's apartment. At the time she had no intention of becoming a writer -- she took tap dancing classes and dreamed of becoming a Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. Her rural upbringing would later provide ideas and background for many of her books.
After college and three years teaching in Vermont, Jeanne moved to New York City, where she taught junior and high school, and earned a masters degree in film studies from New York University. She wrote her first children's book in 1982, and since then has written a wide variety of acclaimed fiction and nonfiction books for young readers. Betancourt drew on her own memories and dreams while writing Kate's Turn, which focuses on a young teen's pursuit of a dance career; her own experience with dyslexia helped her create the title character of My Name Is Brian. And her rural upbringing, of course, helped her create the popular Pony Pals series.
Pony Pal fans are encouraged to visit ClubPonyPals.com to play games, make friends with other Pony Pals around the world, and enter a virtual Pony Pal world where they can ride with the Pony Pals.
Jeanne has written 76 books for children and young adults. Her most recent book is Ava Tree And The Wishes Three (Feiwel and Friends, Macmillan).
In addition to writing, Jeanne also loves to draw and paint. Her other interests include biking, and gardening. She still loves to dance.
In addition to writing books, Betancourt has also written for television, and has received six Emmy Award nominations, two Humanities citations, and the National Psychological Award for Excellence in the Media.
For more about Jeanne check out her website jeannebetancourt.com and her Facebook page.
She divides her time between an apartment in New York City and a home in Orient, New York.
