This Muslim nation of 27 million people has been a center of conflict since 500 B.C. Its recently toppled Taliban regime and new leadership have created unique and serious challenges for the country as it tries to keep pace with the 21st century.
Peggy J. Parks holds a bachelor of science degree from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she graduated magna cum laude. She is an author who has written more than 100 nonfiction educational books for children and young adults on a diverse variety of topics ranging from environmental science, the Internet, and space research to controversial issues such as gay rights, animal experimentation, stem cells, and drug legalization. Two of her titles were recognized as "Best Books" of the year by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In addition, she wrote and self-published her own cookbook entitled "Welcome Home: Recipes, Memories, and Traditions from the Heart."
Parks lives in a small West Michigan town that she says inspires her writing because of its location on the shores of beautiful Lake Michigan.
