Michelle Graham FricksMichelle Graham Fricks is an eccentric, passionate, magical thinker, and artist that has a diverse background. Another unique quality she possesses is that she remembers distinctly what it is like to be a kid. She was a military kid, but not a typica one. She was taught patriotism and serving others early in life by her father, who is a Vietnam Veteran and further served through the Air National Guard and her mother who was, and still is, a talented homemaker. She is the oldest of three sisters, so there was always a lot going on in their house. This did not stop Michelle from finding time to sit in her favorite persimmon tree so she could imagine and draw. Then in Kindergarten she heard many, many stories and listened to fairy tales on small records with the turn-along books. She admired the lovely art in those books so much, and loved when the teacher would turn the book to show the illustrations to the class. Then, the teacher had the students write and illustrate their own books, and the drawings would no longer be called "drawings" but now "illustrations"! Her art mentor told her something very prophetic. He said, "One day, you will be illustrating for children, because your heart is so young. If you don't, it would be a shame." What a wise sage. Michelle simply feels she is fulfilling her mentor's prediction. As patriotic as she is quirky, she wants to help our youngest citizens come to an understanding of our country's history and how it works today. She wishes to help etch it in a most engaging way, yet never forgetting that they are children that cannot wait for the teacher to turn the book around to show the picture to them. Read More Read Less