Sandra Neil Wallace – författare

Albert Einstein. Mazie Hirono. Dikembe Mutombo. Celia Cruz. Madeleine Albright. Nikola Tesla. These are just a few of the names young readers will find in the pages of First Generation. Featuring 36 incredible individuals, this book tells the stories of artists and athletes, scientists and musicians, activists and inventors, educators and journalists, all immigrants and refugees to the United States of America. Because of their achievements and their determination to change the world, our country has been made a far better place. And after reading their inspiring stories, readers will hopefully see how they can become change-makers themselves.

Here is the inspiring story of the woman who kept alive the Ukrainian art of pysanky Easter eggs and brought it to America.Award-winning creators Sandra Neil Wallace and Evan Turk team up for a richly illustrated picture book biography for kids ages 7–10 who love arts and crafts.As a new immigrant to America, Marie Procai felt homesick and alone—she missed her homeland, Ukraine. She took comfort in the ancient Ukrainian art of making pysanky, intricately decorated eggs for Easter, an art she learned from her grandmother and brought with her to America. Cradling the pysanka in her hands felt like holding a piece of her homeland and giving her Baba a hug.Making pysanky made Marie feel a little more hopeful when the Russia’s Red Army invaded Ukraine and forbade anyone from speaking Ukrainian or practicing their traditions, pysanky included. It sustained her spirit when her son was off fighting in World War II, and again when she welcomed Ukrainian refugees into her home after the war. A hardworking entrepreneur, Marie founded the Ukrainian Gift Shop in Minneapolis to keep Ukrainian culture alive in America and share it with everyone.The legend goes that as long as pysanky are decorated, there will be good in the world. Ukrainian-heritage author Sandra Neil Wallace and award-winning illustrator Evan Turk share this hopeful story of the woman who fought to preserve an essential part of Ukrainian culture.