Jennifer Richard Jacobson

Jennifer Richard Jacobson is an award-winning writer, teacher, educational consultant, and writing coach. She writes in many genres from children’s fiction to adult nonfiction. 

Jacobson’s work for children and young adults includes the early-reader series Andy Shane and the Very Bossy Dolores Starbuckle in which shy, reticent Andy joins forces with an overly-exuberant friend (Junior Library Guild Selection, Chicago Public Library’s Best Children’s Book); the bestselling middle grade novel, Small as an Elephant about twelve year old Jack who’s been abandoned in a National Park (International Reading Association Young Adults’ Choice, Parents’ Choice Gold Award Winner); Paper Things about homeless siblings (ILA Social Justice Award, NTCE Charlotte Huck Honorable Mention) and The Dollar Kids (Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year) about five families who move to a former mill town and purchase a home for a single dollar. Her newest releases include a picture book This is MY Room (No Tigers Allowed) and the Twig and Turtle chapter book series about sisters who move with their family into a tiny house. Three of Jennifer’s books: Stained (YA), Small as an Elephant, and Paper Things have won the Maine Lupine Award.

On the educational front, Jacobson is the author of No More “I’m Done!” Fostering Independent Writers in the Primary Grades, and No More: “How Long Does it Need to Be?” Fostering Independent Writers in Grades 3-8, frequent PLC selection for teachers at all grade levels. A graduate of Lesley College and Harvard Graduate School of Education, Jacobson has taught preschool through sixth grade and has served as Curriculum Coordinator, Head of Studies, and Language Arts Specialist in several schools. She is praised for her high energy, practical strategies, and educational wisdom while presenting and modeling exemplary teaching practices.