Bio:

I grew up in Los Altos, CA. Ever since the age of 10, I knew that I wanted to be a writer, and since the age of 12 I also knew that I would be a traveler. This combination has led me to 104 countries, with the bonus of learning seven languages along the way. I met my husband, Joe, as a fellow Peace Corps volunteer in 1973.

Joe and I have spent the past 28 years working and/or traveling to all seven continents, including Antarctica. I began writing for children in 1981, when I sold my first manuscript to “Highlights for Children”. Since that time I have written for magazines in Asia, Africa, America and Europe. I also work for various international organizations, doing the writing, photography and lay-out design for fund-raising materials.

The most exciting thing in my writing life right now is helping African women start their own magazines. In 1998 Women to Women was born in Ethiopia, and this year La Parole aux Femmes (Women Speak Out) will start in Mali. Giving women a voice is thrilling, and both magazines work to provide inspiration and information to young rural women.

With my books for kids I have a personal writing agenda, which is to get the good news out about Africa. So often people only hear about drought, chaos and war in Africa, while there is a lot going on that’s good. It’s crucial to me that all my books portray the beauty and reality of life in Africa. I write only about the places I know first-hand, and hope that all my readers feel like they’ve just been to Africa when they finish reading one of my books.

Thanks for traveling with me!








Writer
PAL
Member since 1990
Region: Caribbean: North

Contact Information

Website:  http://www.cristinakessler.com

Published In Children's Market: Yes
Available for Speaking Engagements? Yes