Brain Snacks: Tasty Tidbits of Knowledge
Joan Bauer first achieved notoriety as a writer when she won second place in a "Fruit and Vegetable Poetry Contest" sponsored by a newspaper. Her dislike for lima beans really impressed the judges. (Source)
Just like the main character in Hope Was Here, Bauer grew up with an absentee dad. Her parents divorced when she was 8 years old and she never heard from her alcoholic father after that. (Source)
In addition to the Newbery Honor Award, Hope Was Here is the winner of the Christopher Award, Michigan's Thumbs Up Award, and the M. Jerry Weiss Reading Award. The novel also appears on the American Library Association's list of Notable Books and Best Books for Young Adults. (Source)
Wisconsin is indeed the Land of Lactose; it produces more than 25% of the nation's cheese. That comes with risks, though. Consider the Great Parmesan Heist of 2016. (Source)
Want a real taste of the Keep Hoping sandwich, the one that Hope invented when she was 15? Bauer shares the recipe for "a sandwich for our time" on her website. (Source)