Joanne Rocklin

Joanne Rocklin writes books for children and previously worked as a teacher and psychologist. Born in Canada, she often combines family change, humor, storytelling, and the emotional logic of young characters. The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook, published by Amulet Books in 2012, centers on Oona, her younger brother Fred, and their sick cat, Zook. As the children worry about his treatment, Oona invents accounts of Zook's earlier lives in forms ranging from fairy tale to epic adventure. Those stories echo family grief after her father's death and her uncertainty about her mother's new relationship. The novel received strong reviews for balancing sadness with warmth and for allowing storytelling to become part of Oona's growth. Rocklin has written many books for children, including One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street, Fleabrain Loves Franny, and Strudel Stories. The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook joins her interest in community with a close study of siblings, loss, and imaginative resilience.