Donna Bowman Bratton

I've written about oodles of topics for newspapers and magazines:

Steam trains, animals, butterfly farming, architecture, cross-continental journeys, obscure inventions, April Fools hijinx, local histories, personal profiles, theatre reveiws, etc.

I love learning about new things.

Most recently, my focus has been on picture book biographies. Stay tuned for news!

I've even written theatrical scripts that were performed locally to hundreds of patrons.

A Tea for All Ages (theatrical skit written April 2004 for nonprofit organization)

Pebble by Pebble (performed November 2002)

What Child is This? (performed December 2001)

I Heard the Bells (performed December 2000)

The Gift (performed December 1999)

Awards and Contests

2006 Media Award for journalistic Excellence-                  Newspaper article

2004 - 2nd place- "The Word" - Double-digit fiction catergory - children's short story - San Gabriel Writers' League-

2006 - 1st place - "Then it Went Pop!" children's fiction catergory -San Gabriel Writers' League

Honorable Mention - "Slippery, Slimy Christmas" children's category- Byline Magazine.

2000 - 2nd Place- "Falling in Love was Murder" Austin American Statesman C'est L'amour essay contest

NEW---2012    I was nominated by Dan Yaccarino for the Joan Lowery Nixon award- Houston SCBWI.

NEWEr--2012    I was awarded an Honorary Mention for the 2012 SCBWI work-in-progress grant.

More than anything, I love to write for young readers.

Here are a few of my publications

"Leader of the Band" appeared in the anthology, Mistletoe Madness (Blooming Tree Press 2004)

While "paying the fiddler" after breaking a window, baseball-loving Eric learns the spirit of giving and redemption just in time for Christmas. His reward is wrapped in the surprising friendship of a kind old man.

"To Save the Argentine Criollo"    Nonfiction article recounts the historic 10,000 mile horseback journey from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Washington, D.C. in 1925 to save a legendary horse breed from extinction.  (Serialized in CRICKET Magazine Sept/Oct/Nov 2007) 

"A Colossal Gift: The Statue of Liberty" Nonfiction article about the dramatic history of our country's most recognizable monument. (July/August 2008- Kid Zone Magazine)

Benjamin Franklin's favorite invention wasn't the lightning rod, or bifocals, or the Franklin stove. It was a musical instrument made of glass.

Works in Progress

My file of as-yet-unpublished manuscripts include funny picture books, middle grade nonfiction, magazine articles, short stories, and middle grade novels.