Donna Jo Napoli

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Emerging from the vibrant city of Miami, Florida, in 1948, Donna Jo Napoli was the youngest among four siblings born to a building contractor and a homemaker, both the offspring of Italian immigrants. In many ways, Napoli's achievements are emblematic of the American dream realized. Reflecting on her past in an autobiographical piece in Something about the Author Autobiography Series, she remembers a home devoid of books. Yet, by the tender age of eight, she had discovered the sanctuary of the school library, persuading the librarian to let her visit twice a week, igniting a lifelong love affair with literature. Her father's profession—constructing a house, selling it, and then moving to a nearby area—fostered in her a sense of rootlessness. A reserved tomboy, she found solace and a sense of belonging within the imaginative worlds that books unveiled.

Early Religious Roots

Napoli, baptized and raised in the Catholic faith, celebrated her First Holy Communion. Despite the trendiness of abandoning church at twelve, she remained devout. This deep-seated spirituality later infused her novel Song of the Magdalene, reflecting her youthful introspection and questioning of religious authority.

Academic Prowess and Personal Growth

Her vision began to fail early in life until the advent of hard contact lenses opened new vistas for her. This opportunity unlocked her academic potential, allowing her to shine in various disciplines. In junior high and high school, her accomplishments accumulated in a scholarship to Radcliffe, then Harvard University's women's college. At Harvard, she pursued mathematics with fervor, its precision foreshadowing her eventual passion for linguistics. Simultaneously, she immersed herself in modern dance, a medium that allowed her to express both mind and body with boundless freedom.

Life at Harvard and Beyond

During her Harvard years, she met Barry Furrow, a fellow scholarship recipient from South Dakota, whom she describes as “radically left-wing, radically anti-clerical and wonderfully sweet.” Together, they thrived both academically and personally, excelling as scholars and partners in parenting.

Napoli achieved a doctorate in linguistics from Harvard, venturing into the realms of writing and poetry, while Furrow distinguished himself as a law professor at Widener University. Their enduring marriage, spanning three decades, has been enriched by five children.

Family Inspirations and Social Advocacy

Her family life provided a rich tapestry for her children's literature, with inspiration drawn from the inquisitive nature of her own children and her tendency to regard every matter earnestly, a trait honed by her lifelong penchant for worry—about her family, herself, and the world at large. Her concerns fueled her commitment to social justice, engaging in activism on behalf of marginalized groups. At Harvard, she discovered the Boston City Missionary Society, dedicating summers to working with state wards in New Hampshire. After college, her compassion led her to counsel teens in the Neighborhood Youth Corps.

With her marriage to Barry Furrow, Napoli embraced her roles as wife and mother. Her children's vibrant lives and boundless curiosity sparked her literary endeavors. As she taught at Smith, Georgetown, and the University of Michigan, she faced and rejected the prevailing sexism in academia, ultimately finding a respected position at Swarthmore College as chair of the Linguistics Department.

Literary Journey and Acclaimed Works

Napoli began her writing journey long before her first book was accepted in 1984 and published in 1988, titled The Hero of Barletta . This retelling of an Italian folktale gave her pause to reflect on the worth of her original creations in the literary marketplace. Though linguistics was her academic domain, her heart compelled her to write, exploring her experiences as a parent and her quest for truth. Many of...

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her novels for young readers mirror events and challenges drawn from her own children's lives. Her 1991 story,Soccer Shock, not only entered the Hall of Fame Sports Books for Kids but also received nominations for the Nutmeg Children's Book Award. When the Water Closes Over My Head was hailed as one of Bank Street's "Books of the Year," while Shark Shock and On Guard earned similar accolades, with the latter capturing her son's passion for fencing. The Bravest Thing found its muse in a daughter's love for animals.

Her inventive tale The Prince of the Pond, a whimsical twist on the Frog Prince, was born from her musings on how a transformed prince could only survive with the guidance of a real frog versed in pond life. Young readers clamored for more, leading to the follow-up tale of Jimmy, the frog prince's son, in Jimmy the Pickpocket of the Palace. Trouble on the Tracks takes readers on an adventure set in Australia, inspired by recent visits from the Napoli family.

Napoli's narrative prowess shines in her 1997 World War II epic about two Italian boys—one Catholic and the other Jewish—forced to construct airstrips for the German army in the Ukraine. Stones in Water, a poignant historical novel, unveils a lesser-known facet of the war, earning the "Golden Kite Award" and recognition in multiple languages, including Dutch and German. Her storytelling continues to captivate and reveal untold stories that resonate across cultures.

A New Perspective on Tales

During the vibrant era of the mid-1990s, Napoli found a spark to write for young adult audiences. It was her daughter's keen observation about the abundance of malevolent women in folklore that inspired her. Napoli embarked on a journey to reshape the narrative of the most infamous villainess in fairy tales—the witch from "Hansel and Gretel." In her novel, The Magic Circle (1993), she reimagines the witch as a healer burdened with an insatiable hunger for children. This bewitched woman retreats into the forest in an attempt to resist her dark urges, but fate intervenes when the innocent siblings stumble upon her secluded woodland abode.

Reimagined Heroines

This innovative portrayal of female characters captivated the imaginations of teenage readers. Building upon this theme, Napoli penned Zel (1996), a fresh spin on the Rapunzel story where the maternal figure is recast as the witch. That same year, she unveiled Song of the Magdalene, inspired by her daughter's fascination with the character from the play Jesus Christ Superstar. In this novel, Napoli delves into the youthful days of Mary Magdalene. Her creative endeavors during this period were supported by grants from the American Association of University Women and the Leeway Foundation, enabling her to deepen her research. In 1998, Napoli continued to place adolescents at the heart of her tales with For the Love of Venice, featuring the engaging dynamics between an American teen tourist and an Italian girl distressed by the toll tourism is taking on her cherished city.

A Beloved Storyteller

Napoli's extraordinary adaptability and her eloquent use of language have elevated her to a revered position among young adult literature authors. Each release is eagerly anticipated by librarians, educators, and a growing legion of young readers who eagerly await her storytelling magic.

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