Welcome!

I've been enjoying my writing career for more than 35 years. While I've focused mostly on writing science and nature books for children, I've also written in many other genres including travel articles and gardening books for adults.

My home in Missoula, Montana, sits on a half acre of land on a plateau next to Blue Mountain, with the Missoula Valley and the mountains beyond visible from our windows. Sometimes the mountains are obscured by beautiful clouds. It's a perfect place for a person who loves nature to live. Across the street is a beautiful meadow where we used to walk our dogs, Elsa and Ninja, almost every day for years. We now love to take care of neighbor dogs when their people are away. Learn more about my professional & personal life >>

I've recently started a blog, which is very free-flowing. The directions it takes will depend not only on my life, but also on the comments I receive. I'd love you to take a look on blogspot. I post a photo with each entry. I'm also posting some stories behind my books--how I came to write them, what adventures they led to, and so on. Near the beginning of every month, I'll add more. For starters, I've written about the beginnings of my interest in wolves. Click here to read about me and wolves.

My latest book, When the Wolves Returned: Restoring Nature's Balance in Yellowstone, is getting great reviews. Booklist calls is "A great choice for elementary units about science and environmental protection," and Kirkus gave it a starred review. Click here to read the reviews.

I loved writing this book, which describes the positive changes in the ecology of the park that are happening since the wolves came back--healthier willows, more beavers and small predators, more song birds, and more.

The natural world is my favorite place, but human cultures come in a close second. My recent book, The Buffalo and the Indians: A Shared Destiny,
combines these two loves as I recount the history of the relationship between Plains Indian tribes and the American bison over the thousands of years they have shared our planet, with help from photographer William Muñoz and historical artwork. School Library Journal says in its starred review, “Patent’s narrative is clear and her writing is almost lyrical,” while Booklist’s starred review points out, “The lucid narrative and spacious book design....will draw readers into the history and the science and prompt discussion of human and animal rights and the connections between them.” The book was chosen to represent Montana in the National Book Festival in Washington,D.C. for 2006 and has been chosen by the Mountain and Plains Independent Booksellers as a winner in the children’s catagory for 2007. The book was a work from the heart, both for me and for photographer Bill Muñoz, so we feel especially honored to receive this recognition.

To learn more about my books, visit Publications & Awards, where I’ll also talk a little about my magazine writing.

For useful links and educational resources I've created, click here.

In addition to being an author, I love to share what I’ve learned about writing with children, fellow writers, and the public. I’ve been a featured speaker at many conferences and schools, and I’ve taught nuts and bolts workshops on writing for children, as well as sessions on freeing the creative spirit from the restraints of the internal critic. I also work as a consultant with less experienced writers, helping them hone their work to make it more publishable. Learn more about my talks, workshops, & consulting >>

View websites for my publishers, some of my colleagues, & tips for writers >>