Laura as a Kindergarten teacher, Denver Public Schools
Meet Laura!
Laura is a pre-published children’s book author and illustrator based in Denver, CO. As a child, Laura struggled to read and didn’t have command of independent reading until the end of 2nd grade. Despite initial challenges, Laura’s love of stories led her to become a voracious reader.
As an adult, Laura still had difficulty with writing and spelling. She elected to be evaluated by a Speech Language Pathologist and was designated as having dyslexia and dyscalculia (a learning disorder that affects a person's ability to understand math).
Laura’s first manuscript is a nonfiction children’s book about dyslexia and phonology. Rather than being deficit-based, Laura hopes this book will raise awareness about dyslexia and create more inclusivity about learning differences.
Laura’s Background
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Laura taught Kindergarten in Denver Public Schools for four years. Laura enjoyed teaching children how to read, write, and have a great time at school.
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While Laura was teaching, she earned her Masters in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Early Literacy, University of Colorado - Denver. Laura will use research-driven literacy best practices while writing her first children’s book about dyslexia.
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Laura loved teaching but decided to career pivot into tech for more lucrative opportunities. Laura’s background in UX and UI design translates into her illustration style.
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Laura is a self-taught illustrator. She began dabbling with digital drawing in 2019. Laura’s favorite tools are Procreate, Adobe Fresco, her iPad and Apple Pencil. Laura likes using pen and paper for idea generation.
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Although Laura has been a SCBWI member since 2021, her journey to become a children’s book author and illustrator started in earnest at the beginning of 2023.