Catherine Matthias
I was an outdoor child—biking, swimming, endless nights of tag and hide-and-seek. My book reading occurred at night, snuggled in bed, the light on past midnight, telling myself, “Just one more chapter.”
My love of children’s books became deep and enduring in my early twenties, when I taught in a Cheltenham, PA, preschool. Out the Door, Over-Under, I Love Cats, Too Many Balloon, I Can Be a Police Officer, and I Can Be a Computer Operator are my early reader picture books published in English and Spanish by Children’s Press, an imprint of Scholastic Books.
My nonfiction adult book, The Word Gobblers – a handbook for parents working with children struggling to read, was published by Square One Publishers, NY, in 2021. It is a natural extension of my work as a Certified Irlen Syndrome Screener, my children’s book writing, and my desire to see all children enjoy reading. I address the medically-based causes and traits of the condition and provide parents and teachers with the tools to identify the problem and relieve the physical and emotional symptoms.
When the Sky Turned to Dust is my first middle grade novel.
I live in rural Joseph, Oregon, near the base of the beautiful Wallowa Mountains with my husband Stewart Jones, a snuggly, gray tabby named Mica, and a shy black cat named Jade.
My love of children’s books became deep and enduring in my early twenties, when I taught in a Cheltenham, PA, preschool. Out the Door, Over-Under, I Love Cats, Too Many Balloon, I Can Be a Police Officer, and I Can Be a Computer Operator are my early reader picture books published in English and Spanish by Children’s Press, an imprint of Scholastic Books.
My nonfiction adult book, The Word Gobblers – a handbook for parents working with children struggling to read, was published by Square One Publishers, NY, in 2021. It is a natural extension of my work as a Certified Irlen Syndrome Screener, my children’s book writing, and my desire to see all children enjoy reading. I address the medically-based causes and traits of the condition and provide parents and teachers with the tools to identify the problem and relieve the physical and emotional symptoms.
When the Sky Turned to Dust is my first middle grade novel.
I live in rural Joseph, Oregon, near the base of the beautiful Wallowa Mountains with my husband Stewart Jones, a snuggly, gray tabby named Mica, and a shy black cat named Jade.
When the Sky Turned to Dust
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middle grade historical fiction
In the midst of America's Great Depression, a devastating drought and violent winds bring destruction and added hardship to the Midwest. When the Sky Turned to Dust follows the journey of the courageous Dolan family as they face the ultimate test of strength and resilience and struggle to survive on the unforgiving prairie. During the ravages of the Dust Bowl, the largest storm ever recorded sweeps through Kansas, leaving chaos and heartbreak in its wake. When nine-year-old Daniel is separated from his family, it is up to twelve-year-old Caroline to brave the treacherous conditions to save them both. As the storms rage on and their crops fail, tragedy strikes. The Dolan family must come together like never before to overcome their greatest challenge and deepest grief. If you enjoyed the heart-wrenching tale of survival in Out of the Dust, you won't want to miss When the Sky Turned to Dust. Filled with powerful emotions and gripping conflicts, this book will keep you turning the pages.
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The Word Gobblers - a handbook for parents working with children struggling to read
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Nonfiction Educational
It may not be dyslexia. Millions of children and adults around the world cope with reading, writing, or depth perception problems that are the result of a condition called Irlen Syndrome — the inability of the brain to process certain light waves or colors. Symptoms can include headaches and stomachaches when reading, sensitivity to light, poor sports performance, inability to focus, and clumsiness. The Word Gobblers clearly explains the signs of Irlen Syndrome, provides a questionnaire designed to alert parents and teachers to the behaviors to watch for, offers simple reading exercises to help you determine the nature of the reading problem, and includes easy-to-follow modifications you can make immediately to ease symptoms and discomfort. Children who are poor readers or poor in sports are often teased, resulting in feelings of shame and low self-worth. The Word Gobblers offers a medically-based reason why children—and even adults—struggle to read. It shows them that they are not at fault, and their difficulties can be lessened or overcome. By identifying and relieving the symptoms of the problem, children can begin to enjoy and succeed at reading, math, and sports, and all other endeavors that were once difficult due to Irlen Syndrome. 
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