Wu, Liz (Elizabeth Wu)

Personal

Female. Education: University of Cincinnati, B.A. (jazz performance), 2002. Hobbies and other interests: Jazz music performance, making jewelry.

Addresses

Home and office—Cincinnati, OH.

Career

Author and journalist.

Writings

Rosa Farm: A Barnyard Tale, illustrated by Matt Phelan, Alfred A. Knopf (New York, NY), 2006.

Contributor of articles to Cincinnati, OH, CityBeat online, under name Elizabeth Wu.

Sidelights

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, where she works as a journalist for a local newspaper, Liz Wu is also a world traveler, jazz musician, and jewelry artist. The influences of Wu's global travels can be seen in her first children's title, the chapter book Rosa Farm: A Barnyard Tale, which was inspired by Wu's visit to Portugal.

In Rosa Farm readers are introduced to Gallileon, a young rooster who has to take his father's place as the morning crower at a family farm. Gallileon takes this new responsibility very seriously and his crowing awakens every creature within earshot every morning at sunrise. One day, however, the young rooster's schedule becomes confused when his mother assigns Gallileon's younger sister, Pepina the chicken, to help him. A series of adventures ensues, including the kidnapping of Pepina after rooster and chicken are targeted by a gang of ducks led by a bullying goose named Prattle. In a review of Wu's children's-book debut, a Kirkus Reviews critic cited Rosa Farm for containing a charming if over-busy plot that features "amusing moments." In her review for School Library Journal, Melissa Christy Buron applauded Wu's eventful storyline and noted that the author's "plot is quick paced and will keep the interest of readers new to chapter books."

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, February, 2007, Hope Morrison, review of Rosa Farm: A Barnyard Tale, p. 273.

Kirkus Reviews, October 15, 2006, review of Rosa Farm, p. 1081.

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School Library Journal, January, 2007, Melissa Christy Buron, review of Rosa Farm, p. 111.

ONLINE

Children's Bookwatch Web site,http://www.midwestbookreview.com/ (March, 2007), review of Rosa Farm.

CityBeat Online (Cincinnati, OH), http://citybeat.com/ (November 11, 2007), "Liz Wu."

Random House Web site,http://www.randomhouse.ca/ (November 11, 2007), "Liz Wu."