Dr. Padma Venkatraman

Dr. Padma Venkatraman is the award-winning author of three critically acclaimed novels: A Time to Dance, Island's End, and Climbing the Stairs. All three were released to multiple starred reviews (12 total), and were Booklist Editor's choices and ALA/YALSA Best Books of the Year. In addition, her books have won numerous awards (such as the ASTAL RI Book of the Year, Boston Authors Club Julia Ward Howe Young Readers award, Paterson Prize, South Asia Book Award, and Singapore Children's Choice Red Dot Award); been on several shortlists (e.g. Cybil, Crystal Kite, in more than 10 states, including ME, UT, SC, NJ, OK, NY, PA, RI, IN, CT); and received many other honors - ALA Notable, Amelia Bloomer List, Bank Street College of Education Best Book, Book Links Best New Book, Booksense Notable, CCBC choice, Capitol Choice, CLN Top 25, CSML Best Book, IBBY Outstanding Book for Young People with Disabilities, IRA Notable Book for a Global Society, Kirkus Best Book, NCSS/CBC Notable, Publishers Weekly Flying Start, etc. Before becoming a full-time author, Padma Venkatraman taught courses in oceanography at the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography. She has taught students of all ages, from elementary school children to university professors and has conducted hands-on workshops for students with disabilities. She has served as a panelist at book festivals such as the PEN World Voices Festival and the Hong Kong Young Readers Festival; been an invited guest at Harvard and other universities; has provided commencement speeches at schools and keynote addresses at numerous conferences, including the Caribbean Beach Pen Literary Festival in Trinidad, where she was the chief guest. Her work has been featured nationally and internationally on TV and radio. Padma Venkatraman is an American and lives in Rhode Island with her family.