Thinking Through Analogies, Grades 3-6
Bonnie Lou Risby grew up in the Illinois woodlands atop the limestone bluffs across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. These woods were her playground where she and her siblings camped out, played detective, and enjoyed the beauty of the outdoors in every season. After attending college at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, she taught school in Columbia, IL, for 13 years. She has taught elementary school, middle school, and high school, concentrating on the subjects of French, English, and gifted education. When Bonnie helped write the grant to establish ColumbiaÃ­s Gifted Program in the early 1970s, there were few materials readily available that fit well with a one-period per week pullout program.After the birth of her son, Bonnie retired from teaching and joined a family and marriage counseling practice for 12 years, continuing to write and create logic books in her spare moments. Retired from her therapy practice, Bonnie now works in a family business with her husband and son. Her office is in her home in Ballwin, MO, where Bonnie and her faithful pug dog, Francy, can be found most days. Bonnie has continued to write classroom books, chapter books, magazine articles, and books for young adults.Besides writing, Bonnie loves taking float trips down Ozark streams, biking, long walks with Francy, gardening, family history, and travel.