Carlene Meredith Cogliati weaves together tales of children and youth from birth to teenage years. Her books are outrageously popular as proved by the numerous glowing reviews.

You will enjoy reading about a 6th grader’s journey through life in To Durchhalten, the close-to-biographical story of Stretch and Sarah, and adjusting to life with a new baby in As Our Baby Grows. Each story is captivating and rich in details that will inspire generations of readers, young and old.

Announcing her newest book…

Hadibu Hyena’s Horrible Hiccups

THE HOUSE THAT BILL BUILT

THE HOUSE THAT BILL BUILT IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON!

This is the dream that grew on a hill, The dream of a house that was once built by Bill. William ‘Bill’ Carson and his wife, Sarah, were real people who lived over 100 years ago. This is the delightful telling, in pictures and rhyme, of the building of their iconic home – one of the most photographed Victorian homes in the world.

Fun for all ages.

“To Durchhalten” is available on Amazon.

‘To Durchhalten’ is written as a 6th grader’s journal during a particularly formative year. I feel very strongly about a story unfolding for the reader and letting them take the journey with the characters, so I don’t want to say anything specific about the core content, especially with ‘To Durchhalten.’ I will say I moved to the Pacific North-west in 1982 to earn my MFA, and fell in love with the area and my husband. I now enjoy the remote beauty of the woods and hills close to a very small and wonderful country school, which is near and dear to my heart and is the inspiration for ‘To Durchhalten’s setting.

“Such a great book for young readers! It’s an engaging and wonderful story and will be pulling on your heart strings. A year of this 6th grade girl comes to life in the beautiful telling of her experiences in the form of a journal. I would highly recommend this book!”
M. Macy

“I found this inviting, captivating, suspenseful, and masterfully controlled. I cared deeply about the characters, and their challenges, and it kept me reading and engaged. The exhaustive gamut of emotions and reactions are entirely believable and compelling. I found this very cathartic and strengthening. It was something I NEEDED to read at this point in my life. It captures so much of what I have been/am dealing with. Brava. A moving, relevant, important story for readers of all ages. Well done!”
E. Meidl

Read more reviews of To Durchhalten…

“Stretch & Sarah” is available on Amazon.

‘Stretch & Sarah,’ is particularly close to my heart as it is based on my own family. Years ago, while visiting a favorite great aunt (who was suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s) I found a picture of my aunt when she was a very little girl; she looked like my own young daughter. I knew immediately there was an important story to tell, but was not ready to tackle it at that time. I collected and shaped family stories, and grew as a writer. I hope I have done the story justice.

“Carlene is an amazing woman with a true passion for her work as an author of children’s books. Through her stories Carlene reflects her deep poetic writing style and a deeply compassionate understanding of today’s challenges they face.”
E. Erenberger

“I read this story on my Summer vacation. I liked it. I could really relate to Stretch. This story reminds me of where I live, from the creek and the wild animals to the trees and poison ivy. I love horses and felt a connection to Sarah and her appreciation of them as well!

Because my great grandpa had dementia and lived a really amazing life (unfortunately he could not recall). This story reminded me about how my parents would talk about his adventures and how much he thought like me and what he meant to me despite the time gap between our childhoods.

I give this book a five star rating. I would read it again and highly recommend it.”

– Landon Albertson, 14 years old

Easily purchase “As Our Baby Grows” through Paypal now.

It’s Rachael’s first birthday and she learns she is going to be a big sister. Share a year as she enjoys the changing seasons and the changes with the growing baby. She then gets to enjoy being a big sister as we come full circle, back to her birthday. This delicately illustrated picture book is ideal for expectant siblings, as they make their own journey towards being a big sister or brother. As Our Baby Grows, is divided into small monthly sections geared for short attention spans. Each month ends with a little something to help them identify with the baby.

“It’s beautiful! This is the best I’ve ever seen to deal with the information. Job well done.”
T. Case, Childbirth Education Coordinator.

“An exquisite book for children about pregnancy; As Our Baby Grows covers a year’s time with a month to month description of the fetal development. It is medically accurate and informative for adults, but presented simply enough to interest even the smallest child. . .
A must for all expectant parents to share with their children. ”

–The Port Orchard Independent

More Reviews

Additional Reviews of To Durchhalten:

“Mrs Cogliati has created a beautiful work that transcends age. While the book is written from the viewpoint of a teen, it deals with life issues we all must navigate as we journey in this world. To Durchhalten reminds us that some days, there are just no words. There are other days where we overflow with our need to express. It’s a wonderful, touching, and reminiscent read about life transforming us all. Highly recommended.”
V. Bennington

“Just finished this book! It made perfect sense to me! And while I was reading it, during the the “in between time” I found myself THINKING (and self -speaking) as a 14 year old. THAT was a journey! It was an emotional ride for me – so much I could relate to… So much rang true. I was glad for the ending and I won’t say any more than that. I suggest that everyone reads it.
THANK YOU for writing this book Mz. Cogliati!”
J. Callen

“A Fab personal read but also for the classroom. Carlene wrote one of the best young reader books I’ve read in a long time. As a teacher, it would be great for classroom use, especially as the main character’s “superpower” is spelling and writing.”
A teacher

WORD GIRL, Amy Dixon, the protagonist of Carlene Meredith Cogliati’s To Durchhalten, loves words — their shape on a page and their sound, which she can almost taste on her tongue. She collects words not only for their intrinsic value and usefulness in expressing her feelings, but also to bolster her Spelling Bee prowess. . . .
For all the difficult issues that Amy faces in her sixth grade year, this book is also joyous and celebrates everyday pleasures, as well as bigger moments that mark the passage of the seasons. Amy is very human and doesn’t always make the best choices, but in the end, she finds the courage she needs.
This book is written for middle school children but it has a lot to offer for older readers as well.
Adults who may have forgotten how intense feelings are at this age will get a poignant reminder. I found it an inspiring reading experience and an occasion for some nostalgia.
North Coast Journal – JoAnn Bauer was the children’s librarian at the Humboldt County Library for many years. Retired, she continues to support the HCL on the Humboldt Library Foundation Board and reviewing books for North Coast Journal.

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Additional Reviews of Stretch and Sarah

“I have been caring for my mother who has Alzheimer’s. This story has touched me more than I can say, I tear up just trying to think of the words that can express how it has moved and lifted me. All I can say is – read it for yourself.” L. Stimpson

“When you read Carlene Cogliati’s book ‘Stretch and Sarah’ be prepared for a wonderful adventure!! Her descriptive writing paints a fascinating story that keeps you page flipping! You can almost see the horse stalls as she describes them, through the eyes of her main character: feel the water from the waterfall, hear the young boy’s thoughts and hear the crunch of the carrot Stretch snatches from the veggies his Grandma prepares for lunch! We read this book as a family and it captured the attention and imagination of all of our kids …ages ranging between one year to fourteen years old! It was very relatable and felt like going home to my childhood. We all enjoyed it immensely!! I would also like to point out the illustrations are perfect!” V. Rodrigues

Family History Lessons. . . As Stretch learns about Sarah he gains a new appreciation for his family history. He learns Sarah grew up in a time when the roles of girls and women were clearly defined, but that she refused to be limited by expectations of those around her. Sarah’s exploits were impressive by any standards and she became legendary, not only in her family, but in the entire community. As Stretch listens to the stories, he finds himself developing a sense of belonging and a new understanding of what kinship means. . . . Both children and adults will enjoy this book. The well written descriptions allow the reader to feel that they too, are on the DeVoy homestead amid a celebration of enduring family ties. Sarah is an especially vivid character with an amazing past.

Sharing this book with a young reader could be an inspiration to start learning more about your own ancestors and how their decisions and actions still affect your lives today.

– JoAnn Bauer, reviewing books for North Coast Journal

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Additional Reviews of As Our Baby Grows

“The illustrations and information aren’t just for children but for anyone interested in childbirth. Beautifully done. Good for the whole family.”
R. Wilson, Head Librarian, Iola, KS

“I’m delighted with As Our Baby Grows. It’s long overdue.”
Dr. S. Warren & L. Warren RN

Carlene Meredith Cogliati

Artist/Author