JEN SHIMAN
By being yourself, you put something beautiful into the world that was not there before.
Edwin Elliot
Why I write
I have always loved writing. I have journals, diaries, letters and folded up notes saved in boxes. I look back at them from time to time and marvel at how they are a glimpse into your frame of mind at that particular point in time and evolution as a human. It's magical!
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At bedtime, when my oldest daughter was a little girl, she would ask me to retell her stories from when I was in school. Her favorite, fish sticks, was requested the most, followed by the softball game and the chili contest. (That is what she named them.) These favored anecdotes were from the time when I lived outside of Chicago from 5th to 7th grade.
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It is for my girls, that I have pushed myself to capture the essence of these years. Years so pivotal in a young girl's life--when there are so many things changing all at once. It is a metamorphosis, and everyday happenings are so deeply felt. I aspire to honor girls by writing honestly, addressing the complicated, ruminations that govern each day.
While not a memoir, my debut novel, Too Many Jennys-Fifth Grade, captures the spirit of my experience moving from the East Coast to the Chicago suburbs during the early "I want my MTV" 80s. It was a time when I was still clinging desperately to my Barbies and beloved stuffed dog, Popcorn, while dipping a toe into the mesmerizing next phase of boys, looking glamorous and roller skating.
Amazon Review
“My daughter snuck a nightlight under her covers to finish this book."
TOO MANY JENNY'S: Fifth Grade
Judge, Writer's Digest
30th annual Writer's Digest Book Awards
"This book is exemplary...the middle grade audience can be tricky, but this does a great job of hitting the mark...middle graders will feel seen and heard."
Amazon Review
"Ms. Shiman's creation touched something inside my little girl's heart and I will always be grateful for that."
Too Many Jennys - Fifth Grade
Jenny Foster begins her fifth grade year halfway across the country at a new school. She is intrigued by Patty, a girl with blonde feathered hair, a steady gaze and authority over the social order of her class. Eventually, she is invited in to see if she can cut it with the popular crowd.