LeoNora M. Cohen

About the Author

             LeoNora M. Cohen is an emeritus professor of education at Oregon State University. Her specialties are gifted, creative, and talented kids; coping; and children’s interests. Her field, gifted education, shapes how she looks at all children: each is a precious gift with potential to be developed. As an undergraduate, Nora had been a Latin American Studies major, conducting research in Cali Colombia that greatly helped her Spanish fluency and led her to become a teacher and educator.

            But what she really loves is writing children’s books!  Maybe it is because she now has two adorable little grand children. She loves to read to them and to enter their magical worlds, making waffles, cracking eggs, mixing, and watching the steam escape as the batter sizzles in the waffle iron; filling the dump truck with stones or playing with the little ones in the sand pile; building block towers to knock over with glee.

            In retirement, Nora spends winters in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, an enchanting UNESCO World Heritage town she first visited in 1971, taking painting and silver making classes.  That’s when she met her husband of over 44 years, who followed her to San Miguel from Guadalajara.

            In San Miguel, Nora volunteers with several non-profit organizations that help children and the greater community.  To benefit these organizations, she writes bilingual children’s books in English and Spanish, using her knowledge of children and her imagination to create books that help kids learn another language as well as to bring to light issues children face. Many of her books help children to develop their talents and aspirations, as well as to cope effectively with difficulties they face.  And some books are full of whimsy and are just for fun!  Nora is currently finishing her 26th book.

            Building capacity in young people, Nora invites high school and early level college students to illustrate her stories, paying them well for their efforts. She loves mentoring them to grow into professional-level illustrators, working with them to picture the tale and create wonderful images of the characters and actions that help children understand the story’s meaning in both languages. She also works with photographer friends, Lise Guillemette and Kate Cohen, to capture the world of the child in her books.