12-year-old Bettendorf Girl is a published illustrator

(Bettendorf, Iowa) Katy Leigh Babcock a 12-year-old from Bettendorf and a Pleasant Valley Riverdale Heights student loves creating artwork and wants to become an artist.  Two years ago Katy was invited to illustrate an important story for the A Book by Me Holocaust series and she eagerly agreed to do so. A Book by Me books are true stories of Holocaust survivors written by students who have interviewed the story’s subject.  They are books written and illustrated by children for children. Katy was asked to illustrate the book, Broadway Ben, the story of Curt Lowens, a Dutch Jewish young man who disguised himself as a Christian named “Ben” and became a member of the Resistance to save Dutch Jews from being captured and sent to concentration camps. The story was written by Ava Goodson of Port Bryan, Illinois, after traveling to Los Angeles where she interviewed Lowens two years ago.  Deb Bowen of Aledo, Illinois, the Creator and Director of A Book by Me says, we are asking “ordinary children to do something extraordinary. This generation is getting older, so the time to interview them, write and illustrate their important story is RIGHT NOW!”  There are currently 91 A Book by Me Holocaust survivor stories in the series. Katy created ten illustrations for the story plus the book cover.  Lowen’s story included a bar mitzvah, discrimination of Jews, the rescue of two American soldiers parachuting from a downed plane,  his role as a teacher and interpreter for the British Army during the war, and becoming an American actor and performing on Broadway.  Katy said, “I liked doing the artwork because I learned about WWII and the Holocaust.”  Broadway Ben, the most recent A Book by Me Holocaust survivor story, is now available on Amazon.com. Parents and teachers are encouraged to support their children in interviewing and writing these important stories. Information about the A Book by Me writing project, access www.abookbyme.com To interview Katy Babcock you can call her mother, Mandy Russman Babcock at 563-529-4479.  For more information about the A Book by Me project and book series can contact Deb Bowen 309-582-4882.                                                         ####