Patricia K. Roche

Background

Patricia K. Roche was born on June 15, 1935, in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States.

Education

Patricia received a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. John's University. Later, she continued her education at New York University, where she got a Master of Arts degree. Roche also attended the New School for Social Research, where she developed her skills as an illustrator under the tutelage of author-illustrator Uri Shulevitz.

Career

In 1976, Patricia began her career as an author and illustrator of children’s books. During her lifetime, she also worked as a copywriter for WCBN-FM, a student-run radio station of the University of Michigan. Moreover, Patricia acted as a head of a graduate school of business and worked at an engineering firm.

Roche's first self-illustrated picture book, 1979’s "Good-bye, Arnold!", depicts sibling rivalry between two mouse brothers. A younger brother, Webster, is glad, when his older brother goes away to stay with their grandmother. But after the novelty of playing with all of Arnold’s toys and jumping into the forbidden top bunk, reserved for the older Arnold, wears off, Webster realizes, that having a brother around isn’t all that bad. The book was selected for the American Institute of Graphic Arts Books Show in 1980.

The book "Webster and Arnold and the Giant Box", published in 1980, describes the amazing transformations, that result after the brothers discover a discarded cardboard box. A cave, a train, a restaurant, a rocket, even a submarine carry the two young mice through the world of imagination in this sequel to "Good-bye, Arnold!". The idea for the story came to Roche after she saw a group of neighborhood children "noisily occupied with an empty refrigerator box" and her own childhood memories were triggered.

"Webster and Arnold Go Camping", the third installment in the continuing adventures of the two bewhiskered brothers, finds Webster telling scary stories to his brother during a backyard sleepout.

Other stories by Roche include the 1982 picture book "Plaid Bear and the Rude Rabbit Gang" and several poetry collections, all of which Roche also illustrated.

Achievements

• Patricia K. Roche is a well-known American author and illustrator of children’s books. Some of her works received "book of the year" designations.
  
  Patricia is a recipient of Children’s Choice Award. Moreover, her book, "Webster and Arnold and the Giant Box", was adapted by Penguin Random House (New York City) as a read-along cassette tape.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Webster and Arnold and the Giant Box

    (A giant box, discovered by Webster and Arnold, becomes a ...)

    1980
  • Webster and Arnold Go Camping

    (Webster and his big brother Arnold discover, that camping...)

    1988
  • Good-bye, Arnold!

    (Webster Mouse is delighted, when his older brother goes a...)

    1979
  • At Christmas Be Merry

    (A collection of poems and illustrations, that follow Mary...)

    1986
  • Jump All the Morning: A Child's Day in Verse

    (Jumping Joan and Tommy Tinker spend a day, exploring the ...)

    1984
  • Dollhouse Magic: How to Make and Find Simple Dollhouse Furniture

    (A sponge becomes a sofa and a broken watch a clock. A pre...)

    1977
  • Plaid Bear and the Rude Rabbit Gang

    (Fun adventure story about the plaid bear.)

    1982

Interests

• Sport & Clubs

  Baseball

Connections

Patricia is married to John Roche, a lawyer. Their marriage produced two children — Janet and Keith.

child:

Janet Roche

child:

Keith Roche

husband:

John Roche

mentor:

Uri Shulevitz