About Joanna Hurley

Joanna Hurley is the pen name for Joanne Hurley. As the second of seven children, she was taught to take care of her younger brothers and sisters. For 40 years as an attorney, Joanna mentored clients, law students, and young lawyers. Joanna now uses her knowledge about children and people to write chapter and picture books for kids ages 6 – 11 years old.

She loves this age because the kids are sassy, question everything, and are becoming individuals. Joanna says she is still on the same journey and so relates. Joanna believes that she has retained the child she was at eight years old, a combination of Joan of Arc and bossy dragon slayer.

Children’s books have always had many roles. Books tell fun stories and amuse kids and parents alike. Joanna’s books also raise issues about family, kindness, friendship, courage, responsibility, and other values. Having seen the ramifications of lack of confidence in the people she worked with over the years, Joanna wants her characters to be an example to her young readers. She wants to show them confidence, kindness, and courage in action, for example.

Parents are busy today. In the past, extended families lived nearby to help. Now, that is not certain. Joanna hopes that her books give parents good nightly quiet times with their children. Time for fun, but also a time to talk about issues. Parents today address values when something happens at their child’s school, or to a child’s friends. The KidQuest question tool, that Joanna has developed, provides another time for parents and their kids to see and discuss problems. Joanna gives talking points about issues raised in her stories; difficult issues like coping with a move, making friends, fitting into a new school, handling the death of a family member, or bullying as well as values. As every parent knows, communication is key in parenting. Some parents are comfortable talking about hard issues and others are not. Joanna hopes that her stories can help and feels that if she helps just one child through her books, then she will have succeeded as an author.