P.J. HarteNaus
I was an elementary educator for 35 years, earning a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Design before turning my lifelong love of stories into a second career as an author. Today, I write books for both children and adults and partner with my daughter through our independent publishing company, Whistleslick Press. Together, we publish not only our own work but also collaborate with other authors to bring their stories-their dream to life in book form.
Storytelling runs deep in my family. My father was a gifted artist and musician, and our creative roots trace back even further...my great, great grandfather, John Lilley, was a noted 19th century portrait artist for famous historical figures. His work is in London’s museum collection, particularly the National Portrait Gallery.
My passion for history led me to the preservation of the 1859 Belden School, a one-room schoolhouse tucked in the Galena Territory. Working alongside Greenspace Manager Beth Pomaro, and Stockton’s Bob Kleckner, I helped recover journals from the 1800s, artifacts, and oral histories from former students - the last class having graduated in 1943. These discoveries became the inspiration for the award-winning four-book series, Belden Boy.
During my teaching years, I combined my love of literacy and history by creating the Belden Boy Writing Camp, where children visited Belden School for ten consecutive years. It was within those limestone walls that children wrote and illustrated their own picture books under the guidance of my team of educators. Together, we proudly published hundreds of students’ picture books, leaving behind a legacy of young authors.
I am also a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association (MIBA).
Storytelling runs deep in my family. My father was a gifted artist and musician, and our creative roots trace back even further...my great, great grandfather, John Lilley, was a noted 19th century portrait artist for famous historical figures. His work is in London’s museum collection, particularly the National Portrait Gallery.
My passion for history led me to the preservation of the 1859 Belden School, a one-room schoolhouse tucked in the Galena Territory. Working alongside Greenspace Manager Beth Pomaro, and Stockton’s Bob Kleckner, I helped recover journals from the 1800s, artifacts, and oral histories from former students - the last class having graduated in 1943. These discoveries became the inspiration for the award-winning four-book series, Belden Boy.
During my teaching years, I combined my love of literacy and history by creating the Belden Boy Writing Camp, where children visited Belden School for ten consecutive years. It was within those limestone walls that children wrote and illustrated their own picture books under the guidance of my team of educators. Together, we proudly published hundreds of students’ picture books, leaving behind a legacy of young authors.
I am also a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association (MIBA).
