The Secret of Baiting Hollow

About the Book

Through imagination, wonder, and love of family and friends, this comtemporary myth about twelve-year-old Brigit, a 4th generation descendant of Irish-American potato farmers on Long Island, unfolds. During her 2 week summer vacation with her family, Brigit's questions about her identity lead to storytelling adventures with her beach friend, Kevin, and her sister, Barbara. The stories are about mermaids, encounters with family ghosts, and the protection of angels. Baiting Hollow, a small beach nestled among tall cliffs on the north shore of Long Island, the Twoney farmhouse and farm, and the underwater world of Merpeople are the settings for this story. The Secret of Baiting Hollow confirms for young readers the importance of family and friends and that mermaids do live among us. Throughout the story, readers will wonder where personal memoir leaves off and fantasy begins. . .

About the Author

Born in Southampton, Long Island, Patricia Clark Smith is one of over 100 descendants of David and Margaret Twoney, early 20th century Irish potato farmers from Calverton, Long Island. A Connecticut educator for over twenty five years, Pat is currently principal of a fifth and sixth grade school. She has enjoyed sharing children's literature with thousands of students and her two daughters, Kelly and Amy. Pat frequently told her children and students the fanciful stories her parents and relatives told her. It has been her experience that myth, a combination of fantasy and memoir, appeals to children's imagination, creativity, and wonder about the world and their place in it.