AUTHOR BIO
Mindy Nichols Wendell taught writing and pedagogy at SUNY Fredonia for more than thirty years, where she served as the Coordinator of the English Concentration and the Director of the Composition Program. In 2019, she received the prestigious State University of New York’s Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Mindy lives in Western New York with her husband Steve, a retired teacher. She is located not far from the ruins of the J. N. Adam Hospital for Tuberculosis, the inspiration for Light and Air.
SYNOPSIS of LIGHT AND AIR
It’s 1935, and tuberculosis is ravaging the nation. Everyone is afraid of this deadly respiratory illness. When Halle and her mother fall ill, they are sent to the J. N. Adam Tuberculosis Hospital, far from home, far from family, far from the world. Tucked away in the woods of upstate New York, the hospital is a closed and quiet place. But it is not, as Halle learns, a prison. Free from troubles at home and troubles at school, she slowly discovers joy, friendship, and a sense of belonging in this world where people are united by what they have in common, rather than separated by their differences. But when Mama suffers a lung hemorrhage, Halle’s entire future is thrown into question. LIGHT AND AIR deals tenderly and insightfully with isolation, quarantine, found family, and illness. Set in the fully realized world of a 1930s sanatorium, it offers a tender glimpse into a historical epidemic that has become more relatable than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As Halle vows to do whatever it takes to save Mama, a profound message of strength, hope, and healing emerges.
LIGHT AND AIR, published by Holiday House (2024), is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.
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