The world almost missed its chance to know Amali Maxine Phillips. Born with a brain injury that led to cerebral palsy, Amali didn't breathe for her first twenty minutes of life-a terrifying moment for her parents. Despite the odds, however, Amali was determined to survive.
Now nine, Amali shares her poetry with you in Dear Parents. A poet since age five, she uses the written word for many purposes: to reflect on the world around her, to reach out to family and friends, and to express herself and her love of life.
The author of over a hundred poems, Amali chose the best for this collection. In Dear Parents, you'll discover how expressive and lyrical a young mind can be. Travel with Amali as she considers who she is and what is important to her. Her poems catch moments in time, crystalizing them into tiny moments of perfection.
Amali hopes her poems will help parents who need comfort and hope when their children are hospitalized, and she has decided that all proceeds from Dear Parents will go to help the homeless of New York City. She sees the homeless every day, and she wants to do something to help.
About the Author: Amali Maxine Phillips was born in Chicago, Illinois, on May 29, 2007. She has lived with her parents and big sister in New York City since 2011.
A poet, songwriter, and student at The School at Columbia University, Phillips loves making jewelry, drawing pizzas, and creating new poems. She met her best friend, Penelope, in the first grade, and they've been having playdates ever since.
