Susan Smith is the mother of 3 grown children and four active grandchildren. She was also host mother to three international students from China and South Korea who are still a big part of her life. She loves traveling and has visited many countries. Susan has taught in both regular and special education in the states of Michigan, Pennslylvania, and Alaska and is currently teaching fifth grade in North Dakota. She taught three summers in China Universities and has returned to many provinces’ and cities to
Katie’s Wish was created for Smith’s children when they were young. Eventually, after telling it year after year to her students, the fist story developed into the book, Katie’s Wish.
Katie is a third grader who lived happily with her pretty mother and doting father. When suddenly she finds herself an orphan, her life is turned upside down. The social worker discovers that she has one living relative, her mother’s older sister. This puzzles as she has never heard of having an aunt. She is taken to live with this strange aunt who lives in hilly, backwoods of a little country town. The aunt is surly and even cruel at times. She seldom talks except to demand overwhelming tasks from Katie.