Jennifer Maruno is a long-time educator and writer of award-winning educational materials. Her debut novel, When the Cherry Blossoms Fell, was shortlisted for the 2011 Hackmatack Award and the 2012 Pacific Northwest Young Readers Choice Award. Her second historical novel, Warbird, followed in 2010. She lives in Burlington, Ontario.
Maruno has created a gentle novel that adds to our Canadian story. - Resource Links (NL) June 2012 ""Cherry Blossom Winter is a book about the deep roots of traditions, core family values, and successful relationships, as much as it is about a government's betrayal of a people who helped to build a province, and Michiko is a likeable character readers will be happy to follow, wherever she goes. A satisfying read."" -- Canadian Materials, April 20, 2012 Employing a cast of charming characters and highlighting positive elements such as baseball, community gardens, fundraising bazaars, and family weddings, Maruno brings to life this tragic part of Canadian history while showing that, among the poverty and loss experienced by the internees, strong communities were still able to grow. -- Quill & Quire, June 2012