Storytime: Featuring A Ticket to the Pennant

Author Bio: Mark Holtzen

Mark is a children’s author and longtime elementary school teacher who believes deeply in the power of stories. Raised in Oregon, he spent his childhood turning cul-de-sacs into imaginary sports fields, devouring library books, and exploring the outdoors on family camping trips. After earning degrees in elementary education and literacy, Mark taught third grade for more than sixteen years in the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle.

Now a Seward Park neighbor, Mark draws inspiration from the Rainier Valley and its deep baseball history. Ticket to the Pennant traces the neighborhood’s past through the era of the Seattle Rainiers, celebrating local places, longtime businesses, and the shared excitement of following a home team. He recently earned an MFA in writing for children and continues to write stories about how curiosity and humor help us form community.