In The Tramp Room, Nancy-Lou Patterson brings together her skills as scholar and author. Of her many scholarly works, Mennonite Traditional Art (1979), Wreath and Bough (1983), The Language of Paradise (1985) and some sixty articles are devoted to Mennonite culture. Her previous works for young adult readers include Apple Staff and Silver Crown (1985), The Painted Hallway (1992) and Barricade Summer (1996). Based on careful research and deep empathy for the communities she portrays, The Tramp Room is a major milestone in her creative career.