What am I going to read? These are kids who had younger brothers, sisters, cousins, neighbors I read a portion from “ The Devil’s Arithmetic,” my holocaust novel. Do any special moments stand out?Ī: A couple of us were asked to go down to Sandy Hook, not the school where it happened, but close to that. The because they’ve sold millions of copies, and put all my kids and grandchildren through college. Q: Looking back at your books, which stand out as favorites?Ī: “Owl Moon” is always going to be a favorite. I write a lot of books of girl empowerment, some of them artfully disguised, and this is certainly one of them. Q: You write that this new book is “for my daughter, Heidi, who has always worn her bear on the outside and is afraid of nothing.”Ī: It’s for any girl. It turned out I’m a lousy journalist because I make things up. I worked one summer for the Bridgeport Sunday Herald. My father was friends with Hemingway, Thurber.

I said, “Daddy! I sold my first two books!” He turned to the men and said “Drinks are are on me! They were all at lunch, I was probably the only woman. I ran down the street to the Overseas Press Club.

Q: What was it like selling your first book, “ Pirates in Petticoats” ?Ī: I sold my first two books at the same time. It’s books that teach them what they like, what they want to learn. It’s why I love being in the children’s book field. There’s a raptor rehabilitator in Virginia called the Owl Moon Raptor Center. They call me up and say, “We’re going to do this with “Owl Moon” or “On Eagle Cove” or another of my bird books. Q: You must get loads of responses to “Owl Moon” alone.Ī: You know who contacts me most these days? Raptor rehabilitators. No matter where you go, you’re going to find a story. When a fox jumps up and down onto its prey, it looks like a parenthesis - there’s a story right there. Does Hatfield inspire you?Ī: I walk out by the Connecticut River and all over.

Q: Growing up, I loved your books on nature. I would say I have books in contract now up through 2025. Some are not going to be illustrated for another two or three years. Or 408, something like that I’ve already sold about 30 books. So the book with your granddaughter will be number 401?Ī: I have about 5 books coming out after this - so 405. Q: Does that happen often, that you write something that gets published years later?Ī: Let me put it this way: I just sold a book with my granddaughter who is 25.

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