Q: What’s the best part of being a writer?
A: Meeting children, teachers and librarians when I visit schools!
Q & A Category: Q&A
Q: Where do you get your ideas?
A: From real-life adventures around the world, my feelings, interests, imagination, childhood memories, ideas from my grandchildren and the children I meet in my school visits. Go to Questions & Answers About Books to learn more.
Q: What are your most popular books?
A: I would say my IF YOU… series. They have sold in the millions. STONE SOUP is the most popular picture book. SHARK LADY and THE SECRET SOLDIER are my most popular biographies. TOO MUCH NOISE was published more than 40 years ago. Young children love it as much as their parents did!
Q: What do you like to write about the most?
A: Anything I’m interested in — and I’m interested in so many things. I write picture books, stories, and folk tales. I also write biographies, and the IF YOU…series books, books about animals and books about life under the sea, funny books and adventure books.
Q: What is the favorite book you’ve written?
A: I’m excited about every book I’ve ever written. I do have a few favorites, though. THE SECRET SOLDIER: THE STORY OF DEBORAH SAMPSON is a true story about a courageous girl who craved adventure at a time when most girls were settling down to marry and have babies. She disguised herself as a man … Read more
Q: How many books have you written?
A: I’ve written 55 books for children. I plan to write until I’m 200 years old or even older.
Q: Have you traveled everywhere in the USA?
A: I’ve been to every state except Idaho to present my school visits. I always give myself extra time to travel around and have time to see more of the area. When our children were in college, my husband Marty and I made frequent trips to visit them in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio and, Connecticut. Now … Read more
Q: What books about your travels would you still like to write?
A: I dove with 50-foot whale sharks in Western Australia. I rode on the back of an elephant to see tigers in the wild in India. I would like to write a book about tigers, especially since they are in danger of becoming extinct. I’m fascinated by the polar bears I saw on my way … Read more
Q: Why do you like to travel?
A: The first line in my book, HALF A KINGDOM is “When you wake up in the morning, you never can tell what might happen to you during the day.” That’s the way I feel about traveling. It’s the surprise of the unexpected that I love about traveling.
Q: Do you take pictures underwater?
A: yes, but I was never a good underwater photographer. My son Jim Scheiner is a professional! His underwater photos are in books and magazines. His pictures have illustrated many of my books. He is always asked to give lectures and to show his beautiful images. Go to The Underwater World of Ann McGovern to … Read more