Often I am asked what are my favorite stories?
Did any story or author inspire me to want me to write stories for kids?

Truthfully, I have to say, no one writer or book inspired me. I love reading many types of books for many reasons.

What inspired me to write is the invitation the writer extends to the reader via the written word. This invitation takes many forms: learning something new, pondering various questions, ascertaining travel information, finding answers to questions that were pondered, or purely for escapism /entertainment.

The latter is what intrigues me. The use of imagination. That is what inspired me to want to write for children. How to engage the reader's imagination so that they can feel, taste, and smell what is being described. A tranforming, transporting, whole-body experience.

As you know, a healthy and wonderfully active imagination is a muscle we flex regularly--from everyday problem solving (what to cook for dinner, what to wear, how to avoid a traffic jam) to more complex and innovative issues (designing a product, curing cancer).

By encouraging children to flex their imagination muscles, we are helping them build life skills. Dreams can become reality.  Look at Star Trek; the cell phone; and earpieces...PLUS, much innocent fun can be had along the way. (Often, that is the part we forget--the fun part.)

My Challenge

I challenge you to flex your imagination muscle for fun. Encourage those around you to do so. Look at the clouds today and create a magical image, scene, or character. Paint the clouds different colors. Do whatever. It's your moment of escapism. It doesn't cost anything--& the benefits can be enormous.

Go ahead. I give you permision. No one is looking. Have fun with the open canvas of your mind & imagination.

To Answer the Original Question--My Favorites

I have many.Off the top of my head & in no particular order:

• Where the Wild Things Are (Sendak)
• Ferdinand the Bull (Munro)
• Caps For Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys & Their Monkey Business (Slobodkina)
• The Tooth Fairy (from the 60s--author--not sure)
• Bread & Jam for Frances (Hoban)
• Are You My Mother? (Eastman)
• Madeline (Bemelmans)

What Are Your Faves?

Post your faves or your kids faves. Let's learn by sharing.   

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