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Book Bites for Kids

I had the pleasure of chatting with Suzanne Lieurance on Book Bites for Kids. We talked about Mary Lou Williams, THE LITTLE PIANO GIRL, and writing in general. If you’d like to hear the interview, go to your browser and type “Book Bites for Kids on Blog Radio.” You’ll find out what my teachers thought about my writing. Hmmm….

Blue Berry Haiku

Hot off the press! One of my poems will be featured in Blue Berry Haiku. Look for it in September online or on my website. I so want to share it with you here but will refrain. In the meantime, write one of your own.

Try this for a change of pace:

four syllables
seven syllables
four syllables

Bobbie, Margie, Geraldine, Maryann and Me

Bobbie, Margie, Geraldine, Maryann and Me

Grandma Reads

My dear friend, Joan, sent this photo with her darling granddaughter. Just put this up for your enjoyment and mine.

The Long and Long of It

On Wednesday, June 16, Maryann and I gave a presentation to second grade students at Politics and Prose Bookshop in Washington, DC. The children were adorable.

On Thursday, we went to Sidwell Friends. We were then met by Anna Uriciolo, the extra-nice music teacher. She gave us a brief tour of the school, took us to the lunch room to pick up lunch (THIS PART IS UNBELIEVABLE–FRESH MANGOS, PAPAYA, PINEAPPLE AND EVERY LOVELY FRUIT YOU CAN IMAGINE, CHEESES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, FRESH BAKED BREADS, MEATBALLS, LOVELY SALADS, YOGURTS AND FRESH FRUIT DRINKS AND OF COURSE MILK. A BIT OF A CHANGE FROM THE CRUSTY CORN DOGS, WITH CORN CHIPS AND CORN ON THE SIDE THAT I HAVE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO OVER THE YEARS.)

Sasha Obama is even more adorable in real life than she appears on TV. She is a bit shy, held her little friend’s hand throughout the presentation, listened carefully to the story and powerpoint presentation, giggled at appropriate times. She is just exactly right to be a president’s child. Our presentation seemed to go over pretty well.

That same day, I had a Skype interview with Karen Hanchett at the August Wilson Center (in Pittsburgh, PA) because they featured the book June 5th at their summer family reading program. After that, we went for pedicures and manicures. Big highlight. Bared my ugly feet and the pedicurist didn’t even flinch.

On Friday, we went to the Kennedy Center and were toasted with wine, met Mary Lou Williams’ sisters, Margie and Geraldine, her neices and nephews. It was grand! Margie and Geraldine got very misty eyed. We did too. Then we all hugged and got even mistier-eyed. Had big huddle cuddles and generally felt like family. Talked to them for a very long time before, at intermission and at the end of the concert. By the way, the concert wasn’t too shabby either.

On Saturday, we went to the Smithsonian, signed bunches of books and toured the Apollo Theater exhibit, the jazz exhibit. They don’t have a $%#@(*&^ thing of MLW’s except the rights to produce her music. In fact no one has anything because she gave it all away or sold it to help others. She knew what it was like to go without. Mist over again.

We followed that up with dinner at the Kennedy Center Terrace–overlooking beautiful DC.

Went to the concert that evening. This night we were toasted with fancy champagne with some raspberry liquor. Too unbelievable for a woman who is more than fond of cheap wine and free beer. Move hugs and exchanging of endearments with the family. They wanted to know why we selected their sister as the subject of a book. My sister said I did the selecting and then I said that I chose her because MLW and I are both women, both know what it feels like to be bullied, both know what it feels like to grow up in large families, both know what gender-bias means and how it makes women feel, both lead spiritual lives (she was a much better person inside) and both appreciate music. More tears, hugging, promises to remember one another.

Nice cab driver for the way home. From Ethiopia. Cab driver the day before was also from Ethiopia. Nice folk from that place.

Slept on an inflatable mattress with my husband who hogged the blankets. Had a great time with our daughter and son-in-law, ate wonderful Lebanese food, reasonably priced for DC. Even met a lady on the plane who suggested that I might have celiac disease. Have since found out that I would have to be in pain. Am not.

Well, that’s the long and long of it.

Spencer Goff, Jazz Fan

Spencer Goff, fifth-grade student at Manor Hill Elementary in the Liberty, MO recently invited me to his school. He asked the librarian, she asked the principal, they asked the classroom teachers and then they asked me. We all said, “Yes!”

I had a great time there with hundreds of kids, bunches of teachers and especially, Spencer Goff.

Here is what one staff member said,

It was an honor to hear about your book and your work as an author. You helped to make our Children’s Book Week celebration a success!”

Believe you me, the pleasure was all mine.

Eileen Spinelli

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending Missouri Association of School Librarians.

One of my all time writing heroes, Eileen Spinelli, the author of HERO CAT and SOMEONE LOVES YOU MR. HATCH, was in attendance. She just happened to win the 2009 Show Me Readers Award presented by MASL.

I had the good fortune of finding Taffy, the librarian. She offered to introduce me to Mrs. Spinelli so I signed a copy of LITTLE PIANO GIRL and gave it to Taffy to pass on. At the agreed upon meeting time, I was wiped out, washed out, done in, finished. So much socializing and chatting about books of all sorts with attendees and authors made my head spin so…I missed my meeting with the great SPINelli.

Anyway, upon my return home, a lovely message crossed by desk via the internet–
a thank you from someone I know is so busy with life that she had to sneak the time to write it. It proves one thing. Wonderful stories come from wonderful people, those who do the nice thing just because.

Patricia Polacco

Is there anything better than touching a real meteor, especially one that grants wishes? Several hundred children, librarians, teachers and I got to do that not long ago when Patricia Polacco spoke at Pembroke Hill Day School. I haven’t gotten my wish yet but it’s just a matter of time.

Patricia’s presentation was direct, warm, funny and practical.

She offered suggestions about how each of us might make a difference in another person’s life just by noticing if they are lonely or hurting. She said, “Start today. If you see someone who needs your attention, jump in.”

Having been one of those lonely people myself at times and having had someone “jump in,” I resolved then and there to do it for someone else, whenever or wherever.

You can do it too. Start today. Jump in.

School Visits

Yesteday I had the pleasure of presenting to three groups of children in grades K, 1, 2 and 3 at St. Elizabeth’s School in Kansas City. We had loads of fun with vocal improvisation. listening to blues and boogie-woogie and reading LITTLE PIANO GIRL. The children were delightful. This is what the cultural arts chairperson and author, Briget Heos, had to say:

“Ann Ingalls gave a great presentation (three actually) to my sons’ school, St. Elizabeth’s, yesterday. She has such a way with kids, and they loved her beautiful book. The teachers were interested to learn about Mary Lou, too. If anybody has kids or other family in grade school, I’d definitely recommend Ann for a school visit!”

If you’d like a school or library presentation, please keep me in mind. I’d be quite happy to do it.

The Best Part

The best part of the recent release party for LITTLE PIANO GIRL was looking around at the crowd and seeing so many faces of people I love and admire–family members, writers, teachers, librarians, books club friends and many others. I am blessed to be liked by those I so like and admire in return. Selling books wasn’t bad either.