When I go to schools as a visiting author one question students always ask is, “Which of your books is your favorite.”
My answer is usually something like, “I have four children. My books are like my children and I could never have a favorite one.” ( OK anyone in my family reading this keep quiet….) My books like my children all have their special qualities and they have all given me some difficulties along the way.
And for an author her books are like her children in that she never knows where they will go in life. I have had letters from readers around the world letting me know that my books have traveled far and reached many readers, made friends.
My children have traveled far too. Jonathan is currently in New Zealand, Christopher and his wife work with the Peace Corps in Mozambique and Rachel is a nurse in Long Beach, California. I am currently in Taiwan visiting my son Peter, his wife Chimei and our two grandsons Ethan and Evan.
Peter was 8 months old when he traveled to Malawi with Steve and I when we joined the Peace Corps. I wrote the picture book, When Africa Was Home based on his life there where he climbed ant hills and ran barefoot with his friends. He ate sugar cane snacks and spoke Chichewa.
How could I have guessed that one day Peter would live in Taiwan and have two children. How could I have ever guessed that one day his father, Steve would read the book I wrote about Peter in Africa to our grandson Ethan born in Taiwan. I like the surprises. I like the full circle.
No favorite children, no favorite books for this writer. Only favorite moments.
