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 "I live on a mountain in Western Massachusetts with my husband, Bob, who is the great reader of all time! Our three children have also been involved with books: our son John is a photographer, among other talents, and took photographs for a book called Music in the Wood, now out of print. Our second son Jamie is in publishing. Our daughter, Emily, and I are writing books together now. Our first book together is called Painting the Wind, and will come out from Harpercollins in 2003." - Patricia MacLachlan
Neela Sakaria: Thank you for joining us, Ms. MacLachlan. Can you start by telling us what books were your favorites as a child?
Patricia MacLachlan: My favorite books as a child were all books, actually. I loved reading and spent my life at the library. Among my favorites were Child's Garden of Verses, Ferdinand, and every single dog book I could get my hands on.
Neela: I read somewhere that you worked as a journalist for a while. Is that correct? Can you tell us what that was like?
PM: No, I was not a journalist. I know I could never meet deadlines! I did write some newspaper articles, however, and from there decided that the facts were not what I was interested in - it was the story that moved me. Or the story that could be invented.
NS: Can you tell us about the Sarah, Plain and Tall series? How did that begin? Did you know from the beginning that you wanted to write more than one book about these characters?
PM: Sarah, Plain and Tall, like most stories, came from a personal connection. The real Sarah, in "real life" (as kids say) was my great grandmother. I didn't know at the time I wrote Sarah that there would be further books. I just became more interested in these people...and the stories followed.
NS: Caleb's Story, like your other books, deals with family issues. It is quite an accomplishment to write a children's story that actually touches on serious family issues in a way that children can understand. Do you find this to be a difficult task? How do you make sure that you handle these subjects in an appropriate and effective way?
PM: Family issues have always fascinated me. I suppose I can write them from a child point of view because of two things: I have a absolute memory of childhood. And, I have this childlike person inside of me who has never grown up.
NS: Which character do you relate to the most in Caleb's Story?
PM: I relate to all the characters: I like Jacob because he is, in the end, brave and caring. I like Sarah because she is wise. I like Caleb's directness and his poignant need for everything to work well in the family. I like the grandfather's truthfulness and his acceptance of his own responsibility.
NS: What advice would you give to someone interested in writing for children?
PM: I would advise those interested in writing for children to be a reader! And to have not the adult's invented sentimentalized view of childhood but the real view of childhood that can be kind, cruel, harsh and heroic.
NS: What do your own children think of your books?
PM: My children are adults now - they have a tolerant and amused respect for me and what I do. In turn, I have used a great deal of what they said as children (and as adults) for the beginnings of books. They are, in truth, the funniest people I know.
NS: Do you think children read enough these days?
PM: I grew up in a world without television (at least when I was a child), so books were my way of exploring the world. Actually, they still are. My father used to say "read a book and find yourself." My own children watch t.v. and read; sometimes at the same time. I find that there will always be children who value the book: the physical part of it...the smell...the look...the fact they can carry it around. Most children, for instance, write that they like the book of Sarah better than the movie. It is more "theirs" they tell me.
Neela: Can you name a few books that you think are a "must read" for every child?
PM: Must read books for children are so personal, depending on the child. I would hope that children read whatever they can; whatever they relate to. Every book is not for every child. For me, I am enchanted with the work of Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting and the Devil's Storybook; Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia and Great Gilly Hopkins, Sharon Creech's Love That Dog; anything by William Steig, especially Abel's Island.
Neela: Are you working on any new projects now?
PM: I'm working on several projects at the same time: writing with my daughter (three picture books), trying (!) to finish a novel that has been a long time in the works; thinking (thinking, mind you) about a 4th book about Sarah, Jacob and the Witting family.
Neela: Thank you very much for your time!
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