Margaret Anderson

I learned at the feet of a master teacher and writer yesterday when I attended FOOLING AROUND WITH WORDS from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at LBCC Benton Center in Corvallis. I came to hear Margaret Anderson who has written 29 books for children and probably hundreds of articles. She writes about science and has a way of getting anyone within hearing range excited about science. I admire her. She is the greatest writer that I know personally. She should be honored at the White House for her accomplishments. She should also appear on the Craig Ferguson show on late night television since she was born in Scotland. He would love her too.

She earned her degree in genetics from Edinburgh University in Scotland.

When she walked her little sister, Ann, to school a mile from their home, she told her stories to get her to hurry so she arrived on time. She's been telling stories her whole life and she is great at engaging the attention of everyone.

She was an amazing mother who stayed at home with her children and taught them all to love learning. She said that she told ironing stories. As she stood ironing, her children would sit around her listening to her stories.

When she was asked by Enslow Publishers to pick either Darwin or Mendel for the Great Minds of Science Series that goes into schools and libraries, you would think she would choose Mendel since she has a degree in genetics and learned all about his fruit fly experiements at university but instead she chose Darwin who already had 27 books about Darwin on the library shelf. I think that is so cool that she wasn't at all intimidated by all the books already written as most writers would be. I know I could read all of the books written about Darwin and I know that Margaret Anderson's book about Darwin is the best. She says it better. She picks the words that will spark the interest and find common ground with the reader so they will want to learn. She's a master writer and a master teacher. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to learn from her yesterday. I admire and respect Margaret for her writing, her great accomplishments, her teaching, and as a person.

Order all of Margaret Anderson's books to give to your children and all the children you know. Read them outloud to the children in your life and see the magic of great writing that encourages learning. Go to Grass Roots Bookstore in Corvallis at 227 SW 2nd Street to buy them or go to http://www.amazon.com/ If you go to Grass Roots Bookstore, you have a chance of having the books autographed. Call Grass Roots at 1-541-754-7668 to order several copies of Margaret Anderson's books. Since she lives in Corvallis, it is highly likely that Grass Roots can arrange to have your books autographed.

Writers should study the books and articles of Margaret Anderson to learn how to write well. There should be a university class in every university that has a writing program that reads, discusses, and studies only the books of Margaret Anderson. She is that great. Just read her and see for yourself.

Also subscribe to ASK Magazine which is part of the Cricket Magazine Group put out by the Smithsonian. It's an amazing science magazine for children. Coming up in the newest issue about dirt is Margaret's article about the burying beetle. Learn all about it. You will love ASK magazine and you will treasure each time you see an article by Margaret.

Thank you, Margaret for one of the best days I've spent in a long time.