Why She Can’t Wait for you to Stop By the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival!
By Maggie Mae Pup Reporter
I’m a dog–a very special dog. I’m a black-and-white, Toy Parti Poodle. My name is Maggie Mae, and I was the Inside Press Roving Pup Reporter for many years. With a nose for news, I gave the dog’s eye view of Chappaqua and beyond. I love to talk to authors so I’m excited to interview my mom Ronni Diamondstein about her debut picture book Jackie and the Books She Loved, and her experience at the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival.
This is your second year participating in the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival. What is it like?
As someone who was involved in the festival from the very beginning and having been a board member, it was a dream come true to be there last year with my first book and to be back again this year. Last September I was there with pre-pub copies of my book that debuted in November 2023. As a volunteer and board member in the past I knew how well the authors were treated and it was so great to experience it myself. I was thrilled to meet young readers and to see former students and colleagues, and friends come from far and near for a signed copy of the book. I’m looking forward to meeting more readers this year.
Why did you write Jackie and the Books She Loved and who is the audience?
I was always inspired by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, the former first lady of the United States and wanted to tell a new and different story about her for kids. While young children are the audience for this book, older children can use it as a resource in studying famous women. I am also finding that so many adults love this book. I’ve signed a lot of copies to grandparents who grew up knowing about both President Kennedy and Jackie. As they wrote in the book’s review in Kirkus magazine, “History fans and book lovers of all ages will adore this.”
What is the book about and are there any dogs in the book?
Jackie and the Books She Loved is about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and how her love of reading and writing were important in her life–from writing poems and stories as a child to her career as a journalist, and on to her work as a book editor having edited nearly 100 books for people of all ages. As for dogs, Jackie loved all animals, especially dogs and horses. As a child she wrote stories about her blasé black poodle General de Gaulle and George Woofty, Esq., a spirited terrier. You can read about them in the book.
You’re a retired teacher and librarian. Any advice for kids, teachers, and parents on how to use the book?It’s great to read a book purely for pleasure, and I hope young people will feel that way when they read Jackie and the Books She Loved. You can go to my website to find follow up interactive activities like BE A JOURNALIST LIKE JACKIE and BE AN INQUIRING PHOTOGRAPHER LIKE JACKIE. Teachers can use the book to launch Readers’ and Writers’ Workshops. All can be found in the EXTRAS section of ronnidiamondstein.com.
You can find Ronni signing copies of Jackie and the Books She Loved in the Courtyard of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival on Saturday, September 28, 10AM-4PM at the Chappaqua Train Station. She’ll be alongside Stephanie Calmenson, the author of lots of dog books including her latest Oodles of Poodles and Doodles and May I Pet Your Do? and beloved author Laura Numeroff of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie fame who also wrote a dog book, If You Give a Dog A Donut.
Sixteen-year-old Maggie Mae Pup Reporter has lived in Chappaqua since 2008. For more about her go to ronnidiamondstein.com
