The Inside Press

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Jackie and the Books She Loved

Author Talk with Ronni Diamondstein

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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.

Art by Bats Langley Copyright:Sky Pony Press

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.

Ronni Diamondstein          Randi Childs Photography

Sixteen-year-old Maggie Mae Pup Reporter has lived in Chappaqua since 2008. For more about her go to ronnidiamondstein.com 

 

 

New Children’s Picture Book About Jackie O!

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Author Ronni Diamondstein Photo by Donna Mueller

Chappaqua-based author Ronni Diamondstein has always had a special place in her heart for former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. As an eight-year-old child, Ronni Diamondstein watched as John F. Kennedy was inaugurated and during his presidency tuned in to many of his press conferences. She vividly remembers the White House restoration special on TV led by Jackie and then marveled at her grace when she led the country in mourning after her husband’s assassination.

Diamondstein’s home includes a vast collection of books on the Kennedys. Diamondstein has nearly 100 and has been reading books about them for decades. Diamondstein, a former school librarian and a past President of the Chappaqua Library Board, always wanted to write a book about Jackie. Initially, she started to write a novel, then a friend suggested a children’s book that ultimately became an engaging new picture book titled Jackie and the Books She Loved which launches in November.

Diamondstein has always been fascinated by Jackie’s lifelong love of books and her eventual role as an editor. “Introducing this inspirational First Lady to young readers is exciting. She did a lot to change the role of the First Lady. She brought in performers and writers to the White House and created the White House guidebook. But she also learned to read and write as a young girl. Reading and writing were common threads throughout her life,” explains Diamondstein.

Diamondstein’s book shows young readers how Jackie was a voracious reader and writer. In fact, she was reading Chekhov at age six. She also wrote many stories and poems for her family as a young child. One of her poems, titled “Sea Joy”, is included in Diamondstein’s book. To gain permission to publish “Sea Joy”, Diamondstein contacted Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and thought the response would take many weeks. Two days later, Diamondstein heard back. “I thought that it must make her happy that her mother’s poem would be introduced to a new generation. I actually teared up when I read that email,” remarks Diamondstein.

The book shows how Jackie continued writing beyond childhood. In college, she won a Vogue magazine writing contest. Upon graduation, she was a Washington Times-Herald reporter where she interviewed her future husband, Senator Kennedy. She encouraged JFK to write Profiles in Courage and wrote a weekly column “Campaign Wife” to help him win the election. Diamondstein notes that some people initially criticized Jackie when she became a book editor in 1978. However, many did not know about her past as a writer and lifelong bibliophile.

Diamondstein did extensive research to ensure all the illustrations were historically accurate. She collaborated with illustrator Bats Langley on many of the details included in the eye-catching illustrations and provided him with direction. For example, the cover picture includes a horse statue and a blue vase with peonies and cornflowers, two of Jackie’s favorite flowers, on it. After Jackie passed, Sotheby’s held an auction of items in her apartment and Diamondstein reviewed catalogue photos.

Fun events are in store to help with the book’s launch! Diamondstein will be showcasing her book at the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival on Saturday, September 30. Diamondstein explained that her connection to children greatly motivated her as well. “I always loved putting beautiful books into the hands of little children,” noted Diamondstein. “I feel like I was meant to write this book.”

She will also participate in an online book launch via Zoom co-sponsored by the Chappaqua Library Children’s Room, Friends of the Miller House and Skyhorse Publishing on Thursday, November 9 at 7 p.m.

A week later, Diamondstein will be featured in a First Ladies Library Legacy Lecture via Zoom on Thursday, November 16 at noon. To her delight, Diamondstein was contacted by the First Ladies Library in Canton, Ohio to include a program about Jackie and the Books She Loved that complements an exhibition about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis that’s running through next April.

Follow ronnidiamondstein.com to preorder and for more information about other events including a book signing at Susan Lawrence in Chappaqua on Saturday, November 25 from noon to 2 p.m. The book’s dedication page includes the following quote from Jackie – “If you produce one book, you will have done something wonderful in your life.” Luckily for young readers, Diamondstein followed through on her lifelong dream.