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Megan McDonald

Published on Mar 13, 2022

The life and writings of Megan McDonald READ 3343A @ Letourneau University

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

Megan McDonald

Her Story & her Book Stories
Photo by Close to Home

As a child...

Youngest of 5 sisters, born in Pittsburgh, PA. on Feb 28th, 1959.
Her father built bridges all across the city and would tell them all about it every day. She couldn't get a word in to talk at the dinner table because of her four older sisters. She was so intimidated that she began to stutter. So, her mom gave her a tablet and pen to write down things as they came to her mind.

As a writer...

Pretending to be a pencil sharpener was her first experience as a writer. At age 10, she published her first writing in a school newspaper. Since then, she's wrote over 60 books in 22 different languages. She says she is lucky to be a writer, because she gets to spend the entire day in her pajamas, using nothing but her imagination to create more stories.
Photo by mikecogh

As an adult...

She has a BA and a Masters from the University of Pittsburg.
When she took her first writing class, the professor told her to go home and rip up the poem she submitted, as she would never make it as a writer.
She has worked in museums, libraries, and bookstores. She has also earned a living as a storyteller and a park ranger.
She currently lives in Sebastopol, California.

On moods...

Vacation times were no fun because she was not included!
She was the youngest, so didn't get to go with family on vacations. Most of the time, she would stay with her aunt. She recalls a vacation missed in Florida, and another in Washington, DC. While the family was away on vacation, she would use her imagination wildly and experiment with things and ideas of how they work.
These tricks became stories in her Judy Moody books with her brother Stink. Which created the book: Ant and Honey Bee.
Photo by Olga Budko

Things you don't know about Megan McDonald...

1. She begins writing each book on a napkin.
2. As a young girl, she collected bugs, fancy toothpicks, and barbie doll heads.
3. When she worked at the bookstore, she chased off and caught a burglar with a bag of books.
4. She is a real lifetime member of the Toad Pee Club!
5. Her middle name is Jo.

Publications

Some individual and many series
Judy Moody and the Bucket List and illustrated by Peter H Reynolds

Hen Hears Gossip and illustrated by Joung Un Kim

Is this a House for Hermit Crab and illustrated by S D Schindler