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MEET GLADYS ELIZABETH BARBIERI (8/2011)
by Bonnie O'Brian

What did you most like to do when you were a child?

Gladys Elizabeth Barbieri

I loved to dance! I wanted desperately to be a ballerina or a dancer of some kind. Money was often tight; therefore I was unable to have formal dance lessons. I remember spending a great deal of time watching dance shows with my little sister and reenacting the dance moves in our small living room. We would practice after school and perform for our parents after dinner. That’s probably why I fell in love with books at such an early age. It was an outlet of sorts, a place where I could be someplace else and experience things that I wished to.  As a kid I also spent my summers at the beach with my little sister and friends. To this day, I can usually be found under my big sunhat, relaxing on the beach and enjoying a great book.

What books influenced you most when you were growing up?

CORDUROY and CHARLOTTE’S WEB are stories that I recall being moved by. I think I read through all of the RAMONA QUIMBY books that were around during the early 1980’s.  And who can forget Judy Blume? I devoured her books and read them way past my bedtime with a flashlight in hand underneath the covers. To this day, when life seems to be a bit unkind I say to myself, “ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME MARGARET” and it makes me smile.

What was your first job when you graduated from college?

My first job after college was as a kindergarten teacher. I actually didn’t study to be a teacher. I got my B.A. in Communications and I figured I’d find a job in the advertising world. But as it turns out, when I graduated there was a high demand for new teachers. I went to visit my childhood friend who worked as a school secretary and when I got there the principal asked, “Are you looking for a job?”  I’m still teaching.  I have taught kindergarten through second grade. I love the art of teaching beginning reading and writing. It truly is a magical time in a little person’s life.

Where do you get your ideas?

I get my ideas from events that really happened to me when I was a little girl.  It just so happens that when I go jogging with my dog, Chucho, the stories literally come together in my mind. Hence, my website’s name: Chuchos Books  I would always share my story ideas with my dad and he finally said, “Sweetheart, you have to write these down!” And so now I do.

Do you write every day and do you have set hours that you work?

No, I don’t write every day. Inspiration just sneaks up on me at the most random times.  For example, I was on a plane and everybody was sound asleep. A story came to me and not wanting to forget, I flagged down a flight attendant to bring me a piece of paper and a pen. I wrote for about an hour on a 3x5 note pad.  The tricky part however, is being able to reread my stories and figure out my own chicken scratch.

Do you like to include humor in your stories? Or adventure? Or mystery?

I’m a humorous person by nature (at least I think I am).  As a teacher, when I choose books for read alouds, I tend to read books that make me laugh out loud.  Some books that come to mind are: FRANNY B. KRANNY THERE’S A BIRD IN YOUR HAIR, OLIVIA and KNUFFLE BUNNY: A CAUTIONARY TALE. Whenever I reread stories that I have written that make me laugh, I take it as a good sign they have a good chance of becoming future books.

When you do school visits, what question do children ask you most?

RUBBER SHOES / LOS ZAPATOS DE GOMA is my first children’s book.  Therefore my visits with children have all been about this one book. Since it’s a true story about me not getting the shoes that I really wished for, the most common question has been, “Did you ever get the shoes that you wanted?”  And the answer is no, I never did get those pink ballet slippers!

Has anyone ever written you a fan letter that you’d like to share?

A little girl in the second grade wrote me a letter saying: Thank you for coming to read your story. I liked it. But you should be ashamed of yourself for making your mother feel bad. Next time tell her thank you.