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MEET MICHELLE MARKEL
By Ann Stalcup

What books influenced you most when you were a child ?

Michelle Markel

I read collections of fairy tales, the Beezus and Ramona books, and biographies of baseball players (we were avid Angel fans when they were first established in Los Angeles). The first books I truly loved were Ludwig Bemelmans' <bold>Madeline </bold>stories. I loved the spunky heroine and the vibrant illustrations. I was a French major at USC and spent my Junior year in France. One day while I was in Paris, I looked up at a street scene with a gorgeous sky that looked straight out of Madeline. I realized then that I had wanted to go to France ever since I was a little girl! Reading children's books can change your life.

Did you write when you were young ?

When I was in elementary school I used to watch my father, on his day off, typing stories in a corner of the bedroom. It looked like fun, so I copied him. I wrote my own VERY short stories (about two paragraphs long). They were didactic and awful. I also wrote poetry in high school and was the editor of my school's creative writing magazine.

Were you a published writer before you began writing children's books ?

I worked briefly as a French teacher after I graduated from USC, then went on to get a second degree in Journalism. I got bylines as an intern at the LA TIMES, including a front page obituary for Arthur Koestler. I later wrote feature stories and essays for the TIMES, THE WALL ST. JOURNAL, and other newspapers and magazines. I still write essays on occasion.

Why did you start writing for children ?

Motherhood re-introduced me to children's literature. One of the greatest pleasures in life is reading to your child, exposing them to the worlds that live between the covers of a book. I discovered lots of wonderful picture books that had been published since I was a kid. Because I was already a published writer, I thought I might try my hand at this new genre.

What are the topics of some of your books ?

My books are multicultural. GRACIAS, ROSA is about an Anglo girl and her babysitter from Guatemala. CORNHUSK, SILK AND WISHBONES shows how dolls are used in different cultures, and my upcomig book, DREAMER FROM THE VILLAGE, is a biography of the Russian-Jewish artist Marc Chagall. I think my fascination with other cultures began during the frequent travels our family took when I was young. My husband is an anthropologist, incidentally, so we have a mutual interest.

What gave you the idea for CORNHUSKS ?

I was visiting a folk art exhibit at UCLA's Fowler Museum, and was enchanted by the alebrijes, little fantasy creatures from Mexico. I thought they would be a great vehicle for teaching children about other cultures. (In fact, CORNHUSK is on several lists of recommended books in anthropology!) At first I was thinking of an alphabet book about toys from around the world, but later I decided to limit it to dolls.

Where do you get your ideas ?

From anything in my environment that creates a strong emotional reaction. GRACIAS,ROSA was inspired by my contact with Central American babysitters at the parks where I used to take my young children.. Ideas can also come from the intense personal experiences of childhood.. "City of Dreams" and "City of Wonders", my two stories for THE LA TIMES Kids Page, are about buildings in Los Angeles that I loved when I was a little girl growing up here.

Do you enjoy researching ?

Very much. Especially site visits. From my experience in journalism I've learned that the best reporters were the ones who were never in the office- they were on the streets, bserving, asking questions. Research gives you not only facts and figures, but sensory details that make your writing more vivid. For GRACIAS,ROSA, I interviewed lots of Central American babysitters, and visited Guatemalan restaurants and shops. (This combined my love of research with eating ethnic food and shopping for folk art, two other favorite pastimes). I visited every building included in my recent stories about L.A. architecture, even though I'd seen many of them before. Often the reason you struggle with certain lines is because your idea is too vague, you don't have the telling details that shape the image for the reader.

Why did you choose to write a biography of Marc Chagall ?

Chagall was born not far from the village of my maternal grandfather. His paintings helped me visualize what village life must have been like in Western Russia. I love the luminous colors of his paintings, which remind me of those Madeline illustrations! I just found out that Ludwig Bemelmans, like Chagall, was influenced by the Fauves, post-impressionist artists who used extreme colors. The illustrations for DREAMER, done by Emily Lisker, suggest Chagall's vivid and magical style. The book will be released in Fall 2005, and I can hardly wait!