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MEET NANCY TILLMAN (10/2010)
by Bonnie O'Brian

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

Nancy Tillman

I loved to lie in the clover in my backyard and watch clouds or read..

What books influenced you most when you were growing up?

Early in my childhood, I was most influenced by the possibilities IN HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON, and the message that I could be myself in THE STORY OF FERDINAND.

As I grew into my teens, I remember finding and reading LES MISERABLES, which I still
consider one of the most impactful books I’ve ever experienced.

What kinds of things inspire you to write?

I am inspired by the beautiful open faces of young children and the possibilities of the messages I can convey to them.

What really triggers your imagination?

The beauty of the natural world around me always triggers my imagination.  I like to paint the world as we know it, with a little wonder added in.

What is the main idea you want to communicate to children?

YOU ARE LOVED.

How do you communicate that idea?

I hope that I am giving parents words to say what they already feel for their child. I just give them the words in rhyme!