I work very hard at my desk, revising and revising and revising, trying to find just the right words that will be beautiful or fun to read. Even though I didn't grow up to be a composer, I like to think that my picture books are almost songs because the sound of words and the poetry of my style are so important in the texts that I write. Writing picture books came much later-after studying history in college, getting married, and raising three children. (This was before mountain bikes!) Pedaling slowly up my street may be where I learned perseverance, something all writers need when they are working alone at their desks.
But coming home, we had to pedal up our long hill. My two sisters and I used to ride our bikes down, down our street, and then to the local dimestore to buy candy bars or meet up with our friends. I grew up in a house at the top of a steep street in Cincinnati, Ohio, the kind of street that is a big challenge when you are pedaling uphill on your bicycle. Kempczinski was a natural thing for me to do. Names and their pronunciations have always interested me, so writing about a teacher named Mrs. Leezie is also tough for people to spell.
Sometimes my mail is addressed to Louisa, or Louisie, or Lewis, or Lois. Then there were four of us with the same name! Louise is a fine name to have except that people often spell it incorrectly. Years later, my niece was born and also named Louise. This is a name that my family still calls me.
So early on, I was given the name Leezie. There were already two Louises in my family when I was born: my mother and my grandmother, Nana, who lived with us when I was growing up. The perfect selection for book reports, biography units, and Curious George fans of all ages. Part travel journal, part gripping biography this volume includes full-color illustrations, original photos, ticket stubs, entries from Hans Rey's diaries, activities, an new afterword, and an interview with the author. Now elementary school readers can follow the Rey’s amazing journey in this Young Reader's Edtion. Her collection of archival materials introduce readers to the world of Hans and Margret Rey while Allan Drummond's dramatic and colorful artwork illustrates their wartime trek to a new home. Louise Borden combed primary resources, including Hans Rey’s pocket diaries, to tell this dramatic true story.
They began their harrowing journey on bicycles, pedaling to Southern France with children’s book manuscripts, including what would become the international sensation Curious George, among their few possessions. In 1940, Hans and Margret Rey fled their Paris home as the German army advanced.
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