After reading, thoroughly enjoying and recommending several books in Barbara Ann Mojica’s Little Miss History series to friends, I was delighted when the author provided me with a copy of her latest book. As a retired teacher, I love to spread the word about wonderful new children’s books and Mojica’s series is sure to get kids hooked on history. In her latest book, Little Miss History travels to Ellis Island, the main character takes readers through the museum where we find intriguing facts, photos and illustrations encapsulating the history of Ellis Island and The Statue of Liberty while uncovering the plight of many of the immigrants who entered America through its gates. Although I had the opportunity to visit Ellis Island as a teen, I discovered aspects of my maternal ancestors’ entry into the USA that I plan to research further. The Little Miss History series by Barbara Ann Mojica is a valuable collection I highly recommend to teachers and parents as a wonderful way to explore US history and excite young readers to want learn more. And, today I’m honored to have the series’ talented author here with us. ~ Bette A. Stevens http://www.4writersandreaders.com
Welcome Barbara. To start off, tell us a little about yourself.
I was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in Queens. Proud to say that I worked my way through college and was the first in my family to graduate with a degree at age twenty. Receiving a scholarship, I went on to graduate school. After college, I worked as an administrative assistant for a short time before embarking on a teaching career. I taught in elementary school, then moved to special education, and later principal and special education administrator. In addition I taught dyslexic children using the Wilson Reading Program and Applied Behavioral Analysis with autistic children. Now that I am retired, I am loving my new career as a writer for a local news magazine, children’s book writer and book reviewer.
I can see you’re a busy gal with little time for boredom to set in. How about an update on your family and community?
I live in upstate New York in a rural area with my wonderful husband, who is also the illustrator and publisher of my book series. We write and draw from a cozy studio in our home overlooking a pretty lake. Together we have six children and seven grandchildren, including two sets of twins. I love to keep up with our grandchildren through social media. My oldest grandchild, six-year-old Ava, is a big Little Miss HISTORY fan. She made me proud when she dressed up as Little Miss HISTORY on favorite author day in school.
We live in a community filled with historic sites, which we enjoy visiting. Victor and I support local events like the Hudson Children’s Book Festival, library events, and fundraisers for literacy in and around our community. One of my goals for this year is to increase Little Miss HISTORY’s presence in school communities by doing more classroom visits.
Your books are so well researched and designed, Barbara. And the illustrations are marvelous. How long have you been writing?
I have been doing lots of writing since by college days. Majoring in History and minoring in English and the classics involved lots of term papers and research. Pursuing graduate degrees in History sharpened my focus, but I have always been drawn to children so I found myself entering the education field. As a college freshman, one of my professors told me my research was impeccable, but that my writing style was “turgid and bombastic.” I guess that helped me to learn how to be concise. I now write one page historical articles for a local news magazine, concise blog book reviews, and children’s nonfiction picture books that generally fall within the 500 to 700 word range. Aside from an article or two for a scholarly journal, most of my published works appeared in the last five years. Ninety percent of my work is nonfiction focusing on history.
Can you give us a synopsis of The Little Miss HISTORY series and tell us what inspired you to write these wonderful books?
The Little Miss HISTORY Travel s to….. is a series of books using the Little Miss HISTORY character as a guide. She looks like a wannabe park ranger with pig tails and hiking boots three sizes too big. The aim of these books is to whet your child’s appetite for visiting these landmarks while having fun learning history. My objective in writing these books is to make learning about history something other than a series of facts, but instead the story of the people and places who have formed the heritage of America.
Do you have a favorite line to share from the series?
My favorite line does not come from a particular book. Little Miss HISTORY‘s motto, “If you don’t know your history, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” sums it up for me. I believe that history is our story, not a random series of events, but a process that involves the people of the past, their successes and failures, and their connections to us in the present. How we use what we learn and preserve these treasures will have an impact on what the future holds for our descendants.
How about a favorite character?
Little Miss HISTORY is the only character contained in each of the books of the series. She is a cartoon-like character based on a younger version of myself. Like Little Miss I hiked in my local area and trekked across the globe. I have visited more than fifty countries and a good number of states in America. Lately, I have been spending more time researching, revisiting and writing rather than traveling.
If I had to pick one favorite character in my series, it is Abraham Lincoln. I love the complexity of Lincoln’s character. He was a devoted father who grieved at the loss of two sons before his own death. While known as Honest Abe, he was a pragmatist who did not hesitate to use bribery to achieve his goals. Lincoln loved life; he educated himself and became a practicing lawyer. This president opened the doors of the White House to the people and listened sincerely to their ideas. He embraced technology, using the telegraph for the first time and inventing a device to move landlocked steamboats. I admire his persistence and resolve. He is a role model for me.
What do you find is the hardest part about writing your books?
For me, the most difficult part of writing is the rewrite and editing. There is so much that I would like to include in my books. While my targeted audience is children, most of the adults who use my books in the classroom or read them to children, tell me how many new things they have learned. So I do a careful research and try to bring to light information not commonly known about the historical personages, sites and events about which I write. For example, the Native American story important to Mount Rushmore, the pollution problems in Sequoia National Park, and the bravery of Alonzo Swann and his battery serving aboard The Intrepid. These things are all a part of history. The illustrations and photographs become an important part of that story and allow me to be as succinct as possible in the final word count, presenting as much information as possible in a suitable, appealing format for any age reader.
When not writing bi-weekly historical articles, researching, marketing or writing my own books, you will often find me reading other family friendly books. I post reviews twice weekly on my blog as well as review books on Amazon and Goodreads. As a retired educator and administrator, I share advice and expertise in developments occurring in elementary and special education with parents and educators.
In the evening I enjoy catching up on current events or watching movies with my husband. During the warmer months, I spend time gardening and boating. Of course I always find time to enjoy my grandchildren .
Where can readers find you and your books?
You can read about my books or contact me through my website: http://LittleMissHISTORY.COM At that site you can find reviews of my books, buying links, merchandise and more. All the books are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and independent book stores.
- Amazon link http://amzn.to/22TOcQp
- Barnes & Noble link http://bit.ly/1OciohP
Here are my social media sites where you can connect, join my mailing list or arrange a school visit.
SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES:
- Author email: Barbara@littlemisshistory.com
- Author website: http://www.littlemisshistory.com
- Author blog: http://bamauthor.wordpress.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Littlemisshistorycom?ref=hl
- Twitter. https://twitter.com/bamauthor
- Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6851359.Barbara_Ann_Mojica
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/home?trk=hb_tab_home_top
- Pinterest http://pinterest.com/bamauthor/
- Google + https://plus.google.com/u/0/101786959456508311096/posts
What’s next for author Barbara Ann Mojica?
The next book in the Little Miss HISTORY Travels to series will be stopping by George Washington’s home in Mount Vernon, Virginia, where readers will learn about a side of America’s first president that few know much about. I have already begun working on three other books for the series, and will leave those a mystery for now….
It’s been wonderful having you with us today, Barbara—I can’t wait to follow Little Miss HISTORY as her journey through American history continues.
Readers:
Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit. I invite you to join the conversation (comments below) and share this post with your friends and family. Barbara and I would love to hear from you.
Happy Reading!
Bette A. Stevens
Comments on: "MEET THE AUTHOR: Barbara Ann Mojica & “The Little Miss History” series" (30)
Tina, thanks for reading our interview. I have enjoyed reading and sharing on Mommynificent for some time now. Encouraging families to not only learn about our past in a fun way but to get out to visit and experience these historical sites is my hope. By doing that we can become a part of history.
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I’ve been reading Barbara’s blog for over a year now, but I learned so much from this interview! We are heading back to the US for a few months later this year and I’m hoping to introduce my kids to some of these landmarks as well as these books then! Thanks so much for sharing this at Booknificent Thursday on Mommynificent.com this week!
Tina
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Hi, Tina. Thanks so much for stopping by for a chat and for sharing Barbara’s interview and books on Mommynificient. Your whole family is sure to love these wonderful books. How marvelous that you’ll be visiting some of the landmarks. Happy reading and exploring as you head back for a visit. May your trip be amazing! 🙂 Bette
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I enjoyed reading the interview, and Barbara’s books sound amazing. I will definitely have to add them to my wish list.
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Thanks so much, Michelle! I know you’ll love these wonderful books. Have a great week, my dear friend! 🙂 ❤
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Thanks Bette. You too. Hoping for snow here.
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Michelle, I am glad you took the time to read the interview and expressed an interest in Little Miss HISTORY’s books. If you do read any of them, please let me know what you think.
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I will be sure to.
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Great interview! I live history myself (and President Lincoln), and I greatly enjoyed reading your take. 🙂
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Thanks, Cathleen. Have a fantastic weekend! 🙂
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Cathleen, Thanks so much for reading our interview. I also share a special affinity for President Lincoln, and I feel especially privileged to share February 12 as my birth date..
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Bette, liked the profile of Barbara Ann Mojica. Thanks you
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Hi, John. Thanks so much for stopping by to chat. I’ve visited most of the sites in Barbara’s series and can attest to its value for kids of all ages and even for adults (including those who have been to the sites). It’s a wonderful way to share our national treasures with the children in our lives and discover new gems for ourselves as well. Have a great day! 🙂
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Terrific
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Appreciate that you took the time to read my interview with Bette and become better acquainted!
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🙂
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Fascinating post and such crucial teaching resources!
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Thanks so much, Carol. Have a wonderful day!
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Hi Carol, Thanks for stopping by ….My hope is that teachers will be able to use these books to inspire and motivate their students to take a new look at history.
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What a lovely interview with Barbara, Bette. The books look delightful, sparkling with creativity whilst also educational. How true that history is our story and luckily it is being taught as such much more than just lists of dates and people. I loved learning about learning about Abraham Lincoln – think I should read the books!
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Thanks for visiting, Annika. I hope that you will read and enjoy the series!
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Hi, Annika. Thanks so much for stopping by and adding to the conversation. Have a great day, my friend! 🙂
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Barbara, your books (and your life) sound awesome. How nice that you and your husband can share the joys of authorship together. As a retired teacher (reading, Special ed. and curriculum coordinator), I so relate to the wonderful gifts you are giving children. Keep up your great work!
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Thanks, Lois. These books hold a national treasure trove and more to come! 🙂
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Thanks for taking the time to read our interview. You are so right, I am indeed lucky because I am so happy to be able to continue educating children in a new way.
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Wow very exciting and interesting!
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Thanks, Lynz. These books are fantastic! 🙂
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Barbara, what an exciting life you have lived and are living.There is nothing better than knowing what you want, going after it, enjoying it and as a bonus making your young readers happy reading your work. Bravo!!
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Thanks, Micki. Barbara’s series is wonderful. I recommend it to every school library in the country. 🙂
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Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment, Micki. I feel really fortunate to be able to do work that I find both enjoyable and fulfilling!
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