Christopher-Award winning author Margaret McNamara has written more than three dozen books for young readers, among them the popular Mr. Tiffin books (How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?, The Apple Orchard Riddle, A Poem in Your Pocket, all illustrated by G. Brian Karas); as well as the Fairy Bell Sisters chapter books, illustrated by Julia Denos; the Robin Hill School early readers, illustrated by Mike Gordon; and more. Many of the ideas for her books come from her daughter's school days, or her own. Margaret and her family live in New York City, and spend as much time as they can during the summer in Maine.

"Margaret McNamara is a pen-name," says the author, whose real name is Brenda Bowen. "I write under the name Margaret McNamara to honor my mother's mother, my maternal grandmother. The real Margaret grew up a very long time ago in County Clare in Ireland, and she was one of the few girls in her village who could read and write."

Margaret recently finished work with G. Brian Karas on a new book about the kids in Mr. Tiffin's classroom, called The Dinosaur Expert, which was published in summer 2018. New this fall is Eliza: The Story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, illustrated by Esme Shapiro, with a foreword by Phillipa Soo, who played Eliza in Broadway's Hamilton. Coming up in spring is a funny book called Poop or Get off the Potty! Guess what that one's about!

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Top photo credit: sdp phtography

Middle photo credit: My friend Betsy Morrell

Lower photo credit: My dad!