Each day leading up to the 30th annual Minnesota Book Awards Ceremony, we’ll be featuring an exclusive interview with one of our 36 finalists. Learn more about these incredible local writers and gear up to see the winners announced live in person April 21.
Interview with Mary Losure, author of Isaac the Alchemist: Secrets of Isaac Newton, Reveal’d
Category: Middle Grade Literature, sponsored by Education Minnesota
I’m thrilled! For myself, yes, but also for the recognition that having Isaac the Alchemist among the finalists brings to my kind of writing, which is narrative nonfiction for children.
What does writing mean to you?
For me it’s a fascinating puzzle, a mental challenge, a passage into other worlds. When you write about the past, it’s like time travel. I could go on, and on, and on….
Why are stories important for our communities?
Stories are windows into other people’s lives, other people’s worlds. We all need to understand that our own lives are only a small part of a much wider picture. And it’s a fascinating world. Why not learn as much about it as you can? Reading makes life richer and fuller.
Tell us something people might not know about you.
I played on the first-ever women’s ice hockey team at the University of Vermont. Which means I know how to skate backwards, a feat that still impresses my grandchildren.
What do you love about libraries?
Books! And librarians. I can honestly say that in my entire life I have never met a librarian I didn’t like. They are any writer’s best friend – curious, helpful, intent on helping you find everything you need. May their tribe live and prosper forever.
More about Mary Losure:
Mary Losure writes innovative nonfiction (and the occasional fantasy) for kids.
Her books have been praised in The Wall Street Journal, Kirkus, Booklist, School Library Journal, and other publications and have been selected for several “best of” lists for children’s literature. Her most recent book, Isaac the Alchemist: Secrets of Isaac Newton, Reveal’d, has received three starred reviews.
Before she began writing for children, she was an award-winning reporter for Minnesota Public Radio. A long-time contributor to National Public Radio, she also reported from Mexico and South America for the independent production company Round Earth Media.
She lives in Saint Paul with her husband Don (who is currently at work on a book about dragons, etc.) She has no pets, dragon or otherwise.
See the winners announced live at the 30th annual Minnesota Book Awards Ceremony!
