On the Same Page with Patricia McKissack

Children's author Patricia McKissack and panelists discuss "Precious and the Boo Hag," the story of a little girl left home alone with a stomachache.

After careers in both teaching and editing children's books, McKissack, with the help of her husband, Fredrick, decided to become an author of books for and about African Americans.

"I remember sitting in our car just the two of us and Fred asked, 'If you could do anything you want to do in this whole, wide world for the rest of your life, what would you do?'," McKissack said. "I said, 'Write books.'

"And he said, 'Okay, let's do that. We'll take it as far as we can go. We'll take it day by day.'"

From that point, they set out together with hopes "to enlighten, to change attitudes, to set goals, to build bridges with books." Whether working solo or with the assistance of her husband, McKissack has written nearly 100 children's picture books, young adult novels and non-fiction biographies about African Americans and their cultural experiences and histories.

Among her best known titles are "Goin' Someplace Special," "The Honest-to-Goodness Truth," "Let My People Go," "The Dark-Thirty," and "Mirandy and Brother Wind." She has received such prestigious recognition as the Caldecott Medal, the NAACP Image Award, the Newberry Honor and the Coretta Scott King Award, among others.

McKissack, who lives in St. Louis, was interviewed in conjunction with the Ozark Foothills FilmFest at the Regional Studies Center of the Mabee-Simpson Library on the Lyon College campus in Batesville.

OTSP host Tommy Sanders joined a panel of readers at Wordsworth Books in Little Rock. Those discussing the book are: Toran Isom, Ed.D., an instructor in the rhetoric and writing department at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and creator and voice of "Once Upon a Book" on KUAR FM 89; and Stella Hayes, an English teacher at Horace Mann Arts/Science Magnet Middle School.

"On the Same Page" has been called "Good television for people who love good books." Previously featured authors include: Crescent Dragonwagon, "Passionate Vegetarian;" Rick Bragg, "All Over but the Shouting;" Fannie Flagg, "Standing in the Rainbow;" Donna Tartt, "The Little Friend;" and Sandra Cisneros, "The House on Mango Street." Visit the program homepage at www.aetn.org/otsp.

The series is part of "AETN Presents," which has highlighted several special performances in recent years and has broadened its scope to include a variety of arts and cultural subjects.

The Arkansas Educational Television Network provides lifelong learning opportunities, improves and enhances Arkansans' lives and celebrates the unique culture of Arkansas through its programming. AETN's five transmitters and numerous cable system connections give it statewide reach.