Official Website of Ann McGovern, Popular Children’s Book Author

Q&A About Writing

Q: Where do you get your ideas?

A: From real-life adventures around the world, my feelings, interests, imagination, childhood memories, ideas from my grandchildren and the children I meet in my school visits. Go to Questions & Answers About Books to learn more.

I scuba dive with a big fish

Q: What are your most popular books?

A: I would say my IF YOU… series. They have sold in the millions.  STONE SOUP is the most popular picture book. SHARK LADY and THE SECRET SOLDIER are my most popular biographies. TOO MUCH NOISE was published more than 40 years ago. Young children love it as much as their parents did!

If You Lived in Colonial Times

Q: What do you like to write about the most?

A: Anything I’m interested in — and I’m interested in so many things. I write picture books, stories, and folk tales. I also write biographies, and the IF YOU…series books, books about animals and books about life under the sea, funny books and adventure books.

Q: What is the favorite book you’ve written?

A: I’m excited about every book I’ve ever written. I do have a few favorites, though. THE SECRET SOLDIER: THE STORY OF DEBORAH SAMPSON is a true story about a courageous girl who craved adventure at a time when most girls were settling down to marry and have babies. She disguised herself as a man to join the army.

Deborah becomes a soldier

Another book about a woman of great courage is WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE: THE TRUE SRORY OF HARRIET TUBMAN, about a slave who risked her life many times so that 300 slaves could be free.

SHARK LADY and ADVENTURES OF THE SHARK LADY are two books that tell about the scientific adventures of the famous “Shark Lady” Eugenie Clark. I also like my two picture books that were published so long ago that they are considered classics now: STONE SOUP and TOO MUCH NOISE. I like my book: SQUEALS & SQUIGGLES & GHOSTLY GIGGLES for hours of fun — stories and magic tricks and very funny jokes and poems. THE LADY IN THE BOX is an important book because it addresses a social problem with great sensitivity.

Q: How many books have you written?

A: I’ve written 55 books for children.  I plan to write until I’m 200 years old or even older.