Mary Downing Hahn is a great author of many children's books. She has written such stories as, "Wait Till Helen Comes", "Time For Andrew", and "The Doll in the Garden". She has been writing many great stories throughout the years but not many people know the story of her life.

Mary grew up in a little house to the end of Guilford Park, Maryland. Hours of fun were spent by playing games like "Mother May I" and, kick the can, and other games with kids on her block. In summertime she went on long journeys on private property which usually got her in trouble by her mother.

By the time Mary was in Elementary School, people called her the class artist. A weird thing about this author is that she loved to read and draw but she absolutely hated writing. Every little thing about writing and putting words to paper just made her cringe. She hated it. Math was even as boring as this. Although she hated to write, making up stories is one thing she loved. Instead of words she explained them with pictures. Stories she told were usually about runaway orphans who went on exciting adventures she never experienced.

In junior high an interest in more complex stories occurred. She figured if she wanted to tell how people felt and what they thought she had to have words. So pictures were put aside for awhile and words became her tools. When she reached the age of thirteen she started her first book called "Small Town Life"- a book about a girl named Susan. (Later she became a leader of her small town). In high school all Mary's thoughts were kept in a diary. In college she wrote short stories and all kinds of poetry.

The publishing of her first novel wasn't until she was 41 years old. This book was called "The Sara Summer." Since that book in 1979 she has written seventeen at an average of one a year. As Mary Downing Hahn says "Writing is a journey of discovery. That's what makes it more exciting."

For more information on Mary Downing Hahn go to the following sites:

http://www.childrensbookguild.org/hahn.html
http://www.carr.org/authco/hahn.htm
http://carr.org/authco/hah-bib.htm