Rita Lorraine Hubbard's new children's picture book is The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read.From her Q&A with Deborah Kalb:
Q: How did you learn about Mary Walker's story, and at what point did you decide to write a picture book biography about her?--Marshal Zeringue
A: I learned about Mary’s story way back in elementary school, when my class visited a small foundation that had been devoted to her life. I got to see a replica of the cabin she lived in, the cot she slept on, and the bible she carried with her.
But I didn’t think of writing her story way back then because I was too young to realize the significance of a centenarian learning to read.
It was only when I began research for my first book, African Americans of Chattanooga, that I stumbled across her name again and decided to take a closer look. I...[read on]