Margaret Kohel Evans has always had a passion for children’s books. She was an avid reader from the beginning of grade school. She spent hours as a youngster reading all the fairy tales and appreciated her undergrad course in Children’s Literature where she was required to read almost 400 children’s books. What fun! Currently, Margaret reads voraciously and encourages others to do so.
As an early elementary teacher, she introduced many books to children and encouraged them to take home several books an evening to read to their parents. It was a joy to see her students become eager readers. While she spent eight years teaching in Venezuela, she would write stories for her students. Ginger is one of the stories she wrote for her class at Christmas time in 1969.
Margaret thanks her mother for developing the family interest in books. Living on a farm 12 miles from a public library did not deter her mother from bringing a pile of books home bi-monthly for the children to read as well as some to be read to them.
Margaret’s 2014 publication of Gifts from God: An Alphabet of Florals and Reflections was also inspired by her mother’s love of flowers. The story of Smithy or Wizard? was based on memories from her mother who was the youngest daughter of August Luepke, and spent much time with her father in his blacksmith shop.
Now Margaret transforms her love for flowers, friends, and fun into books to be enjoyed by children and those who share her love of reading. She also paints and has illustrated the present book with her own original watercolors. This book cover is graced with her 2017 watercolor: A French Courtyard Garden.