When I was writing the Lanie books, I made Emily a pizza lover for several reasons. First of all, it gave me the chance to create a dad who would make up fun and funny recipes for his kids. Also, it set up a pizza garden–and I wanted a pizza garden as part of the lure to get Emily outside. Finally, I have two grandkids who love pizza. On Super Bowl Sunday, they made pizza with me. You can find the recipe and read an interview with me at a fabulous author’s blog:
https://www.heathervogelfrederick.com/blog/pie-of-the-month-club-jane-kurtz/Some things make gardening irrestible. Pizza. Potatoes. Peas.
2 thoughts on “The power of pizza”
Hi Jane,
During last spring break (2009), I brought my two college-aged daughters to the Natick Mall’s American Girl store. My daughters are studying engineering and we were suprised to see a lack of a science themed American doll. I mentioned this to the salespeople.
Teachers had told me the importance of reaching middle school age girls since this is the time when they often loose their interest in science and math. The subjects just aren’t ‘cool.’ I was pleased to see that you wrote ‘Lanie.’
Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway, created the F.I.R.S.T Robotics program that my daughters were involved in for nine years. He asked parents to spread the importance of science and math not only for our own children but for the sake of the American economy. Did the salespeople pass my idea along to you? If they did, I liked to send Kamen a copy of “Lanie’ and show him how his program influenced my daughters, me, the American Girl company, and subsequently other young scientists through your book.
Sincerely,
Dawna Alphonse
Duct Tape Bandits Robotic Team 467
Hi, Dawna. Actually, the American Girl team knew when they flew me in to meet with them in May 2008 that they wanted Lanie to have an interest in ecology and saving the earth. By the time the meeting was done, I knew Lanie would be an outside girl and interested in science–something I agree is so important to nurture in girls. When my daughter was young, a mom in Grand Forks, ND, where we lived started a science club for girls in the school, and I loved it. Thanks! Jane