Margaret Read MacDonald (born January 21, 1940) is an American storyteller, folklorist, and award-winning children's book author.
[9] Her family was active in the North Vernon Methodist Church, and her mother would recite to the Women's Society of Christian Service and the Eastern Star.
[5] Her mother, raised as a farm girl near Scipio, Indiana,[10] read James Whitcomb Riley's poetry at bedtime, instilling rhythms in Margaret's head.
[9] MacDonald combined experience from 35 years as a children's librarian (San Francisco Public; Oahu bookmobiles; Singapore American School; Mountain-Valley Library System; Montgomery County Maryland; King County Library System[14])[citation needed] with her degree in folklore (Ph.D. Indiana University Folklore Institute 1979)[13] to create tellable folktale collections and picture books "so rhythmic and conversational even a first-time storyteller will be successful."
Kirkus Review notes the patterned text as contributing to MacDonald's trademark style and encouraging audience participation.
Often livelier, fun stories are told early in the evening and later, after the children have fallen asleep, the adults can turn to more serious tales.
The project encouraged students to learn and continue to use their local dialects, as storytellers, as well as preserve little-known tales by translating them into English.
"[2] MacDonald was chosen for the Outstanding Author and Storyteller Award, 2001-2002 by the Washington Organization for Reading Development, an affiliate of the International Literacy Association (ILA).