Mrs. P Magic Library is an award-winning, interactive storytelling site hosted by accomplished actress and literacy advocate, Kathy Kinney. On MrsP.com, Everybody Wins! USA is quoted as saying, “Reading aloud to children has been determined to be the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in school. Sadly, that is not happening nearly enough in our country. The creation of Mrs. P as a free, read-aloud resource for children and families can help address that gap by bringing to life some of the most wonderful stories in a fun, engaging way. When Mrs. P reads with a child, everybody wins!” Mrs. P’s Magic Library is definitely a winning site in the eyes of Book Loving Boys.

At the core of this fun, magical, and zany website is Mrs. P’s Magic Library, where children can select a book to have Mrs. P read to them. The books are organized by age and categories, such as “Knee Huggers,” “Love Stories,” “Stories about Girls,” and one of our favorites, “Stories about Boys.” Children love to have someone read to them. I think it is important for parents and caregivers to take the time to read to their children, but Mrs. P provides a wonderful resource that can serve as an addition to any child’s reading life. Also, in the case where, for whatever reason, a parent or caregiver is unable to read to a child, this resource can prove invaluable.

Recently, we had the opportunity to ask Mrs. P a few questions about her experiences as a reader, her Magic Library, and her new book!

Book Loving Boys: Mrs. P, first we would like to thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts about reading and literacy with us.

Book Loving Boys: Why Mrs. P’s Magic Library? What motivated you to start this wonderful resource? How did you come to this idea?

Mrs. P: I was spending a lot of time traveling the world, zooming around in my 1963 red Ferrari, hobnobbing with kings, movie stars and ruggedly handsome grade school teachers, and it was lots of fun – but it wasn’t quite enough.  I’ve always loved reading – it made me who I am – so I decided to open my Magic Library to the world and share that love with everyone.  The interesting thing about magic is the more people you share it with and who believe in it, the stronger it gets.

Book Loving Boys: Were you a reader as a child? If so, what is one of your favorite reading memories?

Mrs. P: Oh, yes, I’ve been reading for as long as I can remember. (Well, almost as long.  My very first memory was of being in the womb and wondering “Hey, what’s everybody laughing about out there?!”) One of my favorite reading memories is discovering a book series when I was about 9 concerning the adventures of a character named Freddy the Pig.  He was a journalist on a farm and a very funny fellow.  He was so real to me he started guest-starring in my dreams at night.  I think you can still find Freddy the Pig books at your local library or bookstore.

Book Loving Boys: Did your family play an active role in your relationship with reading?

Mrs. P: I was a very inquisitive/headstrong/obnoxious child and my parents were extremely busy people.  They used to drop me off at the library because they knew that no matter what I got into there, it would probably just make me smarter.

Book Loving Boys: What kind of positive feedback are your getting from parents and, maybe more importantly, children about your website?

Mrs. P: The very best feedback I’m getting is that more and more kids keep visiting the Magic Library.  I would’ve been happy if just that freckly kid Zack who lives down the street from me and thinks books are boring visited the site and discovered the joys of reading.  But so far Zack and about 10 million other kids have come by.

Book Loving Boys: Do you have any way of telling which story or stories are all-time favorites on your website?  Mrs. P: I don’t really know what’s most popular in the Magic Library because I’m very careful not to collect any information about my young visitors, unless they’re entering a contest.  But I do get a lot of letters from kids, and they tell me some of their super-duper favorite stories are “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “The Velveteen Rabbit” and “The Princess and the Pea.”

Book Loving Boys: How do you go about choosing stories for Mrs. P’s Magic Library?

Mrs. P: I look for stories that have stood the test of time, are entertaining and, hopefully, have something important to teach.  Newer or very long books are difficult.  A young man keeps asking me to read the Harry Potter books, and I’ve had to explain that it would take about 700 hours and cost me $150 million for the copyright.

Book Loving Boys: One of the more recent initiatives of Mrs. P’s library was the launch of the “Be a Famous Writer Contest,” which invited children, ages four to thirteen, to write and submit an original short story.  Can you tell us about some of the stories that were submitted and chosen as winners of the contest?

Mrs. P: We held our second annual contest this year, and I must say, I was delighted with the quality of the stories. I know it’s popular in the media to say that kids aren’t as smart or creative as they used to be – but the ones who entered my contest certainly proved that’s not true.  I received entries from 26 states this year, and they spanned the spectrum from hilariously funny to yikes-my-hair-is-standing-straight-up-in-the-air scary!!

Book Loving Boys: Also, we understand that you had new book published. Congratulations! Can you tell our readers more about that?

Mrs. P: I’m very excited about my new book because it’s truly interactive.  It features four of the stories I read on my website.  So kids and parents can sit down with the book, go to my free website and follow along with the words as I read.  It’s such a fun and easy way to learn to read!  And I think parents will be happy to know their kids are improving their reading skills, as they’re being entertained.  You can find the book at Amazon, or ask if your local library has it yet.

Book Loving Boys: Since becoming involved in children’s literature and literacy, have you learned anything that you didn’t realize before or anything that surprised you about literacy or books and children?

Mrs. P: Well, I always knew that being read to as a child was important, but I was surprised to learn just how important it is, and how it can affect a child’s entire future.  So many of the studies I’ve seen have confirmed this and made me even more determined to spread the word and reach as many parents and kids as I can.  The other surprise is how much one kid could want me to read Harry Potter.  I’m serious, Ricky, no more emails – it’s too long and I can’t afford it!

Book Loving Boys: You are marvelously entertaining. Do kids or will kids get the opportunity to see you read in person?

Mrs. P: Oh, thank you!  I’m blushing like…well, I don’t know whom because no one actually blushes anymore.  And, yes, kids can see me read in person.  I’ve visited schools, libraries, hospitals and bookstores all over the country to read to children.  I post announcements on my website about my upcoming personal appearances.  You know, the best thing about The Magic Library is I can read to thousands or even millions of kids at one time; if I had to do that in person – well, let’s just say I have NO idea how Santa Claus personally delivers toys to so many kids.  I’ve asked him, but he suddenly gets real quiet when you ask him his trade secrets.

We’d like to thank Mrs. P for the wonderful resource she has created and for the work that she does to inspire a love of reading in more children. We encourage you to check out Mrs. P’s Magic Library with your book loving boy(s). Ninja A just finished listening to Aladdin and his Magic Lamp.