Mary Bowser is not the only one who can keep a secret.
Remember that trip to Minneapolis I took recently? It wasn't just there to do my Mary Richards impersonation.
Actually, Mary Bowser did
her own Mary Richards impersonation, long ago.
I was in Minneapolis to meet these wonderful people:
Lots of people are in book clubs. Lots of 'em are in book clubs with co-workers. But this group of co-workers belongs to an especially important book club. Because the selections they choose to discuss become the Club Pick at every Target store in the country.
I already loved Target for their generous support of arts and education. But when I found out that they'd picked
The Secrets of Mary Bowser as the featured book for August, I was over the moon. Why? Because August is when families are doing their back-to-school shopping . . . at Target. What better place and time to share a story about the power of education to change a person's life. And to change the course of history.
I love bookstores. But I know not everyone spends as much time in them as I do. In fact, more and more communities don't even have a bookstore. Target will bring Mary Bowser to people who would never have found her otherwise. Including people who will find her a role model for themselves and their daughters.
That can really make a nothing day suddenly seem worthwhile.
So yes, I've been over the moon. In a very long leap. Because my wonderful team at HarperCollins/William Morrow learned the Target news way back when. Which is why I've been practicing my very best Bowser for a long while, keeping this wonderful secret until the news was officially announced.