ABOUT ANNIE

Ann Martin Bowler, or Annie as her friends know her, lives in the foothills of California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains with John, her husband of 33 years. Annie and John have 5 children, ages 32 to 9. It's fun to have children of such different ages but it is rarely quiet around their house!

Annie taught all grades kindergarten through 3rd for many years before beginning her career as a writer. She loved teaching. She especially loved helping kids discover the magic of reading and books. When she was a teacher, she often dreamed about writing her own books that kids would truly enjoy. And today, that is exactly what she does!

Besides writing, Annie likes to run, backpack, kayak, and spend time out of doors in all kinds of settings. She especially loves to hike the trails near her home and watch the wild animals that live there. Because of her love of the out of doors, Annie was delighted to write books on nature like Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall, Seasons of Color, Hiking the Appalachian Trail and Jane Godall, a Brave and True Heart. She plans to write more books on nature in the future.

When Annie was five, she spent many months traveling in Europe with her family. Experiences from that trip are some of her fondest childhood memories. Annie feels lucky that her parents introduced her to traveling; it gave her both curiosity and confidence which enabled her to travel to distant places ever since.

Annie’s oldest son, Jocean, had a very positive experience as an exchange student in Indonesia years ago. He returned to Indonesia again and again and today Jocean lives and works there. While visiting Jocean in Indonesia, Annie was struck by the country’s amazing art and incredible storytelling tradition.

Understanding that it is important for people of the world to understand one another, Annie loves to share information about far away places with her readers. Annie retold Gecko’s Complaint to give people an opportunity to experience a small piece of Indonesia’s interesting but little known, culture. She is delighted that her next book will be about the Korean culture.

Annie has always been interested in history. Unfortunately she, like many students, found most books she was asked to read in school to be incredibly boring. Annie was determined to tell the amazing story of the Treasure Fleet voyages in an exciting, kid-appealing way. Today, she is thrilled that kids are enjoying Adventures of the Treasure Fleet!  

Annie is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

Ann Bowler is now serving as the ambassador for Room to Read, a non-profit organization building schools and libraries in some of the poorest parts of the world.

Annie is delighted to be working with kids in schools again. Give her a call! She would love to come to your school! Email Annie now.  

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