Welcome

About Mary

Books

Events

School Presentations

Workshops

Conferences

Articles

Articles

The Washington Post

Since 1995, I've written regularly for the Friday Weekend section of The Washington Post.

I review exhibits and programs of possible interest to families in the Saturday's Child column and write how-to features on topics like forming kids' book groups, storytelling, and preserving family history. Below are titles; all are available at public libraries through Nexis.

Features
03/25/2005
Whitman Sampler - Washington Celebrates Walt Whitman
01/28/2005
Bead Attitude - The Bead and Beading Scene in Washington
06/18/2004
Poetry in Washington - Ready for Rhyme Time
06/15/2001
Features Family Matters: From Reunions to Recipes ... Ways to Preserve the Past
06/16/2000
True Book Value: Kids Running Their Own Book Groups
11/15/1996
Talking Books: Getting Between the Covers with Book Groups
09/27/1996
Tell Me a Story: The Storytelling Scene
Books and Activities
05/28/2004
Paging Young Readers (library programs)
01/02/2004
Volunteering, Family-Style
10/25/2002
Stamp Collecting: A Hobby That Sticks
09/13/2002
Hispanic Book Bonanza
12/29/2000
Books and Activities Ways to Spend Snow Days
04/21/2000
Feeling Right at Home on Earth Day
01/07/2000
Making Millennial Memories
05/07/1999
Asian Heritage Month
04/02/1999
How to Nurture Budding Poets
02/05/1999
Collage Bound
11/27/1998
Start [Holiday] Tradition by the Book
05/15/1998
Write of Passage (Travel Journals)
04/17/1998
Libraries
11/14/1997
Washington Books Mark the Spot
Reviews of Sites and Programs
04/21/2006
Planting the Seeds of Stewardship at Home (Wildlife Gardens)
03/31/2006
Downtown Memorial Goes the Extra Mile
03/24/2006
Seniors in Step with Nature and Health (Senior Walking Clubs)
02/10/2006
Finding Strength in Numbers (Running Clubs)
02/03/2006
Following History's Paper Trail at [National] Archives
01/13/2006
I Spy: Espionage Goes Hollywood (Spy Museum)
01/06/2006
Strummin' On The Old Banjo at the Corcoran
12/16/2005
Celebrating Tales of a Master Storyteller
11/25/2005
Exploring Upstairs, Downstairs (Tudor Place)
10/14/2005
The Man Behind The Emperor (Napolean exhibit)
08/05/2005
Jamestown Resettled (Historic Jamestown Settlement)
07/22/2005 
Garden Bursting with Possibilities (Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden)
07/08/2005
A Museum That Really Delivers (2 new exhibits at Nat’l Postal Museum)
06/03/2005 
Textiles Unraveled (Textile Museum)
05/20/2005
Baltimore’s New (and Old) Additions (Maryland Science Center)
05/06/2005 
Walters’ Mane Event (Horse Paintings at Walters Art Museum)
04/22/2005 
A Very Presidential Visit (James Monroe Museum)
03/25/2005
Fun Is the Name of the Game (Sackler Gallery exhibit)
03/04/2005
Step Lively Now (Irish Dance in Metropolitan Washington)
02/18/2005
Beyond Buildings (National Building Museum's Washington exhibit)
11/19/2004
A Japanese Circle of Friends (Nat'l Building Museum exhibit)
11/05/2004
Through Native Eyes (Nat'l American Indian Museum)
10/29/2004
Haven to Home (exhibit on Jewish American experience, Library of Congress)
10/15/2004
Spy Kids (International Spy Museum)
10/01/2004
Gotta Gotta Cut Footloose (Dance DC Festival)
08/13/2004
At Maymont, All Manor of Fun (Maymont in Richmond, VA)
07/30/2004
Keep Cool With Nordic Books (National Museum of Women in the Arts)
07/16/2004
Where Every Dog Has Its Day (National Geographic Museum exhibit)
07/02/2004
Period Pieces (Colonial Williamsburg)
06/04/2004
Yo Ho, Yo Ho (pirate ship tours)
05/21/2004
Play and Learn at Explore Park (Virginia's Explore Park)
05/14/2004
Case History (NMAH's Brown vs. Bd. of Education exhibit)
04/09/2004
Brookside's Magical Fairyland (Brookside Gardens)
03/19/2004
On a Mission to Mars (NGS Mars exhibit)
03/12/2004
It's Showtime (The Puppet Co.)
02/06/2004
An Incredible Journey (Sewall-Belmont, Frederick Douglass, and Mary Bethune historic houses)
11/28/2003
Mammal Hall Finds New Life (Nat'l Museum of Natural History)
11/21/2003
Play Around at Area Theaters
09/26/2003
These Tours Are Quite the Productions (Historic Strolls)
07/25/2003
Postal Museum Gets Stamp of Approval
06/20/2003
Minding Your Manors in Richmond (Agecroft Hall and Virginia House)
05/09/2003
'Shark Quest' Certainly Has Teeth (Nat'l Aquarium)
04/25/2003
Baltimore Race Is a Work of Art (kinetic sculpture race)
04/18/2003
Take Off on a Tour of Flight History
01/24/2003
Signs of Change at Imagination Stage
11/29/2002
Testing the Waters in Richmond (Science Museum of Virginia)
11/22/2002
Fresh-Faced Kid Classics (Kennedy Center)
11/08/2002
Rallying the Youth of the Human Species (NGS)
10/04/2002
At Play in the Invention Dimension (NMAH)
09/06/2002
Calling Dr. Stonestreet (Stonestreet Museum)
08/30/2002
The Octagon's Capitol View (Octagon Museum)
08/02/2002
A Commonwealth's Rich History (Museum of Virginia History)
07/19/2002
Stuff and Nonsense at White Flint Mall (Imagination Stage)
07/05/2002
Pixies and Posies and Ponds, Oh My! (Winterthur Gardens)
06/14/2002
Celebrating a Star-Spangled Flag Day (NMAH)
05/17/2002
Imagine Living in a Mansion (Tudor Place)
05/17/2002
Gidyap and Go to Hunt Country
05/03/2002
Kids Celebrate Sondheim (Kennedy Center)
04/19/2002
In Bethesda, a Writing Celebration
04/19/2002

April Is for Azaleas (Norfolk Botanical Garden)

03/03/2002
Beatrix Potter's Garden of Delight (NMNH)
07/27/2001
Eagle-Eyed Observations at Caledon Park
07/06/2001
Less Is More at the Land of Little Horses
05/25/2001
Making Waves at the Mariners' Museum
03/02/2001
A Doorway to Women's History (Sewall-Belmont Museum)
02/16/2001
An Inside Look at Gardens
01/26/2001
All the Right Moves (U.S. Chess Center)
11/24/2000
The Case of the Intriguing Exhibit (Science Museum of Virginia)
09/15/2001
On the Money (Bureau of Engraving and Printing)
08/18/2000
Horsing Around in Culpeper (Horse Shows)
06/23/2000
Doorways to the Past (Stratford Hall Plantation)
04/28/2000
Clara Barton's Life and Legacy (Clara Barton House)
02/18/2000
George Washington Played Here (George Washington Birthplace)
01/21/2000
The 'Time' of Their Lives (On Time permanent exhibit at National Museum of American History)
07/23/1999
The Real Dirt on George Washington (Ferry Farms' Digs and Discovery Workshops)
03/12/1999
Girls Have a Blast Visiting the Past (Heurich House Museum)
01/15/1999
Bug Your Children (Orkin Insect Zoo at National Museum of Natural History)
10/23/1998
Touching All the Bases (Baseball Sites and Books)
09/18/1998
Cross-Cultural Storytimes (OurStory programs at National Museum of American History)
07/17/1998
Mail Bonding at the Postal Museum
06/05/1998
Formula for Fun (Capital Children's Museum)
01/30/1998
Exploring Watery Worlds (Virginia Marine Science Museum)

Washington Parent

Awards


Several Gold and Bronze Medals for reviews from Parenting Publications of America

I've been writing a monthly review column for Washington Parent since 1997 and reviewing children's books since 1986. My columns often tie books into holidays, seasonal activities (vacations, Women's History Month, African American History Month, etc.), and developmental issues such as preparing for school or a new sibling. Lots of suggestions for fun family activities!

This list notes general topics by month. To read them, go to washingtonparent.com/articles (note year and month). For example, if you wanted to read the April 2003 column, go to www.washingtonparent.com/articles/0304/books (Note: 03-the year-is first)

Date
Article
January
Winter Books
February
Books that Celebrate Love
March
Books to Welcome Spring
April
Celebrating April Events
May
Celebrating Mothers
June
Celebrating Fathers
July
Great Summer Reads
August
Summer Journeys
September
Good Back-to-School Reads
October
Fall Books
November
Books for Giving Thanks
December
Holiday Books

top of page