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Margie has been a writer from early childhood, inspired by her imaginative, story-telling dad and loving mom, who both encouraged her creativity and told her to believe in her dreams. Margie wrote her first letters and even books in crayon and was rarely seen without a crayon, marker, or pencil in her hand.
Margie earned a BA from St. Lawrence University, double majoring in writing and psychology, and a MS in English education from Eastern CT State University. She also holds a postgraduate administrator certification in English education.
She interned at a Manhattan magazine and then taught and advised high school and middle school students for nearly 25 years. After raising her daughter, she again taught elementary and middle school students. She enjoys helping children of all ages and ability levels, including those with learning difficulties. She also loves writing books for children and visiting her daughter abroad.
These days, she has a special sidekick and writing assistant, her rescue dog Pappy. A Papillion-Jack Russell mix, he is an eight-pound bundle of love. He always knows exactly what he wants, and his favorite things are: food, belly rubs, and helping his mom on her laptop and tablet.
AUTHOR NOTE
I visited several marine centers and beaches along the U.S. coasts to do research for both my children's activity book Amazing Sea Animals of Cape Cod and The Islands, and for my first adventure book for children, Rissa, the Right Whale, coming out in spring 2020. With the exception of my carousel book and another project, I am currently concentrating on writing books that educate children about sea animals, particularly endangered ones, and the importance of protecting them.
AT LEFT: The top three photos under the author photo show volunteers from Marine Mammal Rescue preparing for the rescue of a humpback whale that beached in Cape Cod in May 2019. I observed and took these photos during that event. The photo below the rescuers reminds boaters that it safe to increase speed as they leave an area populated with large marine life. The "turtle egg stick" in the last photo alerts visitors at Pleasant Bay in Orleans, Cape Cod.
WE EACH CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE to the future of the sea and its creatures. Check out 15 ways that we might do this by going to the Amazing Sea Animals of Cape Cod and The Islands section of this website. You might think of other creative ways to help save the sea closest to you, too.
Some of the Many Important Marine Organizations Helping Our Sea Animals:
1) International Fund for Animal Welfare/Marine Mammal Rescue at ifaw.org (arriving for a whale rescue on Cape Cod at left)
2) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/NOAA at noaa.gov and fisheries.noaa.gov
3) New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance at necwa.org
Please remember to ask an adult for permission before going to websites.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO PROTECT AND CONSERVE THE OCEAN?
About two billion species live in the ocean, and far too many marine animals are near extinction, an amount that is "unprecedented in human history" according to IPSO, International Program on the State of the Ocean. www.sealegacy.org
"From the air we breathe, to the food we eat, to the climate we live in, we all depend on our oceans… Healthy oceans absorb carbon from the atmosphere and help reduce the impact of climate change." www.sealegacy.org
Also, conserving coastal areas is good for local economies since seaside communities often rely on tourism. NOAA works to conserve marine locations through its programs Coastal Zone Management, National Marine Sanctuaries and more. www.noaa.gov
Beyond all of this, our sea creatures are innocent and cannot protect themselves! We can start being responsible by keeping litter off our beaches and by sticking to safe boating rules, especially speed limits. After all, the sea is home to many precious, wonderful animals.
Let's Save the Sea for Kids!
Margie
My website content © Margie McMahon, 2019.