Defining Creativity Podcast [July 19, 2022]
S1E3: A Narrative Nonfiction Author's Definition of
Creativity with:
Mary Losure
“[Creativity] comes in many forms. Creativity is part of everyone. I think the urge to have an idea in your head and see it come to life in the real world is basic to everybody… and the more that we can foster that in kids, just the pleasure of creativity… Creativity is something that’s sort of like a delicate growth that you have to be careful not to squelch.”
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“It’s kind of a fragile thing, creativity, I think and you really have to… do what you’re doing for the sake of taking pleasure and satisfaction and liking doing it.”
~Mary Losure
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Check out Mary Losure's books:
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Isaac the Alchemist: Secrets of Isaac Newton, Reveal’d
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Wild Boy: The Real Life of the Savage of Aveyron
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The Fairy Ring
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Backwards Moon
Mary Losure introduces herself as an author who writes narrative nonfiction for kids and Mary's website labels her as an "Author, explorer of worlds both real and imaginary." Prior to becoming an award-winning children's author, Mary was also an award-winning environmental reporter for Minnesota Public Radio as well as a freelance contributor to National Public Radio. In this episode of Defining Creativity, the discussion touches on how creativity is interwoven in these various forms of storytelling, drawing from history to everyday experiences, influencing our interactions with and connections to life.
From Backwards Moon:
"How can you tell whether a human is a witchfriend? It's a brightness in the eyes, yes, but more than that. An openness. An eagerness. An abiding interest in life in all its many forms." [p.68]
Mary Losure and Debbi Ponella exploring the Twin Cities, 2021
“Sometimes the things that you don’t know can be a strength. You can work with the idea of mystery, like what really did happen can be as intriguing… more intriguing sometimes that just being told this, that, and the other thing.”
“Often a story will be told from a powerful person’s point of view that’s not necessarily fair at all, and how some people have a voice in history and other people don’t. And I think that’s an important thing for children to understand… It’s a subtle message, but I hope that it does come through.”
“That’s actually one of the things I really love about doing this work… you find out things that you never would have found out.”
~Mary Losure
