>> ELIZABETH WINTHROP HAS KEEN SENSIBILITY ABOUT HOW CHILDREN THINK AND FEEL.

ONE OF THE BEST WRITERS OF YOUTH FICTION TODAY, FROM PICTURE BOOKS TO NOFLTS, SHE TACKLES TOUGH SUBJECTS AND SELL IS MILLIONS OF BOOKS.

ELIZABETH WINTHROP IS MY GUEST NEXT ON "PROFILE."

♪♪ >> ELIZABETH WINTHROP, WHO COMES FROM A LONG LINE OF WRITERS, INCLUDING TEDDY ROOSEVELT, GREW UP IN WASHINGTON D.C.

AFTER GRADUATING FROM SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE, WINTHROP WORKED AS AN EDITOR IN THE CHILDREN'S BOOK DEPARTMENT OF HARPER ROW.

SHE PUBLISHED HER FIRST BOOK, "BUNK BEDS" IN 1972 AND HAS SINCE PRODUCED MORE THAN 50 WORKS FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES.

HER CHILDREN'S NOVEL "CASTLE IN THE ATTIC" HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR 23 STE BOOK AWARDS AND WON THE DOROTHY CANFIELD FISHER AWARD IN VERMONT.

MORE RECENTLY, "COUNTING ON GRACE," WHICH BECAME THE VERMONT READS BOOK FOR 2007 AND HAS ALSO GARNERED NUMEROUS AWARDS.

SHE DIVIDES HER TIME BETWEEN NEW YORK CITY AND THE BERKSHIRES JUST OVER THE BORDER FROM VERMONT.

>> IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WHEN WERE YOU AWARE THAT YOU WERE INTERESTED IN BEING A WRITER?

>> WELL, I HAD AN ODD SITUATION, MY FATHER WAS A WRITER.

>> HE WROTE THE BACK PAGE OF NEWSWEEK, HE WAS A JOURNALIST.

EVERY AFTERNOON WHEN I CAME HOME FROM SCHOOL, I WOULD COME THROUGH THE DOOR AND I WOULD HEAR THE TYPEWRITER.

IT WAS THE WAY MY FATHER MADE A LIVING.

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, I THOUGHT I COULD DO THIS.

>> AND MANY OTHER RELATIVES, OF COURSE -- YOU HAVE ACTUALLY WRITTEN THE FACT THAT -- YOU ARE THE ONLY FICTION WRITER, HOWEVER, IN THE FAMILY.

MOST OF THEM -- THERE WAS ONE POET, BUT A LOT OF JOURNALISM IN THE FAMILY THAT MADE THEM NERVOUS.

>> I HAD AN UNCLE WHO SAID EVERY TIME ELIZABETH WRITES A BOOK IT IS LIKE DODGING A BULLET.

THEY ALL THINK I'M WRITINGING ABOUT THEM WHEN I AM NOT.

I DO FIND WHEN WRITING FICTION I HAVE TO KNOW THE SETTING, I HAVE TO WALK THE LAND.

I THIS WALKED MY GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE, CHILDHOOD HOUSE, THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

WHEN I START COMING IN THE HOUSE AND LOOKING AROUND -- >> HAVE YOU GOTTEN IN TROUBLE BECAUSE YOU HAVE USED YOUR RELATIVES AND KIDS?

>> IT IS FUNNY WHAT THEY DECIDE TO DISLIKE.

MY BROTHER SAID YOU ARE THE ONE WHO HAD THE ASTHMA AND BIRDS DON'T SING AT NIGHT.

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES THAT MAKE?

YOU HAVE TO LET ALL OF THAT GO.

THEY ARE NERVOUS, BUT THEY HAVE COME OVER TO THE IDEA THAT IT IS QUITE NICE THAT I DO WHAT I DO.

>> OH, GOOD.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO BECOME A CHILDREN'S WRITER?

WAS IT BECAUSE IT WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT?

>> WELL, I WENT TO SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE, AND I HAD SOME FANTASTIC TEACHERS.

WHEN I WAS THERE IT WAS IN THE LATE 60s.

GRACE WAS ALWAYS MARCHING, ALWAYS AN ACTIVIST.

I SENT HER "COUNTING ON GRACE" A YEAR AGO.

I TOOK ALL OF THE FICTION WRITING COURSES THAT I COULD.

I WAS ENCOURAGED AT HARPER ROW AND SO ON.

>> RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE YOU GOT THIS JOB AT HARPER AND ROW.

HOW DID THAT TIME INFLUENCE WHAT YOU HAVE BECOME AND HOW YOU APPROACH THIS FIELD?

>> WELL, WHEN I APPLIED TO GO WORK AT HARPER AND ROW, MOST PEOPLE ASSUMED YOU WERE APPLYING TO THE CHILDREN'S BOOK DEPARTMENT JUST TO GET INTO THE ADULT DEPARTMENT, AND I WROTE A LETTER SAYING NO, THAT'S WHERE I WANT TO END UP.

THE WOMAN WHO RAN THE DEPARTMENT AT THAT TIME IS -- YOU WOULD SIT IN THE OFFICE AND -- ONE DAY THE PHONE RANG AND -- IT WAS BEING IN THE CENTER OF THE CENTER, AND REALLY URSULA ALWAYS FELT THAT CHILDREN'S BOOK WRITING WAS, IN FACT, BETTER THAN WRITING FOR ADULTS.

IT WAS HARDER TO DO.

YOU HAD A TOUGHER AUDIENCE.

IT SET THE BAR HIGHER.

I WOMEN WITH THAT.

I AGREE WITH HER.

>> THEY DON'T CARE TO IMPRESS ANYBODY ELSE.

THEY WILL TELL YOU WHEN THEY DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY'RE READING.

YOU HEAR ABOUT IT.

>> YOU HAVE WRITTEN PICTURE BOOKS, CHAPTER BOOKS, NOVELS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND FOR ADULTS, SHORT STORIES.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT TYPE OF BOOKS YOU ARE GOING TO GO AFTER ONCE YOU HAVE THE IDEA, THE SEED OF AN IDEA FOR A BOOK?

>> IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE VOICE.

IT TAKES ME A LONG TIME TO GET THE RIGHT VOICE.

WHICH MEANS, FOR EXAMPLE, COUNTING ON GRACE, I DID AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF RESEARCH, AND I TRIED WRITING THE BOOK IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT TENSES AND VOICES UNTIL FINALLY I THOUGHT I AM GOING TO WRITE A JOURNAL, AS IF I AM IN THIS CHARACTER'S HEAD, AND BANG, I HAD IT.

IT WAS GRACE.

I WAS INSIDE HER HEAD.

I WAS WRITING FIRST PERSON PRESENT TENSE, WHICH I HAVE NEVER DONE BEFORE, AND IT BROUGHT -- IT TOTALLY INSIDE OF ME.

IT IS ALL ABOUT THE VOICE.

IF I AM WRITING IT FOR A YOUNGER CHILD, I HAVE A DIFFERENT RHYTHM IN MY EAR.

I HEAR A DIFFERENT VOICE.

IF I AM WRITING FOR ADULTS, I USUALLY HEAR ADULT, DEAR READER KIND OF VOICE.

THAT IS WHAT I NEED TO GET BEFORE I KNOW WHO THE BOOK IS FOR, HOW THE AUDIENCE IS.

>> AND THAT PROBABLY TAKES SOME TIME.

IS IT CHALLENGING TO STAY IN THE AGE-APPROPRIATE, FROM A DEVELOPMENTAL POINT OF VIEW, VOCABULARY POINT OF VIEW?

>> I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL IN A HISTORICAL WAY NOT TO USE VOCABULARY THAT GRACE WOULDN'T USE.

ONCE I SLIDE INTO THAT CHARACTER PRETTY FIRMLY, THEY SPEAK TO ME.

IT IS AN ODD SITUATION.

ONCE YOU GET REALLY INSIDE THE CHARACTER, IT IS AS IF I AM THE CHANNEL AND THE CHARACTER IS SPEAKING THROUGH ME.

OCCASIONALLY AN EDITOR WILL CIRCLE A WORD AND SAY THIS DOESN'T SOUND LIKE WILLIAM OR MAGIE, BUT I THINK AS LONG AS I MARRY MYSELF TO THE CHARACTER I'M ALL RIGHT.

>> SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT "COUNTING ON GRACE," I WAS GOING TO PUT IT OFF, BUT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD.

WHAT IS INTERESTING YOU START FROM THIS FIRST PERSON JOURNAL, BUT THE NOVEL IS NOT FROM A FIRST PERSON POINT OF VIEW.

>> IT IS.

>> I.

>> I, GRACE.

>> I GUESS IT IS.

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY, I SEE HER SO VIVIDLY, AND OF COURSE IT IS.

BUT I THOUGHT WHY DON'T WE NOW JUST GET THE VOICE FROM YOU.

>> GRACE IS ABOUT TO GO INTO THE MILL.

AD SHE HAS TO HAVE HER HAIR DONE UP.

WHICH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN THE MILL BECAUSE KIDS COULD GET SCALPED, LITERALLY, IF THEIR HAIR WASN'T TIED UP TIGHT.

>> DELIA SITS ME ON THE BED.

EVERY GIRL IN THE MILL HAS TO HAS HER HAIR BOUND UP SO IT DON'T GET CAUGHT IN THE MACHINES.

NOBODY IS BOTHERED WITH MY HAIR SINCE BEFORE MASS ON SUNDAY.

DELIA IS TAKING OUT FIVE DAYS OF KNOTS.

I TRY TO PULL AWAY FROM HER, BUT DELIA'S FINGERS ARE STRONG FROM THREE YEARS IN THE MILL.

SHE HOLDS TIGHT.

I DON'T CRY OUT.

I DON'T EVER LET ON THAT SOMETHING HURTS ME.

I WOULD RATHER DRINK MY OWN BLOOD.

BEPTILL, GRACE, DELIA SAYS.

I WILL TELL YOU THE STORY OF THE COTTON.

I SETTLE DOWN.

THAT'S VERY LIKE GRACE.

I WOULD RATHER DRINK MY OWN BLOOD.

SHE IS TOUGH.

>> SHE IS TOUGH.

SO, LET'S TALK ABOUT HER FOR A BIT.

THIS IS HISTORICAL FICTION.

YOU DO A LOT THAT IS JUST MODERN DAY STUFF, AND TROUBLES, EXTRAORDINARY EMOTIONAL DEPTH HERE.

SO, YOU'RE FINDING HER THROUGH HER JOURNAL.

HOW DO YOU FIND -- THERE IS SUCH DEPTH OF EMOTION HERE.

WAS -- IS THAT DIFFICULT?

DO YOU GET CAUGHT UP IN THAT?

HOW DO YOU FIND SUCH SUBSTANCE FOR YOUR CHARACTERS, CERTAINLY THIS ONE.

>> GRACE I REALLY DID GET CAUGHT UP IN.

THE WHOLE STORY STARTED BECAUSE I WENT TO THE BENNINGTON MUSEUM AND I SAW AN EXHIBIT OF THE CHILD WORKERS, LEWIS HINE, THE CHILD LABOR PHOTOGRAPHERER, HE CAME TO VERMONT AND TOOK PICTURES OF LOTS CHILDREN ALL OVER, THE MILL, BENNINGTON -- THIS WAS TAKING IN THE NORTH POWNAL COTTON MILL.

IT WAS LITERALLY FOUR MILES FROM WHERE I LIVE.

I SAW THE PICTURE.

AS I SAY, SETTING IS SO IMPORTANT.

I CAN GO WALK THE LAND.

I WENT AND I DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS ACTUALLY A HISTORICAL MARKER MARKING WHERE THE MILL HAD BEEN.

SO, THAT I THINK JUST BEING ABLE TO STAND THERE AND LOOK AT THE RIVER AND SEE WHAT GRACE WOULD HAVE SEEN OUT THE WINDOW, AND SEE THE LITTLE HOUSES UP ON THE HILL WHERE SHE MIGHT HAVE LIVED AND TURN AROUND AND LOOK AT THE STORE WHERE SHE MIGHT HAVE SHOPPED, IT BROUGHT HER TO ME.

THOSE KIDS HAD A VERY ROUGH LIFE.

>> WHY DID YOU WAIT TO INVESTIGATE THE REAL PERSON WHO IS IN THIS PICTURE, THE ONE THAT REALLY INSPIRED THIS BOOK -- HER NAME WAS ADDY, IT WASN'T GRACE.

WHY DID YOU WAIT TO INVESTIGATE THE LIFE THE REAL GIRL UNTIL AFTER YOU HAD FINISHED THE BOOK?

>> BECAUSE I WANTED TOTAL FREEDOM TO WRITE WHATEVER I WANTED TO WRITE.

I DECIDED THAT I WANTED THAT CHILD TO BE FRENCH CANADIAN.

I WANTED TO WRITE ABOUT IMMIGRATION, BEING AN FRANCO KID IN VERMONT, AND, YOU KNOW, IF I HAD FOUND OUT ABOUT ADDY, SHE WAS NOT FRENCH CANADIAN.

I DIDN'T WANT HER TO INFLUENCE ME.

HER PICTURE INSPIRED ME, AND IT WASN'T UNTIL IT WAS ALL OVER THAT I WENT LOOKING FOR HER.

>> THE LEWIS HINE CHARACTER HAD TO BE RESEARCHED BECAUSE HE IS A REAL PERSON, BUT EVERYBODY ELSE AROUND THAT WAS FROM YOUR I IMAGINATION.

>> WHAT -- >> WHEN YOU START A BOOK, YOU NEVER KNOW HOW LONG THE RIDE IS GOING TO BE OR HOW WILD THE RIDE IS GOING TO BE.

I HAD NO IDEA.

I NEVER EXPECTED TO GO LOOK FOR THIS GIRL.

I THOUGHT THIS IS A PICTURE.

I'M CREATING GRACE.

WHEN I WAS DONE AND GRACE WAS FULLY FORMED AND WAS WALKING AROUND AND WALKED OUT OF THE BOOK AND HAD HER LIFE, I THOUGHT I CAN'T JUST LEAVE THAT CHILD.

BECAUSE I DID KNOW THAT THE U.S.

POSTAL SERVICE HAD GONE LOOKING FOR HER.

THEY PUT HER ON A POSTAGE STAMP IN 1998, AND THEY NEVER FOUND HER.

SHE WAS JUST LOST IN THE DUST BIN OF HISTORY.

SHE HAS BEEN IN A REEBOK AD, IN AT LEAST 100 PICTURES.

SHE IS THE ICON OF CHILD LABOR AND NOBODY BOTHERED TO FIND HER.

LEWIS HINE HAD A GREAT LINE, HE SAID, I'M ALWAYS MORE INTERESTED IN PERSONS THAN IN PEOPLE.

IN EACH INDIVIDUAL CHARATER, AND SO AM I. THAT IS HOW I MADE GRACE.

I CREATED GRACE BECAUSE HE INSPIRED ME.

HE HAD ANOTHER LINE, HE SAID, IF I COULD TELL THE STORY IN WORDS, I WOULDN'T NEED TO LUG AROUND A CAMERA, WHICH I LOVED.

I HAVE TOLD THE STORY IN WORDS.

I FELT THAT I WOULD HAVE ABANDONED THAT CHILD.

SHE NEEDED TO -- >> THROUGH MANY SHE CHANGED HER NAME, ALL KINDS OF THINGS, BUT SOMEHOW YOU STUCK TO IT.

YOU HAD ANOTHER RESEARCHER ALSO HELP OUT.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> YOU FIND ADDY, WHO ACTUALLY HAD A HARSHER LIFE THAN YOUR GRACE.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

HER MOTHER DIED WHEN SHE WAS TWO, MOST PROBABLY BECAUSE OF A BURST APPENDIX.

HER FATHER ABANDONED HER.

SHE LIVED WITH HER SISTER AND GRANDMOTHER.

SHE WENT INTO THE MILL WHEN SHE WAS EIGHT.

SHE WENT IN AT EIGHT, SHE HAD TO BE PUT ON A SOAP BOX SO SHE COULD REACH THE BOBBINS.

SHE MARRIED A BOY FROM THE MILL.

SHE DIVORCED.

SHE LIVED THE LIFE IN POVERTY.

SHE HAD A ROUGH LIFE.

THE LEGACY OF A MILL CHILD.

>> SHE NEVER KNEW THIS PHOTOGRAPH EXISTED OR HELPED CHANGE OUR CHILD LABOR LAWS.

>> NO, SHE NEVER KNEW.

I TOLD HER GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER IF SHE HAD LIVED FIVE MORE YEARS, SHE COULD HAVE WALKED INTO A POST OFFICE AND SEEN THAT FACE ON A POSTAGE STAMP.

>> SHE WOULD HAVE ABOUT 98 -- >> 100.

>> SHE MUST HAVE BEEN TOUGH.

SHE LASTED A LONG, LONG TIME.

>> A COUPLE OF YOUR OTHER BOOKS, "CASTLE IN THE ATTIC," WHICH WAS WRITTEN ALMOST 15 YEARS AGO NOW.

>> YEAH.

>> HAS OLD OVER 2 MILLION COPIES.

OPTION FOR MOVIE RIGHTS, INCREDIBLY POPULAR.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT THAT A NOVEL, YOUR FLIGHT OF FANCY, THAT HAS KEPT PEOPLE'S IMAGINATION?

>> THIS IS A TOUGH WORD TO USE, BUT A MORAL UNDERPINNING.

WILLIAM DOES WRONG AND HE MUST PAY THE PIPER.

HE MUST PUT HIMSELF THROUGH A QUEST TO TRY AND RESCUE THE PERSON THAT HE HURT.

AND THE ONE HE HURT IS HIS BELOVED NANNY MRS.

PHILIPS, HE -- HE THOUGHT SHE WOULD BE HAPPY -- >> HE DID NOT WANT HER TO GO AWAY.

>> DID NOT WANT HER TO GO AWAY.

BASIC FEELINGS, I THINK.

CHILDREN RESPOND TO THAT BOOK LIKE ALMOST NONE OFFER I HAVE WRITTEN.

I GET THE MOST AMAZING LETTERS ABOUT IT, AND PLEASE FOR FIVE OR SIX MORE.

IT IS REMARKABLE.

>> YOU HAVE ONE SEQUEL.

>> BUT THERE MIGHT BE MORE BECAUSE EVERYONE IS ASKING FOR IT.

>> HOW DID JOSEPH CAMPBELL INFLUENCE THAT SERIES?

>> I WAS WRITING A BOOK CALLED BELINDA'S HURRICANE.

MY EDITOR, WHO IS A CLOSE FRIEND OF MINE FROM SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE WHERE JOSEPH CAMPBELL HAD TAUGHT, BUT I NEVER TOOK HIS COURSE, SHE SAID YOU MUST COME AND LISTEN TO THIS TWO DAY LECTURE ON THE HEROES QUEST.

I THOUGHT, WHY AM I DOING THAT?

AND I JUST SOMETIMES YOU JUST DO WHAT YOUR GUT TELLS YOU TO DO.

I WENT ALONG.

I WAS JUST ASTOUNDED BY WHAT HE TALKS ABOUT, THE UNDERLYING, UNDERPINNINGS.

AND I HAD HAD A NANNY, A BELOVED NANNY LEAVE US WHEN MY SON WAS FIVE.

THIS EDITOR, WHO WAS THE EDITOR AT THE TIME SAID, NO, NO, IT DOESN'T WORK AS A PICTURE BOOK.

LATER ON, MONTHS LATER, SHE SAID COME TO THIS THING.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF SHE WAS PUTTING IT TOGETHER, BUT IT GAVE ME A WAY TO TELL THAT STORY OF ABANDONMENT IN A WAY THAT IT SPOKE TO A FAR GREATER AUDIENCE THAN IT WOULD HAVE IN A PICTURE BOOK.

>> IT ALSO STRIKES ME THAT IN YOUR BOOKS YOU DO NOT SHY AWAY FROM DIFFICULT TOPICS.

HERE YOU HAVE EMBARRASSMENT, SELFISHNESS, LOSS, YOU DEAL WITH CHILDREN STRUGGLING WITH PARENTS WITH ALCOHOLISM, STRUGGLING WITH CANCER.

THESE ARE TOUGH THINGS.

IS THAT EMOTIONALLY CHALLENGING FOR YOU TO WRITE ABOUT THESE THINGS AND UNDERSTAND WHAT A CHILD WILL NEED FROM YOU AROUND THESE VERY DIFFICULT ISSUES?

>> I THINK I TRY TO GO WITHIN -- TO THE CHILD WITHIN MYSELF, BECAUSE THE BIGGEST THING ABOUT CHILDREN'S BOOKS, YOU CANNOT TALK DOWN TO CHILDREN.

YOU CANNOT PREACH TO THEM IN ANY WAY.

I AM ALWAYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, AS I DID WITH GRACE, EVERYTHING SHE TALKS ABOUT, EVERY METAPHOR SHE USES TENDS TO COME FROM THE SPINNING FRAMES.

I CAN'T PIECE A FAMILY TOGETHER THE WAY I PIECE THE ENDS UP.

THAT IS HOW SHE WOULD THINK BECAUSE THAT'S HER WHOLE WORLD.

I THINK ABOUT THAT WITH A CHILD IN MY BOOK "PROMISES", A LITTLE GIRL WHOSE MOTHER HAS CANCER.

SHE IS MORE WORRIED ABOUT THE FACT THAT HER MOTHER HAS NO HAIR AND EVERYBODY IS GOING TO LOOK AT HER AND MAKE FUN OF HER.

THAT IS HER FOCUS.

PLEASE, WEAR MY BASEBALL CAP MOMMY.

I HAVE TO GET ON THAT CHILD LEVEL, LEAVE THE ADULT BEHIND.

>> THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOUR CHARACTERS DO THINGS YOU JUST SAY, NO, DON'T DO THIS.

I MEAN, FOR THE CASTLE, WILLIAM JUMPS A MOVING TRAIN, AND EVERY SINGLE PART OF ME IS SCREAMING DON'T DO THIS, WILLIAM.

BUT THAT IS WHAT HE WOULD DO.

>> THE WRITER CERTAINLY ISN'T SAYING I WON'T DO IT.

>> NO.

>> THEY NEED THE CHALLENGES.

>> NO, FICTION IS ABOUT FRICTION, SOMETHING BAD HAS TO HAPPEN.

>> I WAS ALSO STRUCK ABOUT HOW POWERFUL SILENCES ARE IN YOUR BOOKS.

COMFORTABLE SILENCES, AWKWARD, CONFUSED SILENCES, ANGRY SILENCES, ON THIS PIECE, THERE IS A SILENCE, SHE WON'T TALK ABOUT HOW THINGS HURT HER.

YOU ARE SO STRONG IN DIALOGUE AS A WRITER.

WHAT DO THE SILENCES MEAN TO YOU?

>> WELL, IT IS A WAY OF SHOWING HOW A CHILD FEELS WITHOUT ALWAYS THE TALK.

I THINK SILENCE IS A VERY EFFECTIVE TOOL IN FICTION WRITING, WHEN TO USE IT.

YOU CAN'T OVERUSE IT.

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS INSIDE A CHILD THAT AN ADULT HAS NO IDEA.

WE DON'T KNOW THAT THAT IS GOING ON.

AND -- >> AND WE WONDER ALL OF THE TIME WHAT IS GOING ON?

>> EXACTLY.

WHAT ARE THEY THINKING?

WHAT IS GOING ON?

I TRY TO USE IT SPARINGLY, BUT WITH SOME POWER, AND THERE ARE MANY -- THERE ARE ABOUT THREE TIMES IN "COUNTING ON GRACE" WHEN GRACE SAYS SHE IS SO SURPRISED BY HER OWN TEARS BECAUSE SHE DOES EVERYTHING SHE CAN NOT TO CRY, I WOULD RATHER DRINK MY OWN BLOOD.

SOME OF THE SILENCES ARE HER HOLDING IN EMOTION.

IF SHE SPEAKS UP SHE WILL GET IN TROUBLE.

GRACE IS A VERY IMPULSIVE CHARACTER.

IF WE WERE TO LABEL HER TODAY, WE WOULD CALLED HER A.D.D.

SHE CANNOT READ OR THINK WITHOUT MOVING.

HER FEET ARE ALWAYS DANCING.

THE TEACHER IS ALWAYS SMACKING HER ON THE KNEES TO KEEP HER SITTING STILL.

SHE READS WALKING AROUND THE CLASSROOM, WHICH DRIVES MISS LESLIE CRAZY.

SHE IS LEFT-HANDED.

THAT IS NOT A GOOD HAND TO USE WITH THE BOBBINS, YOU SHOULD DO IT THE OTHER WAY AROUND BUT SHE CAN'T.

SHE HAS A LOT OF THOSE QUALITIES AND I PUT HER IN AN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION.

>> I LOVE ALL OF THE IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS YOU PUT HER IN, THESE CHARACTERISTICS THAT SHE HAS.

BEFORE WE FINISH UP, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR JUST A CADENCE OF YOUR PICTURE BOOK.

MAGGIE AND THE MONSTER IS BACK OUT AGAIN.

THIS WAS INFLUENCED BY A, WHAT, A COUSIN'S CHILD -- >> A FRIEND'S CHILD.

>> A LITTLE GIRL WHO USED TO SPEND THURSDAY AFTERNOONS WITH ME, SHE IS NOW IN HER 20s.

ONE DAY SHE CAME IN AND I SAID, HOW ARE YOU MAGGIE?

I AM FINE.

THERE ARE NO MORE MONSTERS IN MY ROOM.

I SAID WERE THERE MONSTERS IN YOUR ROOM?

THEY WERE COMING IN, GOING OUT, DRIVING ME CRAZY.

HOW COULD YOU NOT WRITE A BOOK ABOUT MAGGIE?

EVERY NIGHT A MONSTER CAME INTO MAGGIE'S ROOM.

SHE CRASHED INTO THE FURNITURE.

SHE CRAWLED UNDER THE TABLE.

SHE SAT DOWN ON THE CHAIR AND GRUMBLED TO HERSELF.

MAGGIE DIDN'T LIKE THE MONSTER.

GET OUT OF MY ROOM, SHE SHOUTED.

BUT THE MONSTER DIDN'T PAY ANY ATTENTION.

SHE PUSHED HER BIG HAIRY FEET ON THE FLOOR AND SIGHED.

MAGGIE TURNED OVER AND WENT TO SLEEP.

A MONSTER COMES INTO MY ROOM AT NIGHT SHE TOLD HER MOTHER.

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

SHE HAS BIG HAIRY FEET.

I WONDER WHY SHE LIKES YOUR ROOM SO MUCH.

THERE IS A MONSTER IN THE UPSTAIRS CLOSET TOO.

SHE SITS IN THE CORNER BEHIND THE BROOMS?

REALLY?

HER MOTHER SAID.

I NEVER NOTICED.

MAGGIE'S MONSTER KEEPS COMING IN, SHE PUTS A SIGN ON THE DOOR, MONSTERS KEEP OUT.

PAYS NO ATTENTION.

FINALLY INSTEAD OF SCREAMING AT HER, MAGGIE SAYS, WHAT DO YOU WANT?

I AM LOOKING FOR MY MOTHER, THE MONSTER SAID.

WELL, WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT BEFORE, MAGGIE SAID.

COME WITH ME.

SHE TOOK THE MONSTER BY THE HAND AND LED HER DOWN THE HALL.

THIS MUST BE YOUR MOTHER, MAGGIE SAID.

SHE HAS BIG HAIRY FEET JUST LIKE YOU.

MAMA, THE MONSTER CRIES, MY BABY, SAID THE MAMA MONSTER, AND MAGGIE LEFT THEM ALONE TOGETHER AND WENT BACK TO BED.

>> A VERY DIFFERENT CADENCE THAN MY OTHER BOOKS.

>> RIGHT.

WHAT ABOUT WRITING FOR ADULTS?

HOW DOES -- SO THAT MUST BE A CHALLENGE AFTER CLEARLY WRITING FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES IS TOUGHER, AS YOU SAY, BUT IF YOU ARE DOING IT MOST OF THE TIME, WHAT IS THE SWITCH FOR YOU WHEN YOU ARE WRITING FOR ADULTS?

>> ACTUALLY I LIKE TO SAY, AS I SAY, IT GETS TOUGHER, I THINK THAT "COUNTING ON GRACE" IS REALLY A BOOK FOR ADULTS.

I WROTE ABOUT IT IN THE SMITHSONIAN, AND IT HAS GOTTEN AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF ATTENTION, PARTIAL THE SUBJECT MATTER, AND PARTIAL THE WRITING QUALITY.

I THINK I AM EMBARKING AGAIN ON ANOTHER ADULT PROJECT AT THIS POINT.

THE THING THAT I TEND TO DO IN ADULT BOOKS IS TO GET A -- GET BACK FARTHER.

I WROTE A BOOK CALLED "IN MY MOTHER'S HOUSE," AND I GET A NARRATER VOICE, BROADER.

I LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICTURE.

I CAN DROP INTO A CHARACTER'S HEAD AND OUT AGAIN.

A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH SUBJECT.

I THINK IN CHILDREN'S BOOKS, YOU MUST ALWAYS LEAVE SOME HOPE.

TOUGH AS THEIR LIFE WAS, I MUST LEAVE GRACE WITH SOMETHING HOPEFUL, AND IT IS JUST A LITTLE WINDOW AT THE END.

>> YOU HAVE MET WITH HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN ABOUT THIS BOOK AND ADULTS.

WHAT IS THE REACTION TO CHILD LABOR BEEN?

>> WELL, IT IS FASCINATING.

I ACTUALLY GIVE PRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE BOOK, AND I SHOW THE KIDS PICTURES OF THE KIDS WHO STITCH OUR SOCCER BALLS IN HONDURAS, A AMAZING PICTURE OF A 6-YEAR-OLD BOY CARRYING DARK RED THREAD ON HIS HEAD WHICH IS WHAT IS IN SO MANY OF OUR CARPETS.

HE WORKS IN AN INDIAN CARPET FACTORY.

THE KIDS GET IT SO FAST.

THEY LOOK AT THAT PICTURE AND THE PICTURES OF THE OTHER KIDS IN THE MILL AND THEY KNOW WHAT I AM SAYING TO THEM.

A HUNDRED YEARS AGO THIS COULD HAVE BEEN YOU, IF YOU LIVED IN CHINA, THIS COULD BE YOU TODAY.

THEY GET IT FASTER THAN ANYBODY WHAT I AM SAYING, THAT THEY'RE LUCKY, NOT HAVING TO WORK IN A MILL, THEIR GRANDPARENTS, GREAT GRANDPARENTS DID IT SO THEY ARE IN A PLACE THEY ARE TODAY.

IT IS A POWERFUL STATEMENT FOR THEM.

>> I LOVE HER CADENCE.

WHAT ABOUT A SEQUEL HERE?

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR MORE FROM GRACE -- >> I CAN'T STAND THAT THEY'RE SEPARATED.

I CAN SEE THEM GETTING TOGETHER.

ARTHUR GOES FROM THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE.

THEY MOVE UP TO A MILL IN MANCHESTER, I THINK IT IS IN MANCHESTER NEW HAMPSHIRE, THE COOLIDGE MILL WAS SO MUCH WORSE THAN THIS MILL.

THIS WAS A TINY LITTLE MILL.

HAD OWNED 20 OR 30 CHILDREN WORKING IN IT.

>> ELIZABETH WINTHROP, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON "PROFILE."

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