Mary Jo Maichack Wins 2007 National Parenting Publications Awards Honor

September 18, 2007
For immediate release

Holyoke, MA—Mary Jo Maichack, musician and storyteller, has just won a NAPPA (National Parenting Publications Awards) Honor award for spoken word/storytelling for her CD of her original story, "Missing the Muffin Man." Maichack researched, wrote and narrated the 37-minute piece of historical fiction for ages eight and older, set in Dickens-era London.

The National Parenting Publications Awards selected Maichack's work as a "stand-out--judged by independent experts to be innovative, age-appropriate, and of exceptional and lasting educational and entertainment value." Their Web site, www.NAPPA.Parenthood.com, is called a resource for "the best stuff for kids and resources for parents."

"This is no fairy tale. This is about real street sellers at a time when London was bursting at the seams with people and noise," said Maichack. "Most of us know the cute little nursery rhyme, but the real story has a dark side. Anyone who has enjoyed the tunes from street musicians in Boston's "T" and found them missing after the law blocked their appearances can relate to this story. And if you want a view of life without a social safety net, Victorian London is it. I'm thrilled at recognition of the story's value from a national panel of judges."

A myriad of vendors hawked every imaginable ware in London's streets, which were so noisy, an act of Parliament was passed to make it easier to throw some of the street criers in jail. Just like today's ice-cream trucks, the real muffin sellers announced their arrival with bells—hand bells.

The story, while based on historical fact, presents an imaginative idea as to how the traditional children's song could have been invented. When the muffin man fails to appear at the home of the story's protagonist, a lonely 10-year-old girl named Ginny, she and her terrier get lost seeking him in the dangerous lanes near Drury Lane Theatre. The story is an overnight adventure in which Ginny is kidnapped by body snatchers and meets a street-gang boy named Six, who helps her, as does her love of singing.

Maichack also turned to 1851 eye-witness accounts of the lives of street vendors by author Henry Mayhew in constructing her story. These massive social surveys were so vivid and precise, Dickens himself used them in constructing his novels. But the way in which Maichack's story came about is a story in itself:

"Nine years ago, while waiting in line to hear the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in New Orleans, my husband and I struck up a conversation with an English couple. We kept in touch after our trips, and then helped them find an apartment and car when they, incredibly, immigrated to the Pioneer Valley. All these years later, they were doing marketing work for a Schenectady baker, Thaddeus Pinckney, of Luvins Muffins, who wanted a storyteller to research and create a story about London's costermongers. He loved the woman's British accent, but she told him that if he wanted a storyteller, he should talk to me. Now, the resulting story has won a national award."

Ms. Maichack has been a full-time professional storyteller and musician since 1989. Her career was launched by her one-year stint as children's librarian at Springfield's Mason Square Library and her life-long practice of singing, fiddle and guitar. She has performed some 3,000 shows at festivals, schools and libraries from San Francisco to Venice, Italy. Her husband and business partner in Maichack Arts, Gregory John Maichack, teaches pastel and portraiture at the Museum School in Springfield's Quadrangle, and across the state. He painted an original pastel portrait for the CD cover. The story was recorded by local musician Jim Armenti, who also adds street crier voices and famous hand bell. And for good measure, the CD jacket includes a recipe for English muffins, 19th century style, by baker Thaddeus Pinckney. It is Maichack's second such award, the first having been a gold award won for her 1999 tape cassette, "Books Are Celebrations," soon to be available on CD. She also has a CD of ghost stories and songs, "Howlarious Halloween."

For more information, visiti, www.MaryJoMaichack.com, and listen and obtain discounts at www.CDBaby.com. The CD is $14.50/