Utah has some outstanding authors and illustrators of children's books. Following are seven recent books by local authors:
SCHOOL SPIRIT by Michael O. Tunnell, 201 pages, Holiday House."A little boy, no older than seven or eight, floated to the arched entrance . . . turned a pallid face toward Patrick . . . dark, hollow eyes held him in their crushing grip . . . then the tiny figure turned, releasing Patrick, who tumbled to the floor."
Patrick, new to Craven Hill School where his father is going to be a principal, is swept into a mystery surrounding the town and the old school building. The gloomy stairs, the hidden staircase and rumors about a death of a child in 1920 are like puzzle pieces that Patrick and his new friend, Nairen, try to resolve.
Tunnell has spun scary scenes with a thrill-a-minute including a "cold embrace, filling his heart with a strange mixture of dread and joy" and a strange sensation "like a mild electric current." All of the elements of a spine-tingler are here; a missing child, ghosts and curious sleuths that take all the mystery in stride. Middle-grade readers (4th through 6th) will love "School Spirit," the fast-paced plot in large print.
Tunnell, who wrote "The Children of Topaz: The Story of a Japanese-American Internment Camp" and other fiction, teaches at Brigham Young University.
Three picture books celebrate last year's sesquicentennial and are welcome additions to the story of the Latter-day Saint trek:
DANCE, PIONEER, DANCE! by Rick Walton (Deseret Book) has captured the lilt and rhythm of the events after traveling on the longjourney West. Brad Teare's exuberant pictures illustrate a homespun quality of the era.
Louise Garff Hubbard wrote and illustrated a tender story of an immigrant who joined the wagon train West in "Grandfather's Gold Watch" (Shadow Mountain). Grandfather gives Peter, his namesake, a watch before the lad leaves Denmark with his family to cross the plains. The valuable timepiece also carries a reminder from the old man, "What have I done with my name? What have I done with my time?"
"Grandfather's Gold Watch" not only carries this honorable message but a moral lesson that is worthy to be read to youngsters time and time again.
WHEN PIONEER WAGONS RUMBLED WEST by Christine Graham (Shadow Mountain). In simple and eloquent text the story of the Latter-day Saint pioneers is told. This, with the soft watercolor illustrations of Sherry Meidell, leaves much space for discussion and expansions of the story.
Yvonne Young Merrill has put her flair for design into five arts-and-crafts books featuring hands-on activities for diverse cultures. These books are a product of her work in designing museum programs and developing school curriculum. She is currently writing, producing and marketing her crafts books, HANDS-ON CELEBRATIONS, HANDS-ON ALASKA, HANDS-ON ROCKY MOUNTAINS, HANDS-ON LATIN AMERICA (all by KITS Publishers) and HANDS-ON PIONEERS (Deseret Book). Each of the five have masks, games and patterns for art activities. For example, in the Pioneer book, divided into three sections: Treasures, Frills and Necessities, and Symbols, she has provided recipes, games and ideas for various events surrounding the Utah valley.
The well-designed, full-color photographs represent the different locales and products of the ethnic groups. References and an index attest to the authenticity of each book.
WHAT DO YOU STAND FOR? A KID'S GUIDE TO BUILDING CHARACTER by Barbara Lewis, Free Spirit Publishers.
Like her previous books, "Kid's Guide to Service Projects" and "The Kid's Guide to Social Action" (a "Best of the Best" from the American Library Association) Lewis features kids who are making a difference by taking a stand. Thirty young people in the book talk about the value of good character traits, like looking in a mirror to see where the `blemishes' are," said the author. "If they don't like what they see, they can do something about it."
Lewis, a teacher at Salt Lake City's Jackson Elementary School, suggests that by providing stories of young people, they can be shown how to improve, practice, share and develop positive character traits such as integrity and responsibility. "What Do You Stand For?" might just be the cornerstone for today's social studies classes and discussions around the table.
Karen Foster says she recently dusted off her dream of illustrating books and began writing stories as a pursuit to publication. GOOD NIGHT MY LITTLE CHICKS: BUENAS NOCHES MIS POLLITOS (First Story Press) is a product of that "dusting off." This is a simple little picture book in two languages that celebrates bedtime and a love of mother and child. This would be a fun book for children who already know a few Spanish words or for bilingual homes.
PUPPIES FOR SALE AND OTHER INSPIRATIONAL TALES by Dan Clark, Health Publications Inc.
Often we need the short "burst" to motivate us or change our way of thinking. One of the best sellers to do that has been "Chicken Soup for the Soul." Dan Clark contributed to that collection of stories.
In "Puppies for Sale," he has drawn together many anecdotes that "hug the heart and snuggle the soul." These are mostly one-pagers with a candid look at people of various ages and stages of life who have made a difference. Carter's one-liners do trigger the emotion and hold the interest such as "pause and ponder," "it's what's inside that counts," "in life we can't afford to wait to tell others how we feel," "I will be more than good - I will be good for something."
One of my favorites is of a child who, when explaining being late, said about a friend, "I just stayed to help her cry!"
Clark has captured people, places and things in short stories that touch the heart of all ages.