Some of these "oldies but goodies" are available in used bookstores or used book services on the Internet.
This book, beautifully illustrated by the Italian artist, Giuliano Ferri, is a whimsical retelling of the Biblical Story of the Creation, as found in the first chapter of Genesis. When it came out in 1993 it was one of the "Pick of the Lists"--the National Book Association's favorites of the season. God creates the seas and the sky, the flowers and vegetables(including varieties of squash), the birds, the fish, the animals. Then, feeling lonely, God creates people. In a reassuring conclusion, God promises "to be around. You may not see me. But I'll be here--and there--wherever you are, whenever you need me. Think of me. I'll be thinking of you."
This book may still be in some stores. It may be available through online used bookstores.
This book is dedicated to my three young sons--who shared a room. Sheer numbers (plus we had a playroom) didn't allow the havoc that prevailed in William's room. But one day, after he'd complained about all the toys he couldn't find, his mother insisted that he clean the room. Now. He found not only his lost toys, but things he didn't even know he had!
Listed in Bowker's BEST BOOKS FOR CHILDREN.
This is the first book I wrote where the illustrator did her work first and then I wrote the stories to go with the pictures. She didn't do quite all her work first. But she had sold the publisher on the idea of such a book, shown him several photographs she had in mind for accompanying stories. Then they looked for a writer. A mutual writer-friend suggested me. So Nancy and I got together, decided which "manners" we would like the stories to be about--washing before dinner, being quiet while the baby sleeps, taking fair turns, not interrupting, writing thank-you notes, using a napkin instead of your shirt, and others. So we have fourteen manners stories, and fourteen full page photos to go with them. Appealing, and fun to read.
This was my first book and of course I was very excited at its publication. The editors even brought me to Philadelphia to take my picture for the cover. It is a collection of anecdotal essays on what it meant--being a minister's wife and family. Some humorous chapters (e.g."I Learn to Speak Methodist,") some expressing the pathos of the vocation (e.g."We'll Be Home Tomorrow," as the family moves from a loved and familiar town and parsonage to a new parish.) Some aspects are dated--in 1968 clergy were mostly male. But still worth reading.
This was my first children's book. I had lived in the same house from the age of two until I went away to college, and moving every few years as a minister's family seemed to desecrate the natural order of things--though my children seemed not to mind at all. In the story, William explores the realities of moving: "We'd take my dresser but not my closet...We'd take my bike but not my sidewalk." He moves, relieved that "I still have my same mommy and daddy and brother and turtle and me!"
The book won a Friends of American Writers Juvenile Award, and for several years was part of a series, "The Polka Dot Door" with TVOntario. It was also listed in Saturday Review's - "The Best of the Season"
Julie is sitting on the porch looking at her sandals.She wonders how come shoes last and people don't. Her brother Anthony hadn't been her brother for very long "But a person can get to feel like your brother in a very little while." She looks back over the time she helped get Anthony's room ready. She brought him her toys, even though he couldn't play with them yet. The kindly minister who has gone in to visit her parents comes back out and sits down beside her. They talk about Anthony, and she learns from him that he once had a little girl who died. "I could sometimes come over," she says. "I wish you would," he says. "Then we don't say anything. We just sit there beside each other--me beside him and him beside me." This book has been used extensively in national story tellers gatherings, and is listed in Zena Sutherland's "The Best in Children's Books."
A concept book. Each two page spread has a Lost item (or sad feeling)on one page and across from it, a happy outcome! LOST can be anything from a missing jigsaw puzzle piece for the ballerina's other shoe, to waiting for your big brother to pick you up the first day at a new school and he doesn't come. FOUND can be anything from finding the puzzle piece turned upside down "so it just matches the rug," to when your brother comes, all out of breath, and he says, "Sorry. The bus kids had to go first today."
I think of this book as a companion book to "I'm Moving." It has the same young boys, William and Jimmy, who are best friends. While the move is exciting for William, for Jimmy it's sad, to have his best friend move away. On moving day several children watch the men loading the truck. Then Jimmy has William's family to supper. Then it's time to go. The next day Jimmy talks to his hamsters. He watches TV. After lunch he wanders down to William's house. As he starts home he remembers that another classmate, Mary Ellen, lives nearby. He goes to her door, rings the bell. At first no one comes. He's about to leave. Then he hears,"Jimmy!" It's Mary Ellen. A new friend for both!
This book has been used in 2nd grade reading programs.
Listed in Bowker's BEST BOOKS FOR CHILDREN.
This novel is my shining star, the fulfillment of my dreams, something I was beginning to think would never happen. It is a family story of loss and recovery, of grief and despair and courage and love. It is my story--a family in which a 16-year-old girl is killed in a horseback riding accident--and it took me 18 years to write it--getting enough distance, learning what to leave out, creating characters and and events to turn a personal story into fiction. The account of writing the book, re-writing, writing it again, attempting to sell it, meeting just the right agent who had just the right suggestions--(and knew just the right editors)-- would make a book in itself. And then in 1996, in this country and in England, the book came out in hardcover, and a year later, in paperback, in both countries. I was deeply content--this resolution of my life's tragedy. The book was well reviewed, though not often enough. It was chosen by the fiction editor of the Nashville Tennessean as one of the three best novels of the year. It even made the centerfold of the Sunday N.Y. Times Book Review. My contract had special provisions in the event that the book should be on the NY Times best-seller list. We all hoped for great things--a movie even--but in truth the book did not do well and was declared out of print much too soon. There are copies on many of the internet booksellers. I have a supply of paperbacks for sale, at $6.50 plus $1.50 Postage and Handling. If you don't want to buy this book, try the library. Read it. It will make you sad, but in the end it will make your heart sing!
Annamaria Atherton is getting dressed for school. When her mother calls up the stairs, "Aren't you ready for school? Haven't you finished tying your shoes yet?" Annamaria calls back, "Not quite!" In her room she thinks of all the obstacles that could delay her. She doesn't have her socks on. Maybe her feet have grown and her shoes are too tight. What if she gets the shoes tied and her toes start to itch? Somebody might come over while she's tying her shoes. If her grandma came, she'd tie the shoes. Anyway, she's not sure she wants to go to school today. Another reason is--she explains to her mother who has come upstairs to hurry her along--she can't find her shoes!
When his widowed grandfather comes from Massachusetts to live with James Allen's family in North Carolina, everyone tries very hard to make him feel welcome and at home. They take him on drives. They take him to the library and the hardware store. They take him to their church, where all the people clap in welcome. But even with all this loving care, he misses the snow, his home, his friends. One day James Allen finds his grandfather in the basement workshop. He is building a birdhouse. Gradually the birdhouse comes to look like the home his grandfather had lived in before he came to North Carolina. Finally the birdhouse is finished and they take it upstairs to show James Allen's mother and father. His grandfather thanks them for how welcoming they have been. But he is lonesome for the snow in winter, the birds that come back in the spring. He has written the renters that he is coming back. He will come to visit and they must come often and visit him. Then they go outside and put up the new birdhouse, and James Allen thinks of all the fun things he used to do at his grandfather's house and now he can do them again!
One Saturday morning Sammy hears fire sirens wail by. He and his dad go out to see what's going on. The church is on fire! People are carrying things out--the pulpit Bible, the Memorial Gifts book. Sammy calls, "Save my sheep costume! We're doing `The Lost Sheep' parable and I'm one of the sheep!" But it's too late. "Not safe any more. Nobody goes in," the firechief calls out through his loud speaker. The crowd of people stand and watch until all that's left is a smouldering hulk. Sammy and his Dad go home. They are sad. "How can we have church?" Sammy asks. "We don't have a building but we still have a church," his dad says. "The church is the people who go there."
A kindly restaurant owner(whose restaurant is closed on Sundays) offers the use of his restaurant. The next day the congregation meets at the restaurant.
The Sunday school teachers have brought towels for sheep costumes, and "The Parable of the Lost Sheep" goes on as planned. Then the people all stand and sing, "I am the church, You are the church! We are the church together."
