Calvin, the earthworm, invites you to help him save the planet.
Taking Care of the Earth
Recycling and taking care of the earth is a big topic these days and rightly so. After years of neglect and abuse of our natural resources, I’m concerned about the legacy left behind for our children and grandchildren.
I recently met a fellow author, and now friend, who feels the same way as I do. Brenda Barnes and I met at the Altrusa Reading Festival at Patterson Farm in Mt Ulla, NC, June 8th, 2013. After getting to know her, I discovered she has such a strong desire to spread the word about recycling and taking care of the earth that she wrote a book about that subject. Asking Brenda how she came up with the idea for the main character, Calvin, the earthworm, she said,
“I’ve been writing ever since I was a child, with my first story written when I was in second grade. Since then I have never lost the love of words. I am a voracious reader, but am equally enthused about writing. I am a published poet, writer of short stories and even have self-published flash fiction that was well received. I also write for several online sites such as HubPages and Yahoo Voices.”
“I had never really thought about writing children’s books until I became a grandmother. My grandson often asks for bedtime stories, and so, occasionally, I create one in my mind, telling it orally and writing it down later.”
“The inspiration for my first children’s book, Calvin Compost in Organic City, was inspired from a visit to Hildebran Elementary School. This local school has a Garden Club that meets every week, where children learn about gardening, even growing vegetables for the cafeteria. Attending one of those meetings, I watched the children add to and turn the compost bin. Later that night, I wrote a story just for them about a little earthworm that lives in a compost bin. The next week, I read the story at their meeting. They loved it. The teachers did, too, inviting me back several times to read.”
“Each time I did, I would add more details until Calvin’s story became a complete book published by The Laurus Company. Since then, Calvin Compost in Organic City has become a huge part of my life, with the next book in the series, The Highly Electric Lightning Bug, due out late July, 2013.”
Congratulations, Brenda Barnes! For teaching children about taking care of the earth through your wonderful stories, you are my favorite author of the week.
Do you know someone who is inspiring others to take care of the earth? If so, I would like to hear from you. Leave a comment, message on Facebook, twitter, or email, dicysm@yahoo.com.
Thanks,
Dicy
http://www.dicymcculloughbooks.com/
http://www.dicymcculloughbooks.com/blog/
