Shutta Crum

 

School Library Journal! (This news just in from my editor. The Aug. issue of SLJ will highlight THOMAS with a starred review. YAY!) They call it a “must-read” and say, in part: “…Thomas learns that a boy cannot be judged by his size or his intentions, but by the decisions he makes and the trials he must overcome. What sets this story apart from other knightly tales are the unusual size of the hero, the tools–or lack of tools–he has for fighting evil, and the delightful events awaiting him once he finds the princess.”

Publisher’s Weekly: Galley Talk says: “Thomas and the Dragon Queen has everything you’d expect in a tale of a chivalrous age: a brave knight, a kidnapped princess, a fearsome dragon-but none of these in quite the way you’d expect. . . Expect to realize that you care very much about how things will turn out for this small boy. Expect to be surprised. But above all, expect a wonderful tale, well told.”

The Horn Book Magazine says: ” A sure-fire hit as a read-aloud, this is an engaging book featuring a hero filled with bravery, quick wits, and heart.”

Booklist Magazine says:  “A refreshing antidote to the tired fractured-fairy-tale genre, this good-hearted chapter book delivers an adventure that many young readers will enjoy. A fine choice for those early elementary-school students seeking longer chapter books.”

Publisher’s Weekly Magazine says:  “Wildish’s  . . . high-spirited b & w cartoons enhance the ample action and humor of this taut fantasy, which culminates in Thomas’s triumphant homecoming.”

Enjoy—and trust, always, to your good hand and your brave heart!

Shutta

 

Today is THOMAS AND THE DRAGON QUEEN’s birth-(launch)-day! It is now available in stores. It is published by Knopf, with black and white line illustrations by Lee Wildish. THOMAS AND THE DRAGON QUEEN is an adventure story of a small knight and a large dragon.

This book seemed to pour out of me. I was stuck in the middle of a much longer book with a more complicated plot when, suddenly, I knew I had a different and very important story to tell that was short, simple, and pure. That story became THOMAS AND THE DRAGON QUEEN.

I do hope you get a chance to read it; especially in these times of so much misunderstanding in the world . . . for this book is really a book about peace. It is also humorous and full of adventure. That is good. A work of fiction is primarily meant to entertain. But if a book about peace can entertain as well as demonstrate how to get along with others different from ourselves . . . that is wonderful! And I am happy about it.

Peace

Shutta

We are home-with some sadness at leaving new friends and a beautiful country. I will forever be indebted to the PTOs of the great schools of the Depart. of Defense who hosted my series of author visits with their students.

We took hundreds of photos. I can only share a few here. I hope you enjoy these sights as much as we did!

(Above: me with a young fan who was the proud caregiver for M.C. Perry School’s rubber chicken mascot for the day.)

(Left) My husband Gerry and I on a sail through the many islands off the coast of Kyushu while we were at Sasebo naval facility.

 

 

 

The “Chicken Shack!” in Iwakuni. (Near the marine base where we stayed.) We were treated to a wonderful meal in our own tea room here. No shack! Gorgeous.

 

 

The famous Kentaikyu Bridge outside Iwakuni. The center section was built without nails so it could be pulled down if necessary during a raid. On the mountain top is the Kentai Castle.

  

 

A bullet train-the high-speed trains are super fast, comfortable, quiet. What a great way to travel!

 

 

 

 Red torii gate in Hakone. Wherever there is a gate there is a shrine or temple.

 

 

 

 

 An elder statesman of a tree in Hakone.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

Billie Dysinger (one of my hostesses) and me at the Sadako Memorial in Hiroshima. Behind us in the glass cubicles are just a few of the hundreds of thousands of folded cranes sent by school children from all over the world.

 

The Hiroshima Dome stands as a stark reminder of the horror that happened here. 

 

 

 

Temple in Kamakura we visited while at the naval base in Yokusuka.

 

 

 

 

A small sweet statuary from the temple grounds.

(In Kamakura.)

 

 

 

 

The giant Buddha in Kamakura. Wow! And visitors can go inside it as well.

 

 

 

 

 

A traditional wedding on the Meji Temple grounds.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Just one of the many beautiful kimonos seen whenever we came upon a special occasion such as a wedding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A colorful assortment of dried beans in a vendor’s stall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assorted fresh catch from sea urchins to octopus.

  

 

You choose your food and then rent a hibachi to cook it. Fresh fish, and scallops still in their shells-yum!

  

 

And handy vending machines are everywhere! This one offers fresh eggs.

 

 

A delightful dragon on a Chinese gate in China Town in Yokohama.

 

  

 

 

 

Gerry with a VERY BIG kite on Boy’s Day. (In Zama.)

 

 

 

 We caught up with the cherry blossoms while at the air force facility in Misawa. These are just outside of Japan’s oldest Kabuki theater in the north of Honshu. 

 

 

Carp kites flying in Tokyo in honor of Boy’s Day. (Traditionally, one is flown for each male child. Now-a-days, a kite is flown for each child in the family.)

 

 

Tokyo at night. In the distance is the spire of the Tokyo Tower lit with golden light.

 

 

 

Arrigato! A big THANKS to the many new friends we made while touring the schools on the military bases . . . so many I can’t name you all, but you know who you are and that you now own some space in my heart!

Shutta

 

 

 

Above, a wonderful dragon at a temple along the Oirase Gorge. Surely, one of the most beautful areas of Japan! A river drains in a series of waterfalls from Lake Towada . . . a double caldera lake high in the mountains of northern Honshu.

And below that a view of one of the two lesser “Fujis” of the north.

We are headed home with some sadness at leaving such a beautiful country . . . and all our new friends behind.

More later on the great kids and staff of the DODEA schools.

Shutta

We are in Japan during Golden Week. It is very busy as this is the time of year that many Japanese take their vacations. It is also one of the beautiful times here as azaleas and wisteria are in bloom.

I had a great time with the young students of Yokosuka, Atsugi, and Zama. We are off today to northern Honshu (the main island) to schools in Misawa.

Shutta

During a break from working with the children at Sullivans School, we visited Kamakura where the giant Budda is, as well as the beautiful Bamboo Temple. I loved the way the light shone through the trees!

Shutta

This photo is of the castle in Iwakuni. And there are gorgeous views from the castle perspective, high on a mountain overlooking an island-speckled bay.

I am touring schools on American military bases from Sasebo on the southern island of Kyushu to Masawa at the northern tip of Honshu–the main island. It is wonderful and fun! More later.

Shutta

My friend Hope Vestergaard had a wonderful storytime at Nicola’s
Books today. She read her new book, Potty Animals, to the enjoyment of the crowd.

Afterward the kids built a castle with rolls of toilet paper!

Fun!

Shutta

While I don’t have time at the moment to update my site, I thought I’d post some pictures of my granddaughter Chloe—-following, I hope—-in Grandma’s footsteps! The photo in the red (taken about 1 year and a half ago) lets you know that she was an independent reader from a very young age. Don’t let the fact that the book is upside down fool you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This reading stuff is easy!

 

 

 

Hmm . . . what to write? If Grandma can do it, I can. We’ll start out with a hook . . . It was a dark and stormy night .. .

 

Grandma, you made a mistake right there!

 

 

 

 

Enjoy!  Shutta

Once you’ve tickled the water and the ripples radiate out . . .there’s no telling what shore they (or you) will wash up on.

In my near future, that shore happens to be in Japan!  Yes, you heard that right! And I owe it all to the good advice of fellow writer Cynthia Leitich Smith, (Eternal, Jingle Dancer) who said writers should write a couple of articles for magazines every year-to help promote their books and their work-even if those magazines are non-paying professional and educational journals. So I did. And a teacher in that far away place saw the articles, liked them, read my books, and emailed. Eventually, she asked me if I’d consider doing an author tour of American elementary schools on US military bases. Would I? Believe me, I didn’t hesitate to say “YES!”

In April we leave for Japan for a month. I’ll be doing author presentations at eight schools over the course of twelve of those twenty-six days. We’ll be traveling on the bullet trains from the southern island of Kyushu to the northern tip of Honshu. The teachers have all pitched in to make reservations, get my travel between schools worked out, and even to provide guides for my husband while I am at the schools!  They are an organized, energetic, and wonderful bunch-I can tell that already.

And so, I’m here to tell those writers who wonder if it is worth it to write for a non-paying outlet-it is! (Thanks, Cyn.) And besides, I love writing for professional journals as it is one way to share with teachers, librarians and others who love children and their books. It is a way to give back to a community that has given me and my family so much.

Sayonara

Shutta