This is a quote from my absolute favorite children's book author/illustrator:
"I believe that children in this country need a more robust literary diet than they are getting.... It does not hurt them to read about good and evil, love and hate, life and death. Nor do I think they should read only about things that they understand.... a man’s reach should exceed his grasp. So should a child’s. For myself, I will never talk down to—or draw down to—children."
~ Barbara Cooney

I could not have said it any better. She is one of my heros and one I identify with very much. She was also a self taught artist who illustrated from her home where she raised her four children which is what I dream of one day doing also. Two of my favorite books of her's as a child were Miss Rumphius and Roxaboxen.

Hi! I'd like you to meet someone who I've gotten to know quite well. His name is Johnny Green. He's a pretty nice guy. He learned an important lesson recently about taking better care of the Earth he lives on after meeting a strange little green man who has a very interesting diet the other day. If you'd like to get to know him better you can go to his own blog @ johnnygreenandthelittlegreenman.blogspot or the website about the book that tells his story @ suzantylerdecker.com.

He says it was very nice meeting you by the way...

My First Book

Written by: Debra Royale Bassett

"Listening to my Family Symphony,

my heart sings a song!

How could anything be more special, I wonder?

I'm glad I belong!"

These are the words of the little girl in this book who realizes how special her family is to her.

The author is a licensed Kindermusik Educator, so she knows all about music and young children. She specializes in helping parents get involved alongside their children in the music she teaches them. That is exactly what this story is about, music and family, intertwined to make a lovely read for the child as well as perhaps the Grandma, Grandpa, or parent who may be reading it to them. Filled with lively, bright pictures and sing song lyrics, it seems to delight every child I have read it to. My hope is that everyone will have as much fun reading it as I did illustrating it.

Elizabeth Drew once said, "The test of literature is, I suppose, whether we live more intensely for the reading of it." That is exactly the goal of the book Johnny Green and the Little Green Man. We, meaning author and me, hope that everyone who reads this poignant and needful story will be encouraged to live "more intensely" for the cause of taking better care of our green Earth. You can find out more about it @ johnnygreenandthelittlegreenman.blogspot.com or at the website suzantylerdecker.com Go Green!! :)