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Abelard and Heloise
Wendy Waite, author
Dana Stratton, illustrator
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Price: $16.95
Casebound with Jacket | 32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-9786527-1-5 |
Summary
"Josephine Jones had seven cats/ Who wore fine collars and silk cravats./ And all of the cats were Siamese/ But Abelard and Heloise." Thus begins the Children's book 'Abelard and Heloise,' a story about two scruffy animal shelter rescuees that become rescuers on a cold Christmas eve. Written as a children's poem by author Wendy Waite, 'Abelard and Heloise' was originally published in 'Wendy Waite Collected Works' in 2006. Subsequently, it was lovingly illustrated with original watercolors by Dana Stratton and made into a book for children six years and older. The story line involves the cats Abelard and Heloise that were rescued from the shelter by Josephine Jones, but have to take a "back seat" to her five Siamese cats. Abelard and Heloise live in the basement and make do with a laundry basket for a bed while the Siamese cats live comfortably upstairs in the main house. On Christmas eve, the newest Siamese kitten, Siru, slips out of the house while no one is watching and gets stuck in snow. Only the two basement cats can hear her cries. Abelard and Heloise slip out of the basement and rescue Siru, staying with the kitten all night. The next morning, to the delight of the Josephine Jones household, Siru is fine and Abelard and Heloise become part of the "upstairs cats." This book was written and illustrated to create a children's book with a "traditional" feel to it. The verse is in rhyming couplets that are fun for children to read out loud. The illustrations are done in a realistic style and are brightly but not garishly colored. While the story takes place on Christmas eve, it is not thematically a "Christmas Story". Children reading the book will get the message that selflessly helping others in distress will be rewarded.
About the Author
Born in Portland, Oregon, Wendy Waite grew up in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree and her Master of Science degree from the University of Southern Mississippi. Her early adult life was spent in broadcast journalism, working for radio stations in North Carolina, her adopted home. In 1989 she started teaching at Queens College (now Queens University of Charlotte) where she was appointed Assistant Professor. Her poetry and prose have appeared in several poetry and other journals. Wendy died June 28, 2005. Dana Stratton was born and grew up in McComb, Mississippi. She received her Bachelor's degree in art education from Kutztown University in Pennsylvania and her Master's degree in art education from the University of Southern Mississippi. Before retiring, she spent 32 years teaching art history and studio art at the college and high school levels. Dana has created illustrations and cover art for commercial publications and a poetry journal. She is a charter member of the National Museum for Women in the Arts, a signature member of the Alaska Watercolor Society and a member of the South Mississippi Art Association. Dana currently resides in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
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