John's mother is getting married and he has to leave the reservation. John's grandfather tells him he has the special unbreakable code to take with him. This story portrays the quiet pride of a Navajo code talker as he explains to his grandson how the Navajo language, faith and ingenuity helped win World War II. Full color.
Ever since second grade, when I visited Louisa May Alcott's home and saw her desk with a view toward Walden Pond, I have been writing stories. I wrote plays and scripts as an undergraduate at Dartmouth College, then feature articles and radio stories at The Christian Science Monitor,a documentary on Korean/American adoption, and finally children's books and songs. Most popular, so far, have been my songs for Warner Bros. Baby Looney Tunes television series and the picture book, The Unbreakable Code, the story of the Navajo Code Talkers of World War II. With illustrator and college friend, Julia Miner, I traveled to the Navajo Reservation in Arizona and New Mexico to interview the courageous, modest Navajo veterans who invented a code that was never broken during the Pacific island battles of World War II. The picture book that resulted from our collaboration has won numerous awards: including a Smithsonian Magazine Notable book, and the Governor of Arizona Book of the Year. Most rewarding, the Navajo tribe chose this children's book for their Olympics display in Salt Lake City. Many of the Marines I interviewed for the book in 1994 are gone now but their strength continues to inspire me and I cherish my ongoing friendship with their families.
My newest children's book, The Lighthouse Santa (UPNE, 2011), also illustrated by Julia Miner, is based on the story of another hero, Edward Rowe Snow. For close to fifty years, this unsung hero dropped Christmas presents from his plane to all the children living in New England's remote lighthouses. The Lighthouse Santa tells the story of seven year old Kate, who waits at her lonely island lighthouse for this year's Christmas present. Her brother says Mr. Snow will not be able to fly because of the storm at sea. But Kate never loses hope that the Lighthouse Santa will arrive to grant her mystery wish.
