A Book a Week

That's the challenge that Jenny and I have made for 2012. There are all sorts of ideas, but for Week One, Jan. 1 to midnight Jan 7, I have bound a book that has been sitting unfinished for 3 years. Editions can be like that.. write the story, draw the illustrations, letterpress the text.. and the background... and the illustrations... then sew up ONE book. The other 9 just sit on the shelf. Waiting. It's because the covers are the real problem for me.. all that judgement based on the covers! So finding just the right cover for this book has been... hard. The story is called "The Tale of the Blueberries". This is the story and a picture of the cover.


The Tale of the Blueberries


On top of a mountain, in a land far away
The blueberries lived each glorious day.


They lived all together on Bob's Berry Farm...
in neat little rows, far from danger and harm.


Each berry wore a button that said, "Sinners Repent! 
Blueberries are the Best, 'cause we're Heaven-Sent!"


The berries were raised with culture and art
given every advantage to promote a strong start.


Farmer Bob watered and fed them, and cultivated them too.
So the proud little berries grew, and grew, and GREW!


Over in the valley, in the Tall Piney Wood 
lived a family of robins - their songs sweet and good.


Mother Robin loved her babies, and went searching each day
for fat worms and berries - her brood's hunger to stay.


She flew to The Mountain and asked the berries there -
a bit of their sweet fruit with her would they share?


"Oh NO!" said their leader. "We won't share our wealth.
We need all our berries to ensure our perfect health.


"We live on this mountain, the richest on earth.
We're Heaven-Sent berries. We're special from birth!"


"Oh please," said Mother Robin. "My babies need food.
Just a few small berries to feed my poor brood?"


But the berries were certain that their way was the best.
So they ignored Mother Robin and the babies in her nest.


Then Old Mother Earth said to Great Father Sky,
"If you don't do something, those babies will die!"


So Great Father Sky gathered the clouds and the wind
and made a huge hurricane - No WAY to defend.


And he sent it to The Mountain, and it did its job well.
It was a Blueberry Hurricane! It was Blueberry Hell!


Some say 'change is inevitable'; and 'from each bad comes some good.'
Well, the berries blew ALL OVER, even Mother Robin's neighborhood!


Now the berries are scattered to lands HIGH and lands LOW;
a treasure to EVERYONE - and this we all know.


For each berry wears a button. You know, that small round dent?
Well, it says quite plainly, "Blueberries Are Heaven-Sent!"

Jenny and I would like to invite anyone reading this blog to join the One Book A Week Challenge for your own enjoyment. You can start any time, but make it for an entire year to complete the challenge. To see a photo of Jenny's weekly books check out her blog, whatsmahappenin.blogspot.com. and if you would like to share some examples of your books, email them to me and I'll try to get them on the blog. I'd love to see them!
Kathy