Let me tell you an adventurous story with illustrations. Simon & Sophie Meet a Bear begins with two happy siblings hiking into the woods to pick blueberries for Blueberry Pie. Their caring mom calls, "Be home before dark.", sternly adding, "Be home before sunset." The woods is enthralling, full of flora and fauna. A copious grove of blueberry bushes is ripe for picking, singing, and counting. They become hungry and eat the blueberries, so they must pick more even though the sun looks tired. Walking home, they realize they are lost! Things look different in the woods at night . . . Come read what happens after Simon and Sophie fall asleep under a big tree. This is a warm-hearted tale of family understanding. The appendix explains real vs. fictional bears. Enjoy a song, and a Blueberry Pie recipe, too.
From Rebecca Rothwell, Author & Illustrator of Simon & Sophie Meet a Bear:
I have Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Education degrees and enjoy creating adventurously fun stories. I take pride in my illustrations and typography working together.
Grandfather Peters was an editor for Rand McNally. Mother was a Valedictorian who then taught English. Creative Writing came naturally to me. After all, I was named after Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, "Becky" Thatcher, and "Becky" of Vanity Fair. Artwork took discipline.
In 1976, Simon & Sophie Meet a Bear was understandably rejected. It was my first draft. The day after getting rejected, Mother listened to a morning talk show where a publisher-spokesperson said that it was an in-sign to get a handwritten letter-of-rejection; that I should keep trying. That was quite a coincidence.
I did keep trying. The story with pictures is now ready to share with the world. Many thanks and Happy Birthday to 102-year-old Dorrance Publishing Company. Enjoy!
Simon & Sophie Meet a Bear
Rebecca Rothwell, Author & Illustrator
