Local artist illustrates new children�s book
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Photo by Kylie Carter
BACK IN BREMEN ��Nappanee author Sue Huhman teamed up with Bremen artist Jessica Flores to create �Berle, the Black Squirrel of the North,� a children�s book with a message. |
5-28-03
By Kylie Carter
Reporter
BREMEN � �Berle, the Black Squirrel of the North� is a children�s book with a message that was created by local talent. Kathleen �Sue� Huhman of Nappanee and Jessica Flores of Bremen are excited to finally have the finished product of a book they have worked together on for the past two years.
�It was prayed about,� Huhman said. �The story came to me in the middle of the night. I was thinking about what I could do. I�ve always liked writing ever since I was a little girl. I was retiring. What could I do that would help other people and help my husband?�
The whole story came to her and she wrote it all out on paper.
�I then put it on the computer, turned around to my son, and said, �This is good!� He said, �Mom, you never say that.� I�ve never been one to toot my own horn, but this was an inspired book. It�s a life lesson. You see a lot of children�s books with a lot of vocabulary, but not too many with life messages.�
The story has a strong message about not judging people based on outward appearances. In the book, black, gray, and red squirrels learn to accept each other despite stereotypes they were brought up hearing about the other squirrels.
Huhman wrote the book while staying at a cottage they own at Crooked Lake in Curran Mich., where there are many black squirrels and eagles, so she chose those animals for her main characters.
�You can use animals to tell a message without it being threatening to people,� Huhman said. �It helps people to think without pointing a finger.�
Flores, whose brother married Huhman�s daughter, came to the cottage for a visit, read the story, and wanted to illustrate it. A graduate of Indiana Wesleyan College with a double major in Art and English, Flores had the talent and the vision, because she�d seen the same black squirrels that inspired Huhman.
�I�ve always wanted to illustrate children�s books in the first place,� Flores said. �The first thing I do when I walk into Barnes and Noble is go to the Children�s section.�
They were pleased to find a friendly, inexpensive publisher nearby � Evangel Press in Nappanee.
�They were wonderful people to work with,� Huhman said.
They received the actual go ahead for the book in October 2002. Huhman worked hard on laying out the text, and then Flores watercolored the illustrations, finishing in January. The printers laid it all out, Flores and Huhman checked the layout over, and then it went to Michigan to get published. The final product came out May 1 with an initial 1,035 copies of the book printed.
Huhman and Flores are doing their own marketing for the book. It is currently available at Christian Light Bookstore, Market Street Studio, and Hepler�s Barber Shop. Huhman is currently working with Borders for distribution, and a representative from Evangel Press is showing it in London.
�We�re just now starting to take it around. We�re really excited about the level of interest,� Huhman said.
Huhman has finished work on a second book and is planning a Crooked Lake Series.
�The only place I can write is the cottage, though, so I have to go back!�
They will be having a book signing gala from 6 to 8 p.m. on May 29 at Market Street Studio in Nappanee. In addition to the book signing, Huhman will do a reading at 6:30 and there will be refreshments in the form of a nuts and berries buffet. It will be a casual dress event and everyone, especially children, are invited to attend.
Huhman resides in Nappanee where her husband and son own Hepler�s Barber Shop. Flores, formerly Jessica Graverson, grew up and still lives in Bremen. Flores co-owns Nappanee�s Market Street Studio.
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