Professors Are Not Always Correct

by Charlotte Savage

            

             It was in the 1970’s when my daughter Deborah, a new student at American University in Washington D.C., called to tell me her mail box was hungry and asked that I send her some mail. Being away from home for the first time she called home every night to inform me of the day’s happenings, I wondered why she needed mail.  

              Little did I know that her request would start me on a new hobby--that of writing stories in the first person— not from me-- but from the animals we had adopted over the years.

                This encouraged me to take a college course entitled ‘Writing for Children.”  The Professor began the class by displaying his published books which were quite simple.  One book showed pictures of different types of trucks with just one line at the bottom of the page naming the type of truck it was.   His other books were similar but with different subjects.

               For my first class assignment I wrote about a cat and mouse from the mouse’s point of view and I received a failing grade.   The Professor stated that my story didn’t work.  It had failed because the only book with talking animals that had ever been successful was Charlotte’s Web and no other author has been able to duplicate it.  I lost all interest in writing children’s books --though I did finish the course.

               Instead I turned to letter writing.  I sent my daughter letters written in the first person from our newly adopted very active mischievous puppy.  My mail became a huge success with her and her fellow students who were soon knocking on her door to ask if any new letters had arrived.  Eventually Deborah posted my letters on a bulletin board outside her room for all to read.

              Just as Deborah returned from college for the summer my two nephews, ages twelve and thirteen, went away to summer camp.  They also wished to receive mail and I complied.  It wasn’t too long before they became the most popular children in their camp.  They were the only ones to receive letters from a dog named Princess Pokey and a cat named Comfrey the Attack Cat—the animal’s names were displayed in large print on the return address of the envelopes.

              The following summer the boys wanted reassurance, as they left for camp, that they would again receive mail from Princess and Comfrey.   That year I began drawing pictures of the animals in the margin of the letter as well as having them tell a story.  The boys told me they loved receiving the letters which they began referring to as stories.

               Gradually my animal stories took on the form of actual books for children and I illustrated them as well.    With the addition of grandchildren into the family I began incorporating their birthday parties into my stories and having the child as the central character and if that child had a dog or a cat they too were included in my story.

              It was only then that I came to the realization of just how wrong the college Professor had been.   Talking animals do make interesting stories for children and adults as well as both my family and customers have proven over the years.

2016 Charlotte Savage all rights reserved.