From: Kerry Madden <kiffnkerry>
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 10:47:24 -0700 (PDT)

I loved SINGING HANDS by Delia Ray too, Robin. What a wonderful review. I'm very glad to also know about the book, DO YOU REMEMBER THE COLOR BLUE? by Sally Alexander recently mentioned on this list.

My children's novel, GENTLE'S HOLLER, (Viking) has a blind character, Gentle, almost three) who has nine brothers and sisters, and some of them want to teach her color through the other senses...(gold is the hot sun on your face, red is mama's biscuits baking in the oven.) I did some writing workshops at the Braille Institute and at the Frances Blend School for the Visually Impaired in Los Angeles, and I brought in objects that my characters love and/or collect for the kids in the workshop to explore...cow bones, fairy stones, feathers, applesauce cake, our dog who inspired Uncle Hazard, a dachshund, mountain music, fairy finger puppets. A blind girl, Sammi, also wrote to me and suggested that big brother, Emmett, whittle a cane for Gentle. Sammi's great suggestion made it into the next book, LOUISIANA'S SONG. I wanted the sensory world of the Smoky Mountains to come alive for a child who couldn't see through the love of her brothers and sisters.

All best Kerry Madden www.kerrymadden.com www.readerville.com

 
Received on Tue 10 Oct 2006 12:47:24 PM CDT