Today's guest has traveled all the way from Brazil to be with us today. Please welcome author Kristy Dempsey!
Kristy has written several picture books, including the recently released A DANCE LIKE STARLIGHT, illustrated by Floyd Cooper. Today she's sharing her favorite, loved-to-pieces book from her own childhood.
"Until my parents adopted two children when I was 19 years old, I was the youngest child in my family. My sister is older than me and though we spent time together, she was often a couple of steps ahead of me in her interests. I was still playing with dolls when she was plastering her walls with posters from Tiger Beat. She played the piano. I played pretend.
Kristy has written several picture books, including the recently released A DANCE LIKE STARLIGHT, illustrated by Floyd Cooper. Today she's sharing her favorite, loved-to-pieces book from her own childhood.
_________
"Until my parents adopted two children when I was 19 years old, I was the youngest child in my family. My sister is older than me and though we spent time together, she was often a couple of steps ahead of me in her interests. I was still playing with dolls when she was plastering her walls with posters from Tiger Beat. She played the piano. I played pretend.
One of my
fondest pretend games was that of having a twin, a constant companion
that would always be there with me. We could wear matching outfits and
people would notice us everywhere we went. We could switch places and
pretend to be each other. I could blame all the messes I made on my
twin! (I was a clumsy child.) Being a twin must be so special, I thought. Maybe, I thought, I have a long-lost twin somewhere out there, just hoping to find me. (I was also a dreamy child.)
And then at the library, I ran across this book.
And then at the library, I ran across this book.
Suddenly,
I wanted to be a triplet. Two more MEs would be even MORE special than
one!
Flicka, Ricka and Dicka were girls after my own heart.
After trying
to help an old woman (who to me looked like a witch!) with some chores,
their brand-new beautiful dresses were ruined. I was sure they were
going to be in big trouble with their mother. I even felt slightly sick
to my stomach because I was sure the witch would lure them into some
terrible situation.
However,
I was ultimately relieved when the old woman turns out to be no witch
at all and the girls don't even get in trouble. Their mother is pleased
that they thought to help someone! This fantastic turn of events left me
gobsmacked. It gave me all the more reason to wish I were one of a set
of triplets, because apparently triplets didn't even have to pay the
consequences when they do something wrong.
As
it turned out I never found my long-lost twin, but I did keep reading
the whole series of Flicka, Ricka and Dicka books, finding in those
three girls the adventurous playmates I so longed for."
_________
by Kristy Dempsey
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Philomel, January 2014
★ "Mama works hard sewing costumes for the ballet dancers at the old Metropolitan Opera House, and her daughter delights in trying them on . . . But dreaming may not be enough. . . . Then, one special night, the little girl and her mama attend a performance featuring Janet Collins, the first African-American dancer at the Met. . . . Dempsey's expressive free verse is full of longing and dreams, all in the very believable voice of a ballet-loving girl. Cooper employs his signature style of textured art to lovingly capture Harlem in the '50s. . . . A warm, inspirational collaboration that will resonate in the hearts of all who dream." --Kirkus (starred review)
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