In his travels of the day, he meets up with a cricket who has met with a bit of a catastrophe on his own. Dusty and Baby Bug find a creative way to help this unfortunate fellow creature, and bring him along with the worm with the intention to meet Dusty's family, and then to make their way to their nearby homes from there.

On the way, Dusty and Baby Bug and their two new traveling companions meet a little cedar waxwing bird who has disobeyed his parents, and wound up in quite a little pickle himself! And the little group of friends learn the value of a 'code of honor'.

Of course, Dusty being a good little fellow, as he meets these new friends, is only too happy to help them reach safety and find the help that they need.

"Dusty Goes South" is a delightfully positive story about a group of little creatures who, by their adventures and misadventures, help their little readers to see the value of learning from the good advice of the trusted adults in their lives, and the value of keeping their word, even when it looks as though no one will ever find out if they didn't.

The first planned sequel to Dusty will see Dusty being accompanied by his Dad back to Pungo to Dusty's home, in a tender story subtly dealing with the normally painful issue of the 'broken home', and highlighting the positive points of the arrangement just as i did for my own son, Ryan, who lived with this difficulty as well, and has emerged from the trial a successful, happy and well-loved young man. So, i can only hope it may help another child out there who needs to smile, and feel he or she is headed in a positive direction in their lives, and know that they have choices too.

'Dusty' was completed a few years back, and i must say that one hesitation for me in its absolute completion was my own lack of ability in creating believable backgrounds for the characters of little Dusty and friends.

But today, i am very pleased and happy to announce my association with Ohio's wonderful Kathy Shimer, a highly-accomplished and talented illustration, wildlife and landscapes artist.

Kathy and her husband of 17 years, Donald, have joined our enthusiasm for Dusty's marketable, educational, enlightening and "happy-fying" qualities, and work now to help ready the first book in the "Antie Crickitt's Tales of LaLaLand" series for acquisition and publication by most 'KindredSpirited' of possible publishers, with the collaberation of our efforts on the rest of the upgraded, recreated and new illustrations for 'Dusty'.

Also in the 'Antie Crickitt' series are 'The Rainbow Skater', a tale of the wishes and fairies and watersprites that live around the summer lawn sprinkler of a quiet little girl, and 'Nellie-ellie Nicespider', a story of a little spider who is unhappy because everytime she smiles at someone, she scares them away with her sharp, little teeth, and how she tries to find ways to rectify her trouble.

There are hundreds of stories and tales bubbling around in this mind, and most certainly, i will never run into a shortage of them. So please do not hesitate to contact us, should you feel the inkling.

Now, please, as excited as i am about Kathy's beautiful work, let me hesitate no longer to parade it before your astounded eyes.

Visit

Kathy Shimer's
own little

Art Cottage

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WRITE us!