Though most writers hope their books will stand the test of time, we are smart enough to understand that they can’t endure the elements for more than a moment. While their souls –if books have souls — might be eternal, their bones are fragile things. An April shower? A light snow? Forget about it. Pulp fiction, baby.

How lucky I was, then, to have And Here’s to You! selected as part of the StoryWalk Project in Portland, ME. The book is illustrated by Randy Cecil, and published by Candlewick Press.

StoryWalk was rounded up by the fierce and fabulous Kirsten Cappy of Curious City and sponsored The City of Portland, Health and Human Services Dept, the Portland Public Library, and the Portland Housing Authority. (The StoryWalk™ Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition and the Kellogg Hubbard Library.)

Each page of the book was laminated and then mounted on a four-foot mahogany stake. Now, the children and parents of Riverton Park, most of whom are refugees can take a walk and read a book all at once. I was especially happy to know that my book was in a setting where many children might not have access to books in their homes.

The dedication, attended by Mayor Nicholas Mavodones, Jr. and other city officials, was held November 3rd. In addition to the unveiling, we gave away over a hundred books that day. As I signed each book, the children spelled their names. A-b-d-u-l-l-h-a-k-e-e-m. F-a-t-u-m-a. M-a-a-n-d-e-e-q. D-a-w-o-o-d. Dawood? Uh . . . that’s David, in English.

Many of these kids were born to parents who could neither read nor write in their own language. They began their lives in refugee camps half way round the world, exposed to hardships and dangers unimaginable to most of us. Yet, here they were smiling, helping someone whose childhood could not have been more different from their own, to spell.

It was a beautiful day.