Disabled aunts were author's inspiration
Sharlee Glenn, 46, of Pleasant Grove, author of "Keeping Up With Roo," and the book's illustrator, Dan Andreasen, received the Dolly Gray Children's Literature Award for its positive yet realistic portrayals of individuals with disabilities.
This year's other recipient of the award was Sarah Weeks, author of "So B. It." The awards were given at a conference Feb. 1 in Hawaii.
"Keeping Up With Roo" is about a child, Gracie, and her best friend and developmentally disabled aunt, Ruth, who also is called Roo.
In the book, Roo and Gracie play together on the farm. Roo teaches Gracie how to walk and read. As Gracie grows older, she realizes Roo is different and is embarrassed of her.
The book concludes with Gracie accepting her aunt after realizing all Roo has added to her life.
"I would say the message is everyone has something to contribute," said Tina Dyches, a Brigham Young University education professor and chairwoman of the Dolly Gray Children's Literature Award committee. "People with disabilities don't always have to be the recipients of care, but they have something to offer as well."
"It was just happenstance that she was the winner and she is from Utah," Dyches said.
Glenn's inspiration for the book was real life.
She grew up on a farm in the Uinta Basin with her developmentally disabled aunts, twins Martha and Mildred Gilbert.
Martha, to whom Glenn dedicates the book, died about 10 years ago. Glenn began the book shortly after her death.
"I kept thinking, with wonder and gratitude, she taught me how to read," Glenn said about Martha.
Glenn featured just one aunt in the book, instead of two, to keep the plot simple.
Glenn chose not to use words in the story such as "developmentally disabled" to describe Roo, hoping that the illustrations would explain it.
"Another reason I chose to not make that explicit in the text is because it wasn't clear to me as a small child," she said. "I did become aware later there was something different about Mildred and Martha, and I did go through a time where like Gracie I was a little embarrassed ... We do a disservice to children if we condescend, patronize and spell everything out."
Glenn, a mother of five, taught humanities courses at Brigham Young University before committing to a writing career.
She has written a middle-grade novel and other picture books. Her next book, "Just What Mama Needs" is being published by Harcourt.
E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com
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