Cracker's adventures remind us of how we all live surrounded -- especially in hard times -- by great whispers of love. Cracker... is much more than your average children's book. It's a coffee table book for kids -- with a library-bound hard cover, dust jacket, and forty full-color pages on heavy stock. A thoughtful and lasting gift. Welcome to the shores of Cracker! Cracker is an heirloom-quality, hard cover book. A trilogy in one volume. A story gently told, full of meaning to last a lifetime. Parents and teachers celebrate Cracker's publication as a triumph of teaching without preaching. As one elementary teacher recently told the author, through tears of joy, "That book's not just for children. That book's for everyone." Children (and clearly, adults) find peace in the music of the language, as Cracker leads them on a sideways journey through the devastation of bullying, the perils of pride, and the great joy to be found in even a little bit of love. Cracker the Crab is already making a difference in the lives of children of all ages. We invite you to share in his journey, and look for other Cracker books and products, coming soon. The Author: Michael Cogdill is a 9-time Emmy Award winning television journalist, whose work has appeared on The Today Show, MSNBC, CNBC, and CNN. Born in the mountains of North Carolina, he was raised by family and friends who taught him that hard times don’t have to harden the human heart. Michael is a cum laude graduate of The University of North Carolina at Asheville, where he was surrounded by great literature. He began writing creatively as a child, but never dreamed of writing for children. Cracker the Crab and the Sideways Afternoon was quite unexpectedly born on a vacation to Hilton Head Island -- inspired by a young person combing the beach in a wheelchair. Michael credits his wife of 18 years, Jill, with giving him the courage -- and encouraging the vision -- to write a book highlighting the enormous power to be found in courage, humility, and love. The Illustrator: Jill Cogdill was born in central New Jersey, but moved to Wilmington, North Carolina in 1979, when her parents retired. Jill completed high school there, and then attended The University Of North Carolina at Wilmington, graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communication in 1985. While an intern at a local television station, Jill met Michael, who worked for a competing station. They began dating in January of 1985, and were married on July 13 of that same year. Jill has no formal art training, but after reading Part One of Cracker the Crab and the Sideways Afternoon, Michael compelled her to draw the little crustacean, and Cracker was born. She feels her simple drawings are the perfect match for Michael’s beautiful storytelling, and hopes that children -- of all ages -- will agree. |
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