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Author urges students to look for life's magic
Islanders tend to remember visitors, and island children are no exception. "You signed my book when I was a little baby," said a grinning Islesboro Central School second grader to author Emily
Chetkowski, referring to Chetkowski's book Mabel Takes the Ferry. In late September, the author was an honored guest at Islesboro Central School, where she shared with the elementary students what it is like to be an author.By Bonnie L. Mowery-Oldham 
The school's library staff arranged and hosted the morning of readings from Chetkowski's books and
question-and-answer sessions with small student groups. Her first published book, Mabel Takes the Ferry, especially popular on Islesboro, recounts the true story of Chetkowski's shaggy black and white dog who unwittingly stowed away on the Islesboro ferry, ending up at the Lobster Pound restaurant in Lincolnville Beach after a day's worth of adventure. The Chetkowski family had been searching for Mabel on the island for hours, and were relieved, but greatly puzzled, when they learned of Mabel's whereabouts. Since Mable couldn't stay overnight with the restaurant owner and his 13 cats, another boat ride had to be arranged to pick Mable up and return her to her family. This chain of events inspired Chetkowski to become a published author; she thought the story was so funny that it deserved to be shared with children everywhere. The first printing of the book has long since sold out, but a second printing is in the works and should appear sometime this spring.Chetkowski lives on a small 1780's farm in Massachusetts with her husband, two children and a menagerie of animals including an angora goat, horses, dogs, cats, chickens, rats and a donkey named Winston who likes to escape and peep in neighbors' windows. The family has had a summer home in Islesboro for 15 years, and Chetkowski writes most of her stories there, inspired by the peace and quiet. On this most recent visit, Chetkowski shared with Islesboro children her latest book, Pumpkin Smile, the story of a six-year-old girl losing her baby teeth. Beautifully illustrated, the rhyming tale prompted many of the students to proudly show Chetkowski their own gaping, pumpkin-like smiles. The idea for the story just popped into Chetkowski's head while traveling in the family car on vacation, the family members helped her write the basic rhyme. Chetkowski's greatest satisfaction comes from parents reading her books to their children at bedtime, putting a smile on children's faces. On a more serious note, Chetkowski has written another book, Gooseman, for readers 9-12, intended to remind people that the horrors of World War II are still very much alive in modern society in many forms and degrees. The true story of an American soldier stationed in a small Bavarian village two weeks after the war has officially ended, it provokes serious thought, allowing readers to find their own meanings. Chetkowski encourages students to look for the magic in life, and she believes that every person is a walking story. She says that "everyone's life is an amazing story unfolding, no matter who we are or what we do with it. I encourage students to look inside themselves to find their stories, and their family members' stories and, in light of recent events, to realize that these everyday people are heroes, teachers, adventurers, comedians, people who make change, and people who sacrifice for the good of others, even though they are simply our parents, friends and loved ones." Chetkowski enjoys traveling to schools in New England to share her experience in writing with students. She conducts different program presentations related to each of her books, or all of them in general. |
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