Former Valley residents write, illustrate children's book
Published: January 22, 2010
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Submitted Photo The cover of "Freddie the Fish," written by Francis Wolcott and illustrated by Melissa Warner Bailey.
Sometimes, the second time is the charm.
At least that is the case for "Freddie the Fish," a children's book written by former Valley resident Francis Wolcott and illustrated by his niece, Melissa Warner Bailey, who is also a Valley native.
Wolcott originally wrote the book in the 1970s, Bailey said, and her late father, Ralph "Bud" Warner, did the original illustrations. Wolcott sent the book for publication at that time, she said, but couldn't find a publisher to produce the book. Her father had talked about the book from time to time when she was younger, she said, but she hadn't actually seen it until her uncle sent the originals to her a few years ago.
Wolcott decided to try to publish the book again, and was successful this time; "Freddie the Fish" is a 24-page paperback and is currently available through Wheatmark.com and will be available in the future through Amazon.com, borders.com and barnesandnoble.com, Bailey said. It is priced at $13.95.
Bailey said that while her father's illustrations served as a guide for her own art for the book, she made the project her own.
"I have a totally different style than he did," she said.
Bailey currently resides with her husband Bryan in York, Pa., and is a graduate of Sayre High School and Mansfield University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in art in 1991, according to a press release provided by Bailey, while Wolcott is a "businessman, entrepreneur, journalist and song writer" who lives in Phoenix, Ariz. Wolcott is a graduate of Ithaca College with a BS degree in business administration. He grew up in a family of nine children and has five grandchildren who were the inspiration for the book, the release stated.
"'Freddie the Fish' is a storybook your children and grandchildren will have you reading over and over to them and, as they grow in age, will soon be reading to you," the release stated.
This is the first book she has illustrated, Bailey said, and also the first children's book that Wolcott has written. The book has been out for about a month now, and the author and illustrator are working on plans to visit local libraries and schools to read the book to children, she said.
As for working on other books in the future, "he (Wolcott) has a lot of ideas," Bailey said.
"We'll see where it goes."
Brian Bishop can be reached at (570) 888-9652; or e-mail: bbishop@thedailyreview.com.
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