Return to story

Best authors keep things fresh, creative

February 6, 2007 12:50 am

AWRITER with a long career can write the same kind of book over and over, or she can try new things. Author Mary Stolz, who died recently at the age of 86, chose the latter course.

First known for her perceptive novels for teens about girls on the brink of romance--"The Seagulls Woke Me" and "To Tell Your Love" are two early books--she later wrote chapter books, beginning readers, fantasy and historical fiction.

"A Dog on Barkham Street" tells the story of 12-year-old Edward, who longs for a dog despite his parents' objections, and is plagued by Martin, the neighborhood bully. Edward is amazed and jealous when Martin, who certainly doesn't seem deserving, gets a dog of his own.

Just a few years later, Stolz published "The Bully of Barkham Street," which told the same story, this time from the bully's viewpoint.

Martin Hastings is bigger than other kids in class, his parents don't pay much attention to him, and he seems to get in trouble despite all his best intentions. The one bright spot in his day is Rufus, the dog his parents finally agreed to let him keep.

For Rufus' sake, Martin is trying harder than ever to stay out of fights, turn in his homework and speak respectfully to adults. But even the threat of losing Rufus isn't enough to keep Martin from losing his temper.

Stolz writes with great insight and humor, helping readers to understand both boys' points of view. In a third book, "The Explorer of Barkham Street," published more than 20 years later, Martin is slowly succeeding at making friends and staying out of trouble, helped along by his daydreams of adventure sparked by a book report on Admiral Byrd.

The boy in "Emmett's Pig" also wishes for a pet, but in Emmett's case it's a pig. Despite his collection of paper pigs, glass pigs, wooden pigs and piggy banks, Emmett still wants a live pig of his own, but there's no room for it in his family's city apartment. Then his parents give him a wonderful birthday present: a real pig that will belong to Emmett but board on a farm that he can visit every month. Emmett names his new pet after himself: "King Emmett so as not to mix us up," he explains to his parents.

In the sequel, "King Emmett the Second," Emmett faces the sad news that King Emmett has died, and adjusts to a family move to a house in the country. But when it comes to getting another pet pig, Emmett isn't quite sure he's ready. The resolution to Emmett's dilemma--a new puppy, named King Emmett the Second but nicknamed King --will satisfy young pet-lovers.

Stolz also wrote two Newbery Honor-winning books, "Belling the Tiger" and "The Noonday Friends," as well as two books set in Egypt. "Zekmet the Stone Carver" is an original story about a stone sphinx built as a monument to an ancient pharaoh. In "Cat in the Mirror," two girls, one in contemporary New York and the other from Egypt 3,000 years ago, meet when one girl is transported back in time.

In all her books, Stolz showed respect and understanding for young people, and this is what keeps her books circulating on library and bookstore shelves.