The Mostly True Stories of Roly Poly's Great Lake Adventures

Open this book to find glorious artwork and seven delightful stories about a real dog named Roly Poly. With Granny Blue Jeans in tow, Roly Poly tumbles into adventures in and around a Great Lake. These include encounters with big waves, a conversation with a monarch butterfly, and the discovery of mysterious yellow balls that fall from the sky! Roly Poly also tries to dig to the other side of the world, copes with a boring day, and searches for the "best, most perfect stick" to take home. Richly illustrated with alcohol ink and photographs of Roly Poly, this book captures the imagination of children and adults alike. For people who love images, the stories almost tell themselves through pictures. But then there are the words, evoking the sights, sounds, and smells of the beach and the natural environment around the lake. You can dive into all the stories at once or savor them, one at a time. In any case, you'll want to read them, and fall into the illustrations, again and again. When he heard the first story, Lior (age five) was asked, "Do you want another Roly Poly story, today?" Spontaneously, he responded, "Yes, I want them ALL!" Lana (age nine) said, "I can't wait to read these to my kindergarten reading buddy." This is truly the best, most perfect book to take home for children, ages 5-9.

Back in the day, Gail Fairfield taught grades K-3 and raised a daughter, giving her ample opportunity to engage with children and read hundreds of children's books. She always wanted to try her hand at creating these stories, so she wrote and illustrated a couple of books, just for family and friends. Then, she was adopted by Roly Poly, a nine-pound Yorkie-Maltese mix. The dog's antics inspired her to stretch her artistic and writing skills and to learn how to use the software to create this book. Now retired, Gail has the freedom to express her creativity, travel, enjoy her grandchildren, and dig in the dirt of her garden. She engages with her Bloomington, Indiana community through participating in Women Writing for (a) Change and volunteer work, mostly involving children and/or art.

Find out more about the Roly Poly stories and view/purchase Gail's other artwork at www.GailFairfieldInks.com.

Gail Fairfield was born in China, of American parents, and grew up in Japan where she attended an international school. After attending college in the U.S., she wasn't sure exactly where she belonged. Searching for home, she spent significant chunks of her life in Iowa City, IA and Seattle, WA, before landing in Bloomington, IN where she has now been settled since 1990. Her professional life has always involved teaching in one form or another. When teaching young children (grades K-3), she read hundreds of children's books and found herself enamored of them. At Indiana University, she advised students, inspired staff to develop their skills, and created and implemented a University-wide academic coach training program. In these contexts, it was not uncommon for her to read a children's story aloud, to illustrate a point. It was only natural that her fascination with children's stories led to her trying her own hand. When a small Yorkie-Maltese mix adopted her, there was no turning back.