Ateval Dier

In Memoriam: La Veta Reid whose pen name is Ateval Dier went home to be with Jesus in 2021.

As an elementary education teacher she, at various times, taught at pre-first, second, and fourth grade levels; she loved sharing information with children and their parents. Miss Sillyworth is an interactive book introducing a child to ways to survive disaster by being prepared in advance.

She taught in New Mexico and Missouri; gaining rich experiences that helped her write for children. Writing to whet their curiosity about topics found in the world around them was very rewarding to her.

The Miss Sillyworth book is most beneficial when read aloud by a parent and/or a grandparent with their child or grandchild. This oral reading together promotes greater understanding by the child of the material covered in the book. Also the book appendix provides additional materials for the adult and child to explore.

She felt strongly about writing a story which would contribute to the safety of families. She accomplished this by creating a story using available preserved research projects and exploring topics about the self-sustaining life styles of the 1840's. Her aim was to note solutions from that time period and renew interest as to how valuable the time proven survival methods can be, even in modern times. She focused on and researched 1840's foods, problem solving techniques of that era, survival methods, clothing, transportation, homes, farm, etc. to create her story. All ideas are presented to provoke one to consider useful alternative disaster recovery methods.

She felt taking a field trip to a traditional Amish farm and seeing a demonstration of skills from the past would be a very meaningful and productive extension of the book's story.

Finally, as a parent/grandparent, she was provided a unique view of what piques a child's wonder about the world. She eagerly enjoyed opening new vistas for children to explore. Watch for other publications written by this author to be available in the future.

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Should you choose to honor her memory, a donation to the American Heart Association is a meaningful way to do so. Thank you.