Doesn't it seem like the elements—fire, water, air, and earth—are at war with humanity? Disasters abound, bringing suffering and chaos, but so does human exploitation of the elements.
After one of my friends lost their home in a fire in Southern California three years ago, I wrote a poem trying to make sense of the adversarial relationship between the elements and us. This year, that poem takes shape as a picture book for children, THE STORY OF US, gorgeously illustrated by Kevin and Kristen Howdeshell, releasing September 20, 2022 from Beaming Books.
Today, as I'm sharing the cover to celebrate their art, I have to confess that in my career as an author over two decades, I've never longed more to hold a finished book of mine and take it in from cover to cover. I need this book. Just a few weeks ago, my beloved sister and family lost their home of twenty years in a catastrophic fire. I want to know that chaos won't have the last word and that one day these four elements and humanity will be at peace. My prayer is that this book will bring hope and solace to children and grownups alike, including myself.