By TONIGHT’S EDITION OF “READINGS ON THE PORCH”
This evening, on the porch of the William Allen White House State Historic Site, Beverley Buller of Newton told the audience about the William Allen White Book Awards which are held each fall in Emporia.
Buller also read from her soon-to-be-published biography about W. A. White. From Emporia: The Story of William Allen White is a book for children and will be published this summer by Kansas City Star Books.
During her years as a teacher and school librarian, Buller had often thought that someone should write a biography of White specifically for children.
“I discovered in my first year of teaching, which was 30 years ago, that children don’t know who William Allen White was. I kept thinking someone from Emporia would write a book about him.”
“I attended the grand opening of this house (May 14, 2005) and I decided that very afternoon (to write the book). Why not? Why not me?”
She began her research with White’s autobiography. “I started by rereading that and taking Post-it Notes and flagging pages. I read all the biographies and they have flags and are highlighted. And I came to Emporia because this is where you have to research William Allen White.”
Her research also took her to El Dorado where White spent his youth and to Estes Park, Colo., where Will and Sallie had a summer home.
The book will be sold both in paperback and hardback and will have 86 or 90 full-color pages. Every page will have a photo or a copy of a document. She’ll include a letter from Mark Twain, White’s report cards and a copy of a royalty check for more than $6,000 that White stuck in book and forgot to cash.
She’s pleased that her publisher will keep her working title: From Emporia, The Story of William Allen White because that’s an important part of the man – that he connected with world leaders yet he stayed and worked in Emporia.
Buller is a librarian at Chisholm Middle School in Newton and is member of the Selection Committee for the William Allen White Children’s Book Award.
Stay tuned to Flyover People. I’ll post a notice when the book is published… in July or August.
Beverley is a gem. She is passionate about engaging young people in reading good, no, great books. She explained how the William Allen White Children’s Book Award was a first-in-the-nation reader’s choice award program which is now modeled in most states. The White family was quite literate. The two White children were well read and loved books. The award program is quite fitting.
Beverley discussed the changing face of Children’s literature and how she approached this biography.
I want the ultimate irony, for Beverley Buller’s book, “From Emporia: The Story of William Allen White” to win the William Allen White Children’s Book Award!
I liked listening to Beverley — she was all sparkly, especially when she was talking with the children, but I wasn’t able to capture that in the photos I took.
I learned a lot about the White Award and think her book will be great.