|
|
| |
A SPARK IN THE DARK is
a rhyming children's picture book about a lonely star in the
sky. It creates a blue
ball and spins
it around. The star adds mountains and trees, but is still
lonely. Then the star has an idea. It rains down star beams
that turn into children of every shape, color, and size.
To the star's surprise, a light from each child's heart fills
up sky with twinkling lights!
“... The simple poetic story dances
over 24 pages of full color cut-paper artwork, drawing children
into a world of shape and color... The authors incorporate
mythological and symbolic elements to give the book a deep
and layered meaning.”
- All About Kids
|
 |
INSPIRATION
It was just before Christmas and Richard's parents
were ill. We couldn't decide what to give them for a present
that would let them know how special they were to us. As fate
would have it a huge snowstorm hit Tahoe, where we were living
at the time. It lasted for 2 weeks and everything in town closed
down. Since we couldn't go anywhere, we spent our time digging
out from under the snow and writing a story for his parents,
which turned into A SPARK IN THE DARK.
The story was inspired by a quote from
astronomer, Carl Sagan: "Everything
that is, the planets, the water, the mountains and trees and
we, ourselves, are made of star stuff". Richard made the
illustrations out of cut and ripped construction paper. The artwork
of Ivan Chermayeff was a primary source of inspiration.
It took us 2 weeks to write and illustrate. When the sun finally
came out again, we were done. A SPARK IN
THE DARK was first published
in 1994 by Dawn Publications. It has sold 12,000 copies since
that time and will soon go into its 4th printing.
|
 |
“
The
idea that we come from one great light, and live connected on
what the authors call ‘ the blue ball’ is
told gently but with conviction.”
- Parents Magazine
|
| |
|
|
AUDIENCE
A SPARK IN THE
DARK is a creation story
that incorporates themes of cultures and religions from around
the world. Because of its
universality, the book has found a wide and diverse audience.
A Catholic nun at a bookstore event told us that for her it was
a Christian story. And a Hindu woman who managed a children’s
bookstore told us that for her it was a retelling of a Hindu
story.
The book has been very popular as a gift
for newborns. The universal creation themes have made it a
popular Christmas gift as well.
We have been surprised and touched to receive several letters
from parents who have read excerpts from A
SPARK IN THE DARK at their children’s
funerals. One family had a line from the book carved onto their
child’s headstone. Recently
the book has also been included in the Tapestry Book catalog
that specializes in resources for adoption.
|
 |
"[A
Spark in the Dark] is not only beautifully designed, but
provides a creation story that is grounded in the natural world...
Animating
the star is a lovely idea and the image of star beams falling
like rain and bursting into beings of light is just delightful.”
-
The Joseph Campbell Library & Archives
|
| |
|
|
HIGHLIGHTS
- D.C. Action For Children, an advocacy
organization in Washington D.C. chose A SPARK IN
THE DARK as the theme for
their
1995 performance and benefit “Our Shining Stars: An
Evening with the Children of Washington”.
- Original artwork from A SPARK IN
THE DARK was auctioned at the Horizon’s Initiative
1996 and 1997 fundraising events to help raise money for
childcare for homeless children
in
the Boston
area family shelters as well as educational programs, counseling,
and other support services for their parents.
- Stara College,
a teacher training college in Australia, adapted images
from A SPARK IN THE DARK for their logo and used
the illustrations and message of the story throughout their literature as representative
of their general philosophy.
- The Child
at Heart Gallery sells original artwork by a variety of well-known
children’s authors. Several of Richard Tichnor’s
original illustrations for A SPARK IN THE DARK are for
sale through this gallery.
- Tapestry Books, a resource catalog
for adoption, sells copies of A SPARK IN THE DARK.
|
| |
|
|
