Saving Granddaddy's Stories: Ray Hicks, the Voice of Appalachia --An ARC Giveaway

The text and illustrations for Saving Granddaddy's Stories  (Reycraft Books, 2020) complement one another beautifully and I'm excited to share both with you. This is author, Shanon Hitchcock's debut picture book. (You will find my review of one of her novels, The Ballad of Jessie Pearl, here.) She wrote about Ray Hicks because she grew up in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains near where Ray lived. And like Ray, her family loved to tell stories too. As you read the book, you can almost hear Ray's voice spinning off the pages. 

Look closely at the illustrations by Sophie Page. She is a mixed-media artist and creates images in two dimensions to tell her stories. These illustrations were made from paper, fabric, wire, and a "handful of Jack's magic beans."

REVIEW

Ray Hicks was a poor boy who grew up among the "shimmering peaks and coves of the Blue Ridge Mountains."

Ray spent a lot of time listening to his Granddaddy Ben's Jack-tales.

All of the stories were about a poor boy named Jack who worked hard but "traded his cow for a magic bean, because he was starving."

At school when his teacher read Jack and the Beanstalk, Ray asked to tell it the mountain way. "Ray imitated Granddaddy and spread his arms wide."

Ray grew up and started telling Jack tales, just like his Granddaddy.

Morning and night, Ray told stories to anyone who would listen.

Then he heard about the International Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tn. 

The people in Jonesborough had never heard a man like him. He was, 

"A teller who'd lived his stories--gone cold and hungry."

After ten years, he won the grand prize for storytelling, traveled to Washington, D.C., and met the vice president, "a fellow named Bush." Ray was recognized by the Smithsonian by receiving a National Heritage Award.

Granddaddy's stories lived on. Ray returned to his beloved mountains, to the same home he was born in. "And he never turned away anyone who wanted to hear a story."

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For a DVD about Ray Hicks, click here. 

Here's the book trailer, narrated by Shannon Hitchcock. 

GIVEAWAY

I have my ARC to give to one of you. I'm going to change the giveaway this time, so listen up! IF you live in North Carolina, tell me that in the comments and I'll put your name in twice. To entice my non-North Carolina friends into wanting to visit my beautiful state, leave me a comment and I'll enter your name THREE times. MAKE SURE you leave your full name and email address. Lately, someone named Victoria has been commenting but I have no idea who she is so I can't include her. Also, a lot of comments are showing up as "Unknown;" although people with Google accounts seem to be getting through OK. To be safe, leave your name and contact information. 

As always, I appreciate it when you share this post on social media!

JUST FOR FUN 

Why not have your child create his or her own mixed media project? Pinterest is loaded with ideas. Or, just create a picture out of craft materials in your house. My granddaughter and I spent a fun hour together and made these: