BookEnds-Alpha & Omega: A Fable for All Seasons

ISBN 978-1-4269-0159-1
(166 pages, $14.00)

A whimsical tale of the First and Last Seasons of Life, BookEnds is a fable about Alpha grandchildren and Omega grandparents, and how they work together to create a harmonious community.

Fables are symbolic stories used to explain complex ideas in simpler, more imaginative ways. Within a familiar setting, inanimate objects magically come to life, animals can talk, people are able to perform extraordinary feats. Fables communicate on many levels to people of all ages. They are fun to write - and fun to read.

In BookEnds, Valkira is a precocious 10-year-old, struggling to survive at Jane Addams Junior High. She is rescued by her eccentric grandmother, who enables her to become a SuperHero and make her school a safe learning place. Grandmère Minerva lives with two French-speaking Siamese cats in a house full of books and music; she wears swirling capes and flamboyant hats, and flies in a sled pulled by a Siberian Husky who barks in Russian.

When the outside world threatens Valkira, Grandmère Minerva turns to her colorful and unconventional peers - the International Order of Grandmothers, who meet at a recycled amusement park. To protect their grandchildren, the grandmothers become a dynamic force for change. Realizing that they cannot fix the world alone, they persuade the grandfathers to help them. Alpha & Omega generations join forces to preserve the Earth and joyously celebrate the Circle of Life.

BookEnds is aimed primarily (though not exclusively) at adults - especially those who think about how things could be. Education, bullying, domestic abuse, ageism, the generation gap, money and power, war and peace are probed with humor and optimism. The fanciful blend of magic and reality makes it a delightful and enlightening read.