Newswise — The best MTSU stories often are not about splendid new buildings being constructed or the official placement of new programs accompanied by the traditional "grip-and-grin" photograph.
Sometimes the best MTSU stories are about individual initiatives by the uniquely talented and fascinating individuals who work here.
Elaine Mitchell Palmore is one of those individuals.
With her bubbly personality and passionate concern for children, Palmore is endearing to all kinds of people with all kinds of agendas.
Palmore, the director of MTSU's Child Development Center, is writing children's literature for the needs of today's children.
In fact, her first book has received the endorsement of the Betty Ford Center.
The Dragon Who Lives at Our House (Fresh Fables) tells the story of a typical suburban dad who likes to drink beer at barbecues in the company of his faithful companion, Al, a jovial, green dragon.
Eventually, however, Al grows so big that he can no longer stay in the house. Dad has to go to some place called "treatment," where he meets other people with dragons of all sizes and colors. After recovery, Al never really goes away, but he does shrink down to a manageable size.
Only 14 books about addiction are recommended by the Betty Ford Center, one of the most renowned alcohol and drug-abuse treatment centers in the world and a pioneer in the field of rehabilitation.
Palmore's very first book of any kind made the list. Not bad for starters, eh?
Dragon also was a finalist in the "Health: Addiction and Recovery" category of the Best Books 2011 Awards sponsored by USA Book News.
In addition to Palmore's careful prose, one reason her books resonate with professionals and other readers is the illustrations of Norris Hall, who made Al and all the other dragons benign-looking instead of fire-breathing.
"If you are in a situation where your parents are addicted and they've been dragged off to jail in the middle of the night or whatever, the last thing you need to see is this horrifying dragon," Palmore said in an interview on WMOT-FM's "MTSU on the Record."
In addition to her experience as the mother of two, Palmore is well-served by her education. She has a bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee, a master's degree from Belmont University and a credential in early-childhood and elementary education from the American Montessori Society.
Palmore's second book, "Big Changes in the Crow Family," tackles the tricky subject of divorce in a similarly compassionate, kid-friendly way.
Mom and Dad Crow, who have three little hatchings, grow apart as Mom returns to college to better herself and the Crows develop different sets of friends and different life agendas.
Both "The Dragon Who Lives at Our House" and "Big Changes in the Crow Family" are available at Barnes and Noble, Hastings and Amazon.com.
To listen to the podcast of Palmore's "MTSU on the Record" interview, go to mtsunews.com/category/audio-clips/on-the-record/ and scroll down to "Children's Literature for the 21st Century."
Illustrations in both "The Dragon" and "Big Changes" are by Norris Hall.
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Note: For high-resolution jpeg images of the author and her book covers, contact Gina K. Logue at 615-898-5081 or email [email protected].
Visit www.freshfables.com to learn more about the books and the author.
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