Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, May 4, 1990 TAG: 9005040388
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARGIE FISHER RICHMOND BUREAU
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
This time it's a children's book, being written by 31-year-old Marla Glenn Richardson of Richmond.
Richardson, a former newspaperwoman and information officer for the state Council of Higher Education, said she was in a public library Jan. 12 - the day before Wilder's historic inauguration as the nation's first black elected governor - when a boy, probably no more than 6 or 7, asked the librarian if there was anything he could read about Wilder.
At that time there were two books on the shelves. One, "When Hell Froze Over," was written by Roanoke Times & World-News reporter Dwayne Yancey about Wilder's 1985 campaign for lieutenant governor. The other, "Hold Fast to Dreams," was a biography written by Washington Post reporter Don Baker.
Since then, a third book, "Claiming the Dream," has been written by Margaret Edds, a reporter with the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot and Ledger-Star. Edds' book, about Wilder's 1989 gubernatorial campaign, is scheduled for publication June 30.
But Richardson said it was clear to her and to the librarian there was nothing available suitable for young Wilder fans.
Richardson said she's never written a children's book, but she quit her job to begin working on the project, which has involved interviews with Wilder's family members and research into what he was like as a youth.
"He was always a little politician," she's concluded. "He was born with charisma."
She feels the story of how he grew up in an era of racial discrimination and overcame considerable odds at every stage of his career is an inspirational one many children will benefit from if the Wilder story can be related to them in terms they understand.
Richardson is in contact with a couple of publishers of books for children. One of them seems particularly interested since it has a series of books featuring such celebrities as television superstar Bill Cosby.
She also said she doesn't have an illustrator.
by CNB