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The Long
Summer
Dorothy E. Miller
From
The
Miami Times “Lifestyle” section (1998)
One
of the achievements in modern literature for children is a genuine
history of American life and of family life at its equal best.
If the country can become great in humility, and can work earnestly
to solve it’s problems at the same time that it carries it’s
share of world responsibilities, it will be in the vision of our
children and their integrity and idealism. That is the theme of a
new book, The Long Summer, by Miami resident Dorothy
E. Miller, a ‘story for children,’ with illustrations by
Oscar Thomas, Fred Seymour and Eddie Spragains.
In
The Long Summer, Zachary and his grandfather cut hay
together. Pa Charles, Zachary’s grandfather, shows his
grandchildren how to use a mowing machine carefully and not to hurt
themselves. Zachary has two brothers, Howard and John, and a sister,
Zebra.
Zebra
rides to the field with her grandfather in the hay wagon. She would
have fun in the haystacks, as she would trample it down. Zachary was
the water boy. He would give everyone water to drink. He was the
oldest sibling.
They
all worked very hard the whole summer together without any fights or
disagreements. Then Zachary and Zebra, had to go on a little journey
for the first time, to get a blade for the mowing machine and had to
walk through the whole prairie near Kansas City, Kansas. Zachary
dreaded going into town because so many people lived there. He was
not exactly in fear, but when strange eyes looked at him, it made
him uncomfortable.
The
whole prairie was about a mile’s walk. They followed the way by Pa
Charles’s
wagon wheel, down the dry road to the main street.
On
the way back, Zebra became a little scared because she couldn’t
find the wagon wheel’s tracks. Zachary knew the way blindfolded,
but, first they couldn’t find the way that Zachary knew; they were
in the middle of the prairie and didn’t know it.
They
were looking for a clue or a sign to tell them that they were on
course. Zachary had to follow his own trail back to the road. They
were safe again. They were near a house in the woods, the Hughes
house. Zachary knew he was seconds away for Pa Charles’s field, so
they ran the rest of the way home.
The
next morning, Zebra helped Grandma Sandie bake a pumpkin pie, so
when Pa Charles returned, the pie was ready.
Then
came a rainstorm that lasted four days and four nights. Afterwards
there was nothing to do outdoors, so everyone had to help with the
cooking. Ma Sandie had asked the Cornelius family to come for
dinner. The boys and Pa Charles went to get the groceries. It was an
Indian summer indeed.
And
so the story goes.
Miller
was born in Indian River Country and educated in New Jersey.
She
is a writer, singer and ballet dancer. She writes about Whites,
Blacks, and Indians, because of her heritage. Her first book was
‘The Manuscript of a Black Caucasian.’ Before becoming an
author, she worked as a legal secretary.Order
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