A wild turkey showed up in a small Glenmont neighborhood two years ago and surprised residents when it tried to make friends with a neighbor’s group of free-range chickens.
Members of the Chadwick Square community would watch for the turkey each afternoon, and they were enthralled by its interactions with the local chickens. Eventually the chickens were moved indoors when the weather turned cold, and that’s when the turkey stopped coming.
“I began to imagine why he came in the first place and why didn’t he leave sooner and where did he go in the end,” said Loretta Mello Simon. “So then I began to write the story for my grandchildren.”
Simon, who eventually turned that story into a children’s book, is a former public school art teacher. She is also an environmentalist and historic preservationist, who has written several advocacy pieces and works of nonfiction in the past.
The book, released in September, tells the story of a brave young turkey who loves to explore and meet new friends. He becomes a local celebrity among the chickens, but he must return home to his family when winter comes.
Simon said her grandchildren were involved throughout the process of writing the book. The original ending was changed because it did not get their approval.
“I had thought Tommy could stay and have found a new family, because we talk so much about all the different ways we can make a family, and we recognize that more,” said Simon, 74. “But my grandchildren were very upset he wasn’t going to go home, and said his parents would be worried about him.”
So she changed the ending, and while writing the story Simon also began to work on the illustrations.
Each bird and animal in the story was created using a collage technique from bits of magazines. After they were finished on the page, Simon would go back with pen and ink to create the landscape. This helps to showcase the vibrant colors of the animals, while also setting the scene.
As she worked, Simon would show the story to her friends.
“Over time, more and more of them said they would like their own copy and asked me to get it published,” said Simon.
“Tommy Turkey’s Great Adventure” was eventually self-published through The Troy Book Makers. For the first run, Simon had 100 copies made, and only about 25 are left. She’s now trying to decide whether to have more printed.
“I think the book came out more beautiful than I could have imagined,” she said.
Although Tommy Turkey’s story has already been told, Simon said she now has the idea of possibly writing two more books due to the local popularity of the first. She is housebreaking a new puppy for her grandchildren because their parents both have full-time jobs. She thought that story could be a fun book for kids. She also has an idea for a story about a kitten.
“It’s really been a great experience so far,” said Simon, who’s excited by the possibility of future books.
“Tommy Turkey’s Great Adventure” can be found at The Book House in Stuyvesant Plaza and Amazon.com. Simon said she hopes to soon have it available in I Love Books in Delmar, and it can also be purchased directly from her.
