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By Kelly Cuculiansky, Staff Writer for the Daytona Beach News-Journal
Like other Indian River Elementary fifth-graders and children throughout Volusia County, she has become hooked on "Endangered," a 14-part serial story featured Mondays in the Daytona Beach News-Journal's Accent section. "I wish it was a book so I could read it all in one day," she said. With just three more installments left, it's no surprise that when author Marian Strong Tomblin visited the school Wednesday morning, a few youngsters asked about the ending. Although they will have to wait a few more weeks to finish reading the tale about an injured whooping crane that crosses paths with an injured teenage girl while catching crabs, the children riddled Tomblin with questions. More than 80 fifth-graders gathered for her visit in the school's cafeteria to learn where she gets her inspiration and how she writes her stories. Tomblin, who already is popular in the area for her historical novel "The Mystery at Hotel Ormond," was commissioned earlier this year by the News Journal's Newspaper in Education program to write "Endangered." To brainstorm for the story assignment, Tomblin told the fifth-graders she went to Sunrise Park in Holly Hill, where she and her children went crabbing along the riverbank. During her research of the area, she met a boy who pointed out mullet leaping from the water and a nearby osprey. In the short time she spent with the boy, she learned he suffered from asthma and often went to the hospital. That's how she came up with J.J., a character in the story who is knowledgeable about whooping cranes and suffers from allergies, she said. "I never did learn the boy's name, but he inspired me," she said. Teacher Mary Frances Mosher, who entered an NIE drawing to have the author visit the school, said "Endangered" helps with the children's writing and science skills and has become a popular read. "They enjoy the (story) because it relates to things they're used to, like living on the river and wildlife," she said. Sara Bartos, a pupil in Mosher's class, wants to become a marine biologist and said the story's setting relates to her because she goes to the river most weekends. "I think she's a great author," the 11-year-old said. While Tomblin discussed some local facts about the area, such as how millionaire Henry Flagler brought the railroad to Florida, she also talked about writing jobs. Children learned they could make a living writing poetry, songs, newspaper stories and scripts for movies or shows. Tomblin, who is scheduled to visit nine other schools in the county, said she hopes children who have read "Endangered" will protect and appreciate the environment around them.
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Edgewater
- Lately 10-year-old Cheyenne Drews is going to sleep Sunday nights
wondering what new adventures in nature she'll read in the next day's
newspaper.