This spring, I published a children’s book titled Lady Lucy’s Quest (Shires Press). It’s a story about a feisty young girl in the Middle Ages who wants to become a Knight of the Round Table. The initial reaction of her family, the townspeople, and the knights is, stated simply, “no way.” But Lucy perseveres and meets the three challenges of knighthood presented to her, albeit in unusual, intriguing, and unexpected ways. (I don’t want to spoil the story.)
This children’s book embodies the idea that you can pursue your dreams, and it reinforces the power of the possible for children everywhere. While the central character is female, the story has meaning for the many children who face obstacles and want to conquer what appear to be impossible dreams. Whether the challenges of children are related to gender, race, ethnicity, cultural norms, and societal barriers or to trauma, abuse, or disability, this book gives hope to the power of the possible.
But Lady Lucy’s Quest is more than that. It is a story within a story within a story.
The book is illustrated by two amazing high school seniors at The Emma Willard School (New York) as their senior year project. Ji Woo Jasmine Shin and So Young Yang, with the help of their art teacher, Lindsey Slaughter, worked to animate Lucy. Both student illustrators are immigrants from Korea and understand Lucy’s story — her need to pursue a dream. They created moving, remarkable scenes to make Lucy’s story come alive.
With deadlines and opportunities to revise, these students had a deep, interdisciplinary educational experience. They had to consider what images would appeal to young children and in so doing, they had to reflect on color, style, and the role of race and ethnicity. They had to make sure the images dovetailed with the tone of the story. Since these students were and still are working on the book’s launch, they are learning how to handle public appearances and share their accomplishments. Slaughter says, “From an educator’s point of view, this collaboration has given young minds the opportunity to develop problem-solving skills, independence, and pride in watching an idea grow into a completed project.”
We are developing curriculum to use Lady Lucy’s Quest in classrooms, and it is being pilot tested at an independent school in the 2016 – 17 academic year. There is also a coloring book and Lady Lucy doll. And, for older students, there will be a chapter book that explores the characters in Lady Lucy’s Quest in more depth, including her brother, Neville the Devil.