Based on a true story, Dusty tells the tale of ten-year-old Pam, whose parents have bought
her a beat-up, second-hand bike to use during their year-long stay in Denmark.
Pam rides Dusty—as she names the bike—every day, through the countryside, in
Dyrhaven Park, to school… As the year draws to a close, Pam’s parents tell
her she must leave Dusty behind. But Pam can’t bear to part with her “trusty
steed.” What will she do? The answer lies in a secret message that has the
power to link friends across oceans…
Ann Swanson Gross was born in Germany
and now lives in Winlaw, B.C. She is well-known as a painter for adults, and Dusty
was her first children’s book. When Ann was a little girl, she did not have a
bicycle, and she never learned how to ride. In order to do a good job of drawing
Dusty for the book, she bought a second-hand bike, put it in her living room and
drew it dozens of times until she learned how to draw a bike!
“Ellen Schwartz … offers six to
nine-year-old readers a charming, well-presented episode in the life of a young
girl…. Artist Ann Swanson Gross’s bold, highly individualistic
illustrations, with their rich earth tones, are perfect complement to the
text.”
Andrea Deakin, Vancouver Sun, March 1983
ISBN 0-919560-02-1, 34 pages, paperback, ages 6-10
Please note: Dusty can be ordered directly from me at ellenschwartz@yahoo.com.
