THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 5, 1995 TAG: 9503030168
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY IDA KAY JORDAN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
A best-selling author, who started a career by writing a book for her grandson, will be the main speaker at the annual Delta Kappa Gamma Author's Luncheon on March 25 at the Holiday Inn - Portsmouth Waterfront.
Suzanne Tate, who dresses as the ``crab lady'' for her public appearances, will be accompanied by James Melvin, who dresses as a fisherman and is the illustrator of the children's books.
The pair have sold more than 300,000 copies of their self-published books since the first simple children's book in 1988. Over a six-year period, they have published 16 books in the ``Nature Series.''
Just this month, a ``Teacher's Guide to Suzanne Tate's Nature Series'' came off the presses.
Tate and Melvin will be first creators of children's books to appear at the annual luncheon, which has been raising money for the Katharine B. Woodward scholarships. Since 1984, scholarships worth about $20,000 have been awarded to 21 Portsmouth high school graduates.
``This is something different and we think it's very appropriate to have someone who does children's books,'' said Donna Saffold, of the luncheon committee.
Another new feature this year will be a pre-luncheon performance by ``C. Shells,'' a duo that specializes in children's music. Shelly Craig of Portsmouth and Cindy Ressler of Norfolk have performed the children's music together for the past two years. The two use a variety of string and percussion instruments in their performances all over the region. They currently are recording an album.
Tate's first book was about blue crabs. The subject was appropriate. Suzanne Tate, 64, and her Duck, N.C.-born husband, Everett, once operated a softshell crab business at their home on the Nags Head Causeway between Whalebone Junction and Manteo, N.C.
Melvin, who lives in Kill Devil Hills, illustrates from real life. Even the colors, right down to seaweed and specific fish, are true to life.
Everett Tate catches fish for Melvin to use as models. He also is the team's ``consultant'' on sea creatures, advising them to make sure fish fins and other body parts are correct.
The books, geared toward pre-kindergarten to third grade, have snappy titles like ``Billy Bluefish,'' ``Sallie Seagull'' and ``Tammy Turtle.'' They combine factual information with entertaining whimsical stories.
Before a book goes to print, the Tates' eight-year-old grandson takes a look at it.
``If he doesn't understand something, we make changes according to what he says,'' Suzanne Tate said.
The books generally carry a positive message and end happily.
Teachers in the New York school system, for instance, use ``Spunky Spot: A Tale of One Smart Fish'' to teach kids how to say no to drugs.
Spunky Spot is warned by his school teachers to beware of worms because they hide sharp, shiny hooks. Some of the spots who didn't say no to worms got hooked.
``Sally Seagull'' encourages children to respect their elders, and ``Sammy Shrimp'' is used in speech therapy because it contains so many ``s'' words.
Many of the books carry an environmental message encouraging children the importance of caring for the environment and the creatures that live in it.
The books are used in elementary school classrooms across the country, some of them even translated into Spanish.
They are sold in museums and aquariums as well as in bookstores. Each paperback volume sells for $3.95. ILLUSTRATION: File photo by DREW C. WILSON
Suzanne Tate and James Melvin have sold more than 300,000 copies of
their self-published children's books.
AT A GLANCE
What: Delta Kappa Gamma annual Author's Luncheon, 11:30 a.m.,
March 25
Who: ``A Visit With the Crab Lady'' featuring Suzanne Tate,
author, and James Melvin, illustrator, who have published 16
children's books. Children's music by ``C. Shells,'' a duo
comprising Shelly Craig and Cindy Ressler
Tickets: $14 adults and $6 children. For tickets, call 488-3193
or 488-1031.
by CNB