Author has a whale of a tale for Portsmouth kids

PORTSMOUTH

The large blue, bug-eyed crab's claws reached out and touched the first-graders. Then, the creature's mask came off and her identity was revealed: It was children's book author Suzanne Tate.

The 78-year-old North Carolina-based writer visited Park View Elementary School on Wednesday to read from her book "Danny & Daisy, A Tale of a Dolphin Duo" for the school's Celebrity Reader Day.

Tate donated thousands of her books, including copies of "Danny & Daisy," to charity. Ultimately, they found their way to Portsmouth-based Hope Charitable Services, which then gave them to Portsmouth Reads, a non profit organization promoting literacy founded by School Board member Ned McCabe.

Portsmouth Reads passed about 3,600 of the books along to Portsmouth elementary kids across the school division.

At Park View on Wednesday, the students received hardback copies of Tate's "Katie K. Whale, A Whale of a Tale."

Tate, along with about 90 people - including parents, the school division's superintendent, and Olympic gold medalist LaShawn Merritt - read to Park View students throughout the day.

During Tate's turn, 100 or so first-graders listened quietly, some with their hands cupping their chins.

First-grader Tyreek Vincent opened his copy to an illustration of Tate dressed in her crab costume.

"That's the crab lady," he exclaimed. "That's you!"

Tyreek thumbed through his book and turned to his classmate Juan White Jr.:

"This is a new, shiny book, man!"

Cheryl Ross, (757) 446-2443, cheryl.ross@pilotonline.com