Michael's eight years old and it's Christmastime. He received exactly what he wished for: ski equipment. His parents also paid for lessons so he could go skiing whenever he wanted to. So, off he goes to the slops and meets his instructor, Mr Jingles - who is called that because he usually wears bells on his boots. However that day, he had one on his hat. During the next week, Michael is taught all kinds of lessons about skiing and he loves it. Each day, he gets better and better at it as he practices on the slopes; until he is shown one slope by Mr Jingles called Dips'n'Doodles. This slope is an advanced slope and Mr Jingles thinks Michael is ready for it; but is he?
This book was one of my all-time favourite books. It came in hard cover and I loved it then and still love it now. When I was young, I had never seen snow - not until I was thirteen and visited the Australian Alps and learned to ski there. But when you're young and read about places you've never seen, it becomes a dream to visit them.
Alvin Westcott was born in March 1930 in Mt Kisco, NY. He attended Mt Kisco Elementary School and later graduated from Rome Free Academy in Rome, NY. Following high school, Alvin attended the State University College at Oneonta,NY and the B.S. degree in Elementary Education was conferred on him in 1955. He then went to teach in Mt Kisco Elementary School and the Quaker Ridge School of Scarsdale, NY. In 1957, he was selected to be a graduate fellow in elementary education at Syracuse University at which institution he received hi M.S. degree. Alvin Wescott is currently an emeritus professor from SUNY-Oswego, having taught there from 1959 - 1996. He is the author of 12 books and many magazine and journal articles. He currently writes for Oswego Palladium Times and the Oswegonian - the SUNY-Oswego student newspaper. His art work is regularly displayed in local exhibits and he builds unusual constructions; such as the plywood castle in Sterling. His latest written work is a novel called Gila which is set in Arizona in the 1870's. His Sig Tau fraternity brother, brother in law and sister still live in Oneonta.
Catherine Symons co-authored this book; however, there is some information in the back of the book but nothing current. So, I'll put in what was in the back of the book. Catherine Bracco Symons was born in Iron Mountain, Michigan and her elementary and secondary education was taken in Illinois and Wisconsin. In 1951, she received a B.B.A degree from Mount Mary College, Milwaulkee, Wisconsin and in 1954, as a scholarship student, she received a her M.A. degree in education from National College of Education, Evanston, Illinois. Catherine was a kindergaten teacher in the Evanston Public School System, Illinois, 1954-55; in the Appleton School System, Wisconsin, 1959-66 and in the U.S. Naval Air Station, Millington, Tennessee, 1967-68. She was also Principal of the Stephen Foster Elementary School, Appleton, Wisconsin, 1959-66. Catherine Bracco Symons has been a member of the National Education Association, Wisconsin; Education Association, Wisconsin Elementary School Principals Association and The Scriptors (Literary Group), Memphis, Tennessee. She is married to Thomas D. Symons, a member of Kymberly-Clark Corporation and they have three children.
I have searched the net for more current information on Catherine Symons, however I have not been able to find any. If you find out more info about her let me know and leave a comment.
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