Book spells out A to Z of Maine> Early readers can learn about state by pictures

A-Z CHILDREN OF MAINE, by Maggie Cox Murray, Rainbow Press, Bangor, 1999, paperback, 26 pages, $6.95.

Your child has been invited to yet another birthday party. You have to buy a present. Maybe you don’t know what the child wants, or perhaps the latest fad is something you do not want to endorse.

If you want to give something attractive, tasteful and affordable, Bangor’s own Maggie Murray has created a delightful option: “A-Z Children of Maine.” This celebration of our state will instill pride in our resident children and fascinate youngsters from away. The cost is quite modest. And I can’t imagine anything easier to ship.

For each letter of the alphabet a child (or children) is presented with a familiar Maine object. Ian blissfully devours an ice cream. (Note the moose trimmed outfit!) Tom prepares to take off on his sturdy toboggan. Jordan’s grin is almost as broad as that of his jack-o-lantern.

It took Murray a year and a half to get the pictures to her satisfaction. Her models were her children and their friends and relatives. Her familiarity with and love for her subjects shows. Each comes across clearly as an individual, comfortable with being photographed and pleased and proud to be included in the book.

My personal favorite is “Grampie’s Grapes.” As Murray’s father shows off his thriving crop he basks in the affection of his beloved grandchildren, Erin and Dillon.

Murray designed the book to appeal to children of different ages. For younger kids the familiar, easy language will enhance the experience of learning their letters. “Many alphabet books have words we don’t use in real life.”

For older children Murray included all four seasons. “It’s fun to see the different kinds of things you can do in Maine. There’s apple picking, blueberry picking, fishing. There’s the rush to the ice cream store the first time it opens. You can fly a kite in the spring and rake leaves in the fall. Sliding is such a Maine thing.”

Murray had planned to take a group photograph of her models in the park for the book’s cover, but the logistics were becoming a nightmare. When a friend suggested a simpler yet bolder format she agreed enthusiastically. “When I see anything with a hand print I go back and do a double take.”

Murray, who runs her own publishing company, Rainbow Press, found photographing her young subjects to be the most rewarding part of creating her book. “Children really can teach adults a lot of things. They inspire me. They’re so accepting. There’s nothing jaded about their thinking. They’re not afraid of showing their emotions.”

Although she finds marketing her work to be far less enjoyable, Murray still prefers self-publishing to the uncertainty of submitting manuscripts to publishing houses. “I don’t need that kind of roller coaster. This way I have control of the process. I get to do it my way.”

Doing it her way includes keeping Erin and Dillon her top priority. Since negotiating with and keeping track of a number of large stores would be far too time-consuming, Murray is currently placing “A-Z Children of Maine” in Bangor area bookstores such as Bookmarc’s and The Briar Patch and selling it through the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance: (207) 725-0690.

Murray is also editor and publisher of a collection of writings about Maine called, “Reflections on Maine.”