The newest addition to North Cross School’s Hancock Library is a book that many of the youngest students will find particularly interesting when they return to school in the fall. The book, “Mama D & Me,” was authored and illustrated by North Cross teachers and printed by a NCS parent.
Written by Junior Kindergarten Teacher and alumna Heather Donaho, the children’s book chronicles a young boy and his encounter with several animals and insects. As he comes across each one, he tries to catch them, but they escape his grasp. In the end, he realizes that Mama D’s spirit lies within each one.
Junior Kindergarten Teacher Jennifer Luckay provided the book’s illustrations. Parent John Mitchell, who owns Salem Printing, donated the production costs to print the book.
The book was developed as part of Donaho’s thesis work studying Words Help Us Heal: The Impact of Bibliotherapy on Children. The book’s subject was inspired by the July 2007 death of Donaho’s mother-in-law who unexpectedly had a heart attack related to her earlier breast cancer diagnosis.
Donaho hopes to sell the book locally and plans to donate a portion of the proceeds to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Donaho, who is also the school’s head volleyball coach, has been teaching at North Cross for nine years. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Roanoke College and her Master’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Virginia.