The Barneses' Books Are a Hit With Children

0 Comments | Insight on the News, August 7, 2000 | by Stephen Goode

He's such a good volunteer in his community that he gets drafted by his friends to run for town council. He's a reluctant candidate all the way up to the presidency. "For you see, Woodrow felt he'd been blessed from the start --/ Given such a good life, that he felt in his heart/That someone like him should give back, with good grace --/ To help make his town -- and the world -- a good place."

CB: He's fashioned after Harry Truman. He's from "Moussouri" and his wife's name is Bess.

Insight: Truman is a favorite?

CB: It has nothing to do with the party he was in but with style and character. He was a hard worker. He loved his wife. He loved his daughter. He was involved in the military. He was a good man.

PB: But the books are nonpartisan. When Woodrow gives his inaugural speech at the end of the book, he takes something from John E Kennedy and he takes something from George Bush.

"Ask not what your nation can do for you" he said,/ "Ask what you can do for your nation, instead --/ And for your community and neighbors, so close,/ For your friends and your family -- that's what matters most."

Then he says, borrowing from Bush: "Vote! Get involved! Volunteer! That's what's right --/ Be a good citizen -- be your own point of light!"

Personal Bio

Cheryl Shaw Barnes: The illustrator as a young girl.

Currently: Founder and owner of VSP Books. Coauthor and illustrator of five children's books; coauthor of five others.

Born: May 18, 1953; Alexandria, Va.

Education: Randolph-Macon Women's College, bachelor's degree in political science.

Career: Cofounder of an architectural firm in Los Angeles.

Membership: Honorary member, Delta Kappa Gamma, a teachers' sorority; member of the board of Northern Virginia Reading is Fundamental.

Ambition: To obtain autographs of all the living presidents and first ladies and the signatures of family members of deceased presidents back to Harry Truman in the Woodrow for President book, then auction off the book through Amazon. corn or e-Bay to the highest bidder. Proceeds to go to Kids Voting USA. Most recent signatures: David and Julie Eisenhower. President and Mrs. Bush will sign it this summer, and Mrs. Reagan will sign on Sept. 21.

Personal Bio

Peter W. Barnes: The writer as a young boy.

Currently: Washington-based broadcaster and journalist. Founder and owner of VSP Books. Coauthor of 10 children's books.

Born: Sept. 6, 1958; Rochester, N.Y.

Education: Penn State University, bachelor's in political science; master's in finance from the University of Pennsylvania.

Career: Washington anchor/reporter for CNBC.

Awards: 1997 Ace Award, cable television's highest honor, for a documentary on the crisis in America's retirement system.

Membership: Board of directors, Kids Voting USA, Tempe, Ariz., a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to teaching children about the political process.

Why they continue to self-publish: "These books are our children. With all due respect, the big publishers wouldn't care for them as we do and we want to continue having the fun with them we've had up to now."