Books with author Noel Barr

Undated but this is the last listed of the two published in series 497 on the dust jacket, marked and worn dust jacket has chipped edges and is in a protective sleeve, foxing to page edges and shelf worn boards, blue boards with pasted illustration, string binding visible between some pages. Shipped from the U.K. All orders received before 3pm sent that weekday.

The untimely death of Meryl Jean Strom’s mother forced her to evolve from a thirteen year old child who never had to pick up after herself, to one expected to do chores, work as a field hand and learn how to chop and pick cotton. Soon after cancer took her mother, Meryl's alcoholic father placed her in the care of his sixty-seven year old mother, allowing him to run from his problems, as usual. Meryl was somewhat dumped on her Grandmother's front porch with only her clothes, her potential, and a list of 'nevers' that she hoped to experience never again. Belt lashings from her drunken father, forced to wear boy’s shoes because of her wide feet, and never being tormented again because her dress size had never matched her chronological age—topped her list. This heartwarming saga of a child who used the haunting dreams and scars of her young past as stair steps to rise to a better future, will offer encouragement to those sharing her story. How she dealt with the actual and emotional whirlwinds in her life will inspire the many other ‘Meryl's’ in the world who might also have a list of nevers. Your readers will go from blotting tears, to rolling with laughter, to cheering at the courage of this over-weight teen that changed her name, because Meryl all too conveniently rhymed with barrel. After all, Jean only rhymed with lean. The whirlwind experience in chapter five taught Meryl that there were many kinds of whirlwinds. Some could refresh you and others could almost suck the life out of you. An uninvited visitor, in the person of Nate McDougal, introduced her to another side of humanity that she had never known existed. Her Grandmother’s honest approach provided closure to her many previously ignored questions and to those questions she hadn’t before known to ask.Readers of any age, gender or background will find something to identify and reminisce about in Watch for the Whirlwinds. Encounters with guardian angels, a perverted chicken molester, a stinging worm and Meryl’s unlikely rescuer, in addition to the mysterious death of Nate McDougal, will keep readers turning pages. The surprising revelation to Meryl’s nightmares, will present your readers with a book that will remain in their memories, long after they have read the last page.

Synopsis This is a beautifully illustrated story about a duck called Beaky, who through her greediness is made to look ridiculous in the eyes of all her farmyard friends. It is only through the help of the wise old owl that she is able to overcome her shame, and return to her brothers and sisters once more, determined never to be greedy again. Opening text This is a story about a duck, a white-all-over duck with a yellow bill and yellow legs. She lived in a farmyard with her six brothers and sisters, and she was the only white-all-over duck among them. She was rather proud of this and kept herself very clean Characters and Keywords Beaky The Greedy Duck - Susie - Jim - Mr Owl - Brown Owl - farmyard animals

It had been three years since Meryl came to live with Grandma in the Bootheel of Missouri in Muddy Ox, a tiny community where everybody knew everybody and everybody’s dog. At age sixteen, she’d evolved from a pampered child who hadn’t been made to pick her socks off the floor to one who could skillfully hoe a field row and pick two hundred and fifty pounds of cotton in a twelve-hour day. Her motivation came when Grandma told her she could keep all the money she made to buy her books and school clothes. She quickly calculated she’d never have to wear the boy shoes her dad had made her wear because of her wide feet causing ridicule and embarrassment by her peers. Sending a little fat girl to school wearing boy’s shoes only guaranteed she’ll be tormented. Meryl brought a list of ‘nevers’ with her after her father and she moved to Muddy Ox from Brooksville, Illinois. First of all, never wear those boy shoes again. Second, never be the butt of jokes because she cast a larger shadow than some other children. And last, never be belt whipped by an alcoholic father again. How Meryl found ways to cross off those and other ‘nevers’ later added to her list is the heart of this novel but there is so much more. There are several plots and sub-plots to this story but it begins with a dream that Meryl had about her mother. This dream significantly follows her through her young life. There is a firebug running amuck in Muddy Ox. The twist in discovering its identity will surprise you. Be with Meryl as she experiences her first date, first kiss and first heartbreak. Follow her journey into adulthood and feel the pain of some of the events that left scars from her childhood.

The untimely death of Meryl Jean Strom’s mother forced her to evolve from a thirteen year old child who never had to pick up after herself, to one expected to do chores, work as a field hand and learn how to chop and pick cotton. Soon after cancer took her mother, Meryl's alcoholic father placed her in the care of his sixty-seven year old mother, allowing him to run from his problems, as usual. Meryl was somewhat dumped on her Grandmother's front porch with only her clothes, her potential, and a list of 'nevers' that she hoped to experience never again. Belt lashings from her drunken father, forced to wear boy’s shoes because of her wide feet, and never being tormented again because her dress size had never matched her chronological age—topped her list. This heartwarming saga of a child who used the haunting dreams and scars of her young past as stair steps to rise to a better future, will offer encouragement to those sharing her story. How she dealt with the actual and emotional whirlwinds in her life will inspire the many other ‘Meryl's’ in the world who might also have a list of nevers. Your readers will go from blotting tears, to rolling with laughter, to cheering at the courage of this over-weight teen that changed her name, because Meryl all too conveniently rhymed with barrel. After all, Jean only rhymed with lean.The whirlwind experience in chapter five taught Meryl that there were many kinds of whirlwinds. Some could refresh you and others could almost suck the life out of you. An uninvited visitor, in the person of Nate McDougal, introduced her to another side of humanity that she had never known existed. Her Grandmother’s honest approach provided closure to her many previously ignored questions and to those questions she hadn’t before known to ask.Readers of any age, gender or background will find something to identify and reminisce about in Watch for the Whirlwinds. Encounters with guardian angels, a perverted chicken molester, a stinging worm and Meryl’s unlikely rescuer, in addition to the mysterious death of Nate McDougal, will keep readers turning pages. The surprising revelation to Meryl’s nightmares, will present your readers with a book that will remain in their memories, long after they have read the last page.

It had been three years since Meryl came to live with Grandma in the Bootheel of Missouri in Muddy Ox, a tiny community where everybody knew everybody and everybody's dog. At age sixteen, she'd evolved from a pampered child who hadn't been made to pick her socks off the floor to one who could skillfully hoe a field row and pick two hundred and fifty pounds of cotton in a twelve-hour day. Her motivation came when Grandma told her she could keep all the money she made to buy her books and school clothes. She quickly calculated she'd never have to wear the boy shoes her dad had made her wear because of her wide feet causing ridicule and embarrassment by her peers. Sending a little fat girl to school wearing boy's shoes only guaranteed she'll be tormented. Meryl brought a list of 'nevers' with her after her father and she moved to Muddy Ox from Brooksville, Illinois. First of all, never wear those boy shoes again. Second, never be the butt of jokes because she cast a larger shadow than some other children. And last, never be belt whipped by an alcoholic father again. How Meryl found ways to cross off those and other 'nevers' later added to her list is the heart of this novel but there is so much more. There are several plots and sub-plots to this story but it begins with a dream that Meryl had about her mother. This dream significantly follows her through her young life. There is a firebug running amuck in Muddy Ox. The twist in discovering its identity will surprise you. Be with Meryl as she experiences her first date, first kiss and first heartbreak. Follow her journey into adulthood and feel the pain of some of the events that left scars from her childhood.