Books with author Robert L. Morrissette

I will give you just a taste of what to expect inside Hank's story book. Hank is a young mallard duck, and because of his skill at flying, he was chosen to lead his flock to their winter home. He took his appointment as Point Duck very seriously and promised his father he would do his best and would keep an eye out for trouble, such as hawks and hunters. But, despite his best of intentions, as with all of us, sometimes things can go terribly wrong. This was the case with Hank, as the following will show: "Hank led the flock in a slow circle over the lake. For a moment he thought he saw a suspicious reflection of light from down below, but when he looked again it was gone, and he thought it was probably just the sun bouncing off a wave. Out ahead of the flock as Point Duck, Hank thought he heard an unusual "click" sound. Hank was familiar with most sounds in and around lakes, but this one was different. It sounded more mechanical, more human, making him nervous. All kinds of thoughts rushed through his young mind. Hank's forward speed, with the flock tagging close behind, now carried them over open water and that all-important touch-down point. Hank thought he saw a movement off to the left, and when he caught a whiff of that peculiar man-smoke his body began to tingle with fear. Suddenly scared as never before, fearful not only for himself, but for the flock and Hannah, he knew he had to pull the flock back up to the safety of the sky, if it were not already too late. Just as he lifted his head up and started to yell a warning, all hell broke out."

I will give you just a taste of what to expect inside Hank’s story book.Hank is a young mallard duck, and because of his skill at flying, he was chosen to lead his flock to their winter home. He took his appointment as Point Duck very seriously and promised his father he would do his best and would keep an eye out for trouble, such as hawks and hunters. But, despite his best of intentions, as with all of us, sometimes things can go terribly wrong. This was the case with Hank, as the following will show:“Hank led the flock in a slow circle over the lake. For a moment he thought he saw a suspicious reflection of light from down below, but when he looked again it was gone, and he thought it was probably just the sun bouncing off a wave. Out ahead of the flock as Point Duck, Hank thought he heard an unusual “click” sound. Hank was familiar with most sounds in and around lakes, but this one was different. It sounded more mechanical, more human, making him nervous. All kinds of thoughts rushed through his young mind. Hank’s forward speed, with the flock tagging close behind, now carried them over open water and that all-important touch-down point. Hank thought he saw a movement off to the left, and when he caught a whiff of that peculiar man-smoke his body began to tingle with fear. Suddenly scared as never before, fearful not only for himself, but for the flock and Hannah, he knew he had to pull the flock back up to the safety of the sky, if it were not already too late. Just as he lifted his head up and started to yell a warning, all hell broke out.”

After retiring as a deputy sheriff I exchanged my six-shooter for a pen, and instead of bullets I used words to begin creating fun stories. Within a few years my imagination brought forth wonderful new friends. The main characters in my stories are mostly non-human, except young Robbie. “Robbie and Matt” came first, then came “Hank,” and then came “Tiny the Timeless Sparrow.” I hope that you will have a chance to read all three stories. I think you will have fun reading the adventures of my new friends as I did creating their adventures. Tiny is a young sparrow living with his parents in a small sparrow community near the shore of the Sea of Galilee at the time of Jesus. Tiny’s father warned him not to fly high up in the night sky due to the danger of hawks. Obsessed with an idea we often throw caution to the wind. So, one night while his parents and the flock were asleep Tiny lifted up silently into the night sky. He flew higher than ever before and was almost overwhelmed by the beauty below him. Within seconds his whole life was about to be changed. But first he must survive the hawk attack.“Screaming victory, the hawk swept upward into the cold and dizzy heights, carrying Tiny with him. The pain was unbearable and he saw spots like stars dancing before his eyes. Horrified, Tiny saw the other talon stretch open and reach for his body. Glistening in the moonlight it was almost a separate and hungry monster. He twisted and lifted up with all his remaining strength, flapping his wings as he did so. There was a snapping sound and he felt his right wing tearing. He almost passed out from the pain, but his last ditch effort had worked. To his relief he found himself free, but he was now tumbling in a free fall towards the water far below.”

Robbie is a young boy who rescued a giant sea turtle named, Matt, who had been injured by a large shark by the name of, Gore. After Matt recovers, these two head out to sea, with Robbie riding on top Matt’s very large back. The following is just one of their many experiences. From Gore’s viewpoint, if this stupid turtle was going to let his neck stick out for him to chop off, so be it. Within seconds Gore closed the distance to near nothing. Robbie nearly panicked and froze in fear, for when Gore opened his mouth wide it looked like a giant black cavern, one that he desperately did not want to enter. Within that awful cavern were rolls of very large and razor-sharp teeth, just waiting to rip into him and Matt. Even scarier than the mouth, if that were possible, were Gore’s large and bottomless-pit-like-black eyes that reflected nothing from the inside but evil and death.

After retiring as a deputy sheriff I exchanged my six-shooter for a pen, and instead of bullets I used words to begin creating fun stories. Within a few years my imagination brought forth wonderful new friends. The main characters in my stories are mostly non-human, except young Robbie. “Robbie and Matt” came first, then came “Hank,” and then came “Tiny the Timeless Sparrow.” I hope that you will have a chance to read all three stories. I think you will have fun reading the adventures of my new friends as I did creating their adventures. Tiny is a young sparrow living with his parents in a small sparrow community near the shore of the Sea of Galilee at the time of Jesus. Tiny’s father warned him not to fly high up in the night sky due to the danger of hawks. Obsessed with an idea we often throw caution to the wind. So, one night while his parents and the flock were asleep Tiny lifted up silently into the night sky. He flew higher than ever before and was almost overwhelmed by the beauty below him. Within seconds his whole life was about to be changed. But first he must survive the hawk attack. “Screaming victory, the hawk swept upward into the cold and dizzy heights, carrying Tiny with him. The pain was unbearable and he saw spots like stars dancing before his eyes. Horrified, Tiny saw the other talon stretch open and reach for his body. Glistening in the moonlight it was almost a separate and hungry monster. He twisted and lifted up with all his remaining strength, flapping his wings as he did so. There was a snapping sound and he felt his right wing tearing. He almost passed out from the pain, but his last ditch effort had worked. To his relief he found himself free, but he was now tumbling in a free fall towards the water far below.”

Robbie is a young boy who rescued a giant sea turtle named, Matt, who had been injured by a large shark by the name of, Gore. After Matt recovers, these two head out to sea, with Robbie riding on top Matt's very large back. The following is just one of their many experiences. From Gore's viewpoint, if this stupid turtle was going to let his neck stick out for him to chop off, so be it. Within seconds Gore closed the distance to near nothing. Robbie nearly panicked and froze in fear, for when Gore opened his mouth wide it looked like a giant black cavern, one that he desperately did not want to enter. Within that awful cavern were rolls of very large and razor-sharp teeth, just waiting to rip into him and Matt. Even scarier than the mouth, if that were possible, were Gore's large and bottomless-pit-like-black eyes that reflected nothing from the inside but evil and death.

"Grandma Ursu, Think Blue" does not preach; it does not frighten; it does not confuse. Instead, it provides a simple message that disarms children's fears and opens lines of communication among parents, teachers and children about the threat of terrorism. This may seem harsh and foreboding; but somehow it’s not. "Grandma Ursu, Think Blue" is a charming and enjoyable journey of a little girl who knows more than just how to improve the Department of Homeland Security's Terrorism Advisory System. You finish the book with a feeling that preparing children for the unimaginable is possible and necessary. It opens a door to prepare and guide children through a part of our society and world from which we are unable to shelter them. There is no universal message to help children cope with the threat of terrorism but fostering security and development requires open communication and preparation. "Grandma Ursu, Think Blue" is a story that says to your children it’s ok to ask questions and provides a platform for a topic that can be difficult to address. Recommended for children age 6 to 8.