All The Way To Morning - Softcover

Marc Harshman was appointed the poet laureate of West Virginia in 2012. His full-length collection, Green-Silver and Silent, was published by Bottom Dog Press later that same year. Three previous chapbooks of poems preceded this volume. Periodical publications include Shenandoah, The Georgia Review, The Progressive, Appalachian Heritage, and Tuesday: An Art Project. Kent State University, the University of Iowa, University of Georgia, and the University of Arizona have anthologized his poems. His short prose works have recently been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. His eleven children s books include The Storm, a Smithsonian Notable Book. Marc s children's titles have also been published in Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Danish, and Swedish. Two new children s titles are forthcoming. Marc holds degrees from Bethany College, Yale Divinity School, and the University of Pittsburgh. He recently received an honorary doctorate from Bethany College in recognition of his life s work. Marc has lived his adult life in northern West Virginia with his wife, Cheryl Ryan, and daughter, Sarah.

Publication: THE SUNDAY GAZETTE-MAIL Byline: MARINA HENDRICKS SUNDAY GAZETTE-MAIL Moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, aunts and uncles: Are you searching for a special gift for the children in your lives? Instead of a high-tech gizmo or the season's must-have toy, consider three books with local ties. They are one-size-fits-all, hard to break and reusable. And best of all, they help young minds to grow. Here's a brief look at each one. "All the Way to Morning" By Marc Harshman Like Santa Claus, Moundsville's Marc Harshman journeys around the world in one night with his latest work, "All the Way to Morning." "It's a story of a young child falling asleep," Harshman said. "He wonders what's it like for children elsewhere." Harshman, a father and former teacher, encourages the young reader to learn a little about life in other countries with text and names appropriate to each culture. Rich, vivid illustrations by Felipe Davalos complement his words. "I'm really knocked out by this fellow's work," the author said. "I've had people tell me 'It reminds me of stained glass.'" On a surface level, Harshman wants the reader to enjoy the book "for whatever reason a child enjoys anything." But he also has a more altruistic goal. "I obviously want them to realize the world is a large and diverse place, and that there are children of many colors and religions, but nevertheless they are all children," he said. "They all share similar things despite their diversity in that they are children and they all have to go to sleep with many questions on their mind. "Hopefully, it will be one more small blow struck for a world that will have less fear and hatred in it." The author of eight children's books says his own childhood inspired him to try his hand at writing both poetry and stories. "I grew up with storytelling and a family that valued and treasured books," he said. Of his two preferred forms of expression, Harshman finds stories harder to write. "Every word has to be just right," he said. "You've got to be able to hear the text. It's a different leap, in a sense - harder than the poems I write. I have to speak and write in a way that's attuned to the child." --Charleston Gazette