“Reading this book takes me back to the time when my children were very young, and you never knew what magic would come with the turn of a page. I knew that Tom was a man of many interests-- a rock climber, a first-class horn player and a driving force behind the West Virginia Youth Symphony. Now I’m delighted to find that he’s the author of this new book.” —Larry Groce, host of Mountain Stage “When Emily and her friend Bara Seal sneak away from home on a rainy day, searching for fish, they have no idea that they’re about to embark on a whirlwind, worldwide tour. Thanks to a dancing cat, kind strangers, and the magic of poetry, they return safely home. Along the way, author Thomas Beal treats his readers to a wealth of delicious imagery—sounds, smells, textures, and tastes that invite us to linger and savor the words that carry us from one place to another. This a book to read, reread, and read aloud.” —Colleen Anderson, author of Missing: Mrs. Cornblossom, a Moonbeam Children’s Book Award winner “Tom Beal’s concept of a brave, caring girl and her trusted seal friend began 10 years ago, evolving into an odyssey of beautiful sounds, color and light. Bara Seal and Emily seem an unlikely pair to leave the comfort of home for far-flung travels, but we will see that their hidden talents, compassion and resilience emerge as they help newly discovered friends find sustenance and solace. Along the way they encounter worlds of hidden beauty and song. We can only surmise that some events are imaginary, but the themes of friendship, family strife and resolution, are real enough, and will relate to parents and children alike.” —Jim McJunkin, MD, Pediatrician About the Author Tom Beal is an individual with diverse interests, ranging from classical music to chemistry. Tom studied music at Southern Methodist University earning a degree in French Horn performance and is currently a member of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. He is very active in support of the West Virginia Youth Symphony as well as music outreach in the surrounding communities. Additionally, he is the Senior Vice President of the chemical manufacturing company AC&S, Inc. Tom resides in Charleston, WV, where he enjoys hiking and rock climbing with his family.
About the Illustrator Eleanor Paybins was born in California but raised in West Virginia and is currently attending Marshall University with the Presidential Scholarship and the Bart and Doris Andrews Scholarship. She is majoring in Visual Arts with an emphasis in painting and will also earn a Minor in Japanese language. Eleanor has won the Marshal Juried Art Exposition and the US Congressional Art Competition. In pursuit of expanding her art and Japanese language skills, Eleanor studied at Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka, Japan, for the spring semester of 2018.