When Charles Shamey was a teacher and principal, he never forgot the wonderful years and the many fine teachers at Salina School, in Dearborn, Michigan, in the same neighborhood as the famous Ford Rouge Plant. Throughout the years, he created for his students, many of the same activities told in this story. As an educator, he lives by the German phrase, "Komins der lachelenden kinder," -- land of smiling children. For smiling children are happy children. Happy children are eager to learn. This story is about happy kids. City kids with the adventuring spirit of a Huck Finn or a Tom Sawyer.
The author is an avid walker and any walker will tell you that they reach back in their memories and reminisce the wonderful days gone by. So here it is, after walking through Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village and the local park for many years, he shares those golden memoirs in his story, "Dr. Bones and the Time Machine." Kids from ages nine to ninety-nine will be delighted to read about seven kids who were really cool! So cool they battled the British at Fort Detroit, in 1813. So cool they rocked and rolled at the Sunset Dance and at the Fordson Movie Theater. They'll read about the annual school parade, fun at the beach, shoe shining at Michigan Central Railroad Station, hidden lake, Fordson Island, rafting the River Rouge, battling with bullies as they help their new Huron Indian friends, and helping Commander Oliver Hazard Perry battle the British to take back Fort Detroit.
The Time Machine takes the kids back to 1929 to "Lights Golden Jubilee." It's the celebration of Edison's light bulb invention held at world famous Henry Ford Museum. The celebration will come to life in moments of enchantment and fascination and will surely delight the reader. Go back with them and meet all the world's famous artists, industrialists, actors, and inventors. At "Light's Golden Jubilee," Dr. Bones and the gang meet Henry Ford and Thomas Edison, and they promise them the ride of their lives -- a fanciful, whimsical, and capricious journey into the future. Read and enjoy as Edison and Dr. Bones, discuss the Time Machine when they board a carriage back to the John Bennet Building to view the Time Machine.
So if you are a teacher or a parent, get a copy of this book and share it with a youngster. If you are part of the heritage of that wonderful Salina School community...enjoy and look back for you were there, too.