The Big Galoot, the first children’s book by radio
and television personality Shadoe Stevens, has just been
released under the auspices of Optimystical Publishing and
can be bought on-line at www.optimystical.tv.
Written in verse and profusely illustrated in radiant color,
The Big Galoot tells about Middleberg School, where all the
kids get along. They have the same smile and everything is
perfect until...
The Big Galoot comes to town.
Warren Galoot has a funny shaped head, pidgeon-toed feet,
and size 42 hands...the biggest hands anyone's ever seen.
And the kids all laugh at him. They mock him and trip him
and make fun of him, but no matter what happens, Warren says:
´;I’m a Galoot,
But I have good luck,
You can’t get me down,
I never give up.´;
And then on a fieldtrip, high up in the mountains, a storm
breaks out and...guess who steps up to try to save the day?
Shadoe's favorite line from the book says:
"...and that Big Galoot
poked pidgeon-toed feet
deep into the mud
and would not be beat
by forces too fierce
for man, woman, or beast,
as the going got tougher
his courage increased, saying,
I'm a Galoot,
but I have good luck,
you can't get me down,
I never give up!"
Actress and comedian Whoopi Goldberg wrote,
´; . . . those of us who have been galoots will recognize
Shadoe’s book. This is a great story for kids
about how it’s all right to be an individual
and how it’s not all right to take your aggressions
out
on someone who’s different than you;
because you never know what they have to offer. . . .
BRAVO, Shadoe!´;
Dick Clark calls the book ´;reminiscent of Dr. Seuss´;
and describes it as ´;amusing, clever, instructive .
. . it sends a message of tolerance and compassion to children
of all ages,´;
Henry Winkler said, "Rather than just talk about the
importance of family entertainment, Shadoe Stevens put his
imagination and pen where his mouth is..."
Gene Simmons said, "Your book rocks in more ways than
one!"
A second grader named Chandler said, "...I thought
it was the best funny book I have ever seen in my life...I
just loved the book and I really did like it it was just
a perfect book..."
The first copy of The Big Galoot to come off the press
was auctioned off at the annual fundraiser of the global
charity
World Children’s Relief,
a non-profit organiztion to help improve the quality of education
at primary schools in rural areas of countries like
Haiti, Senegal, and Uganda.
The book sold for $10,000.
The Big Galoot is brilliantly illustrated by Canadian artist,
Ron Job, based on characters and a production design by Stevens.
Stevens has written a total of five books for kids. The Big
Galoot will be followed by a trilogy, The Button-Sided Hooey.
