Island Moon Press: Products

Chappaquiddick Lullaby	The Legend of Katamara
Wampum Necklaces, Brass Ring Necklaces, Pinkletink Toys, Posters

Chappaquiddick Lullaby, A Song of Martha’s Vineyard (Island Moon Press, 2007) ISBN 0-9755605-1-4

Just in time for the halcyon days ahead, respected island author, Stacy Hall, will release her stunning new children's book Chappaquiddick Lullaby. The book includes a CD of Chappy Song, sung by one of the island's most beloved singer-songwriters, Kate Taylor and features the brilliant artwork of talented islander Judy Pfeiffer.

This dream team spent a busy winter orchestrating the magic of a gorgeous new must-have summer children's book, Chappaquiddick Lullaby (Island Moon Press). Stacy Hall reflects on the book's beginnings, "It began as a simple lullaby I made up years ago for my children filled with all the summer activities they enjoyed and memories they made on the island, things familiar to those who live on or visit Martha's Vineyard, fishing and clamming, trips for ice cream and to the Flying Horses."

Hall goes on to express her excitement about the CD that comes with the book, "The lullaby is sung by Island singer-songwriter Kate Taylor, with music and vocals by Taylor Brown of the Taylor Brown Trio. Kate Taylor's pure, lilting, down-home sound is the perfect complement to the book." The CD also includes a reading of this beautiful story by the author.

Hall talks about the artwork, "As soon as I saw her work, I knew Judy Pfeiffer was the one do the illustrations. The words come alive on the pages through her lyrical illustrations of a family experiencing the joys of an island summer, and it's fun for children of all ages to search for the piece of wampum hidden on each page."

Philip Craig highly recommends the new children's book, "Chappaquiddick Lullaby, Stacy Hall's new book, is even better than her first, The Legend of Katama, which was very good indeed. The words in Lullaby dance across the pages of delightful drawings by Judy Pfeiffer, and the combination is charming. This is a book that will still be captivating when it's read by the grandchildren of the children who read it today."

the legend of katama

The Legend of Katama, The Creation Story of Dolphins, A Wampanoag Legend of Martha’s Vineyard (Island Moon Press, 2004)
ISBN 0-9755605-0-6

"Imagine living without hate, without war. Imagine living completely at peace with people helping people, village helping village, enemies becoming friends. This is the world that Katama, daughter of Sachem Nashamois of the Nunne-pog, a tribe of the Wampanoag Nation imagined, and this is the world she helped create. Gather around the fire, and I will tell you the story from long, long ago, of a brave young woman and how she changed our world.”

Author's Note: I had always known that I had a Wampanoag ancestor who lived on Cape Cod, and that her name was Lydia Maker. Someone was there with me when I wrote Katama’s story that May day. And it wasn’t just the story that I had heard as a child. I added to it, telling the part that I had always imagined: what happened to the people that were still there after Katama and Mattakessett left to live in the sea. I gave Katama a wampum amulet and a spirit mother, and she took it from there. Her story came through me.

I am hoping that this book helps children to know that love is stronger than death, and that it is a creative force capable of wondrous miracles. And that dreams, both waking and sleeping, can be the very fabric of the future. And I hope that this story empowers everyone, most particularly young women, to trust what they find in their dreams and in their hearts.

I am hoping that this is the kind of book that people will snuggle up with their children and read aloud. The importance of reading aloud to children has been demonstrated time and time again. It is more fun for everyone if the story appeals to both children and adults. I have purposely kept the language at a high level. If you are reading this book to a child, don’t be afraid to interrupt the story and explain words that your child doesn’t know. It’s a great way to teach vocabulary. And I’ve broken the text into many pages so that the illustrations will help younger children to follow the story, even if they don’t know the meaning of every word.

I am hoping that this legend will help children learn to respect the Earth and all of her people. I am hoping that it helps children everywhere to have a greater understanding of Native peoples, and all people, as we all need to learn to get along together on the same small planet. I am hoping that it highlights the power of asking for forgiveness; and shows that forgiving others allows healing to begin. Big hopes for a small book!

I am also hoping that this book will reinforce for children and adults the beautiful and fragile nature of our island, Martha’s Vineyard; and remind us that it is a magical place that must be respected and loved in order to survive. There is so much to be learned from hearing stories. I hope that you like Katama’s. -- Stacy Hall Martellucci