Dr. Patricia Steele-Trueblood’s new book, “Grandma Honey Story Hour,” introduces children to Nutt Nutt the squirrel, who is very friendly and helps his friends to solve problems. Jabari learns about the different jobs each community helper does. He dreams about being a community helper.

“The Cats of Casaba” save King Roland’s Kingdom and turn the villains into rats. The “King Who Wanted to Know” finds out his loyal magician has been turning the people against him. The “Prettiest Girl” in town sees the king as he is, while other maidens tell the king any false story to become queen. “The Three Little Locks” are about family and how to keep them safe from Bro. Fox.  Finally is the story of a girl named Tappy who enjoys being different. Living in a town that does not accept her, she does a wonderful thing to bring people together. This story helps children to see different people can still be friends.

Steele-Trueblood hopes readers “learn the true meaning of family, feelings, honesty, friendship, accepting people as they are regardless of their color, or background.”

She says her stories are specific and get to the point in helping children learn to become better citizens and respect one another.

Steele-Trueblood and her husband Marion live in Rowan County. The vision of this book came to her as she taught second grade, substituted in schools, and directed a daycare.

She noticed some children did not read well. She wanted to make reading fun and help children to learn strategies in reading. Although she tells stories orally, making the story exciting makes children want to read the story from a book for themselves. Her doctoral dissertation is on storytelling.