A Boy, A Dog and Persnickety Log

A boy with bare feet, a dog who can turn into a train, and a log named Persnickety who doesn't think he can do anything all go on an adventure together. At first quite a "stick in the mud," Persnickety goes from feeling glum and sorry for himself to eventually discovering a hidden talent that saves the day.
About the Author: Norm grew up in the woods on Trouble Street without running water, electricity or television. Eventually, he found his way to Los Angeles, where he works as a writer and Daytime Emmy-nominated producer. The recipient of a Sloan fellowship while earning a filmmaking MFA from USC, Norman focused on screenwriting and documentary filmmaking and was mentored by Academy Award winning documentarian Mark Harris. Since then, documentary filmmaking projects have brought him to Cambodia, Malawi, Ghana, Europe, Peru and all over the States. Regardless of where he's been or what he's working on, Norman is proud to have written at least a page a day, every day this millennium. Prior to USC, Norm attended Williams College, studying Music and German then spent a year teaching English in Vienna, Austria on a Fulbright Grant. Norman now has electricity, plumbing and cable and has even been on TV - doing so well on Wheel of Fortune that Pat Sajak proclaimed, "Norm is living proof that electricity is way overrated." Rebecca grew up in Southern California with electricity, running water and television. She has visited Trouble Street and loves it very much. Norm has made her an honorary resident. A former California high school English teacher, Rebecca is currently a PhD student in the Learning Sciences program at Indiana University. Rebecca earned her Master of Arts degree in education from Pepperdine University's Graduate School of Education and Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre directing. She also holds two Associate of Arts degrees in dance and liberal arts from Moorpark College, where she ranked as the 5th top speaker in the nation at the 2001 Phi Rho Pi National Speech and Debate Tournament. She completed a 2-year internship at the Beckman Research Institute at City of Hope Medical Genetics Laboratory with an emphasis in Tourette Syndrome. She is often a guest speaker on Tourette Syndrome at colleges and universities. Her research accomplishments can be seen frequently on the Discovery Health Channel. Rebecca has performed, choreographed, and directed theatre and dance productions throughout Southern California. She has directed plays through the "Odds Program" at the Odyssey Theatre, where she has also worked extensively with Ron Sossi. For over twenty years, Rebecca has studied classical dance with Patsy Swayze, Don Hewitt, Daniel Berney and Rene Baum. She is also an avid swing and ballroom dancer.