Based on a true story, Dusty tells the tale of ten-year-old Pam, whose parents have bought her a beat-up, second-hand bike to use during their year-long stay in Denmark. Pam rides Dusty—as she names the bike—every day, through the countryside, in Dyrhaven Park, to school… As the year draws to a close, Pam’s parents tell her she must leave Dusty behind. But Pam can’t bear to part with her "trusty steed." What will she do? The answer lies in a secret message that has the power to link friends across oceans…

About the illustrator…

Ann Swanson Gross was born in Germany and now lives in Winlaw, B.C. She is well-known as a painter for adults, and Dusty was her first children’s book. When Ann was doing the illustrations, she bought a second-hand bike, put it in her living room and drew it dozens of times to learn how to draw a bike!

Reviewers say:

"Ellen Schwartz … offers six to nine-year-old readers a charming, well-presented episode in the life of a young girl…. Artist Ann Swanson Gross’s bold, highly individualistic illustrations, with their rich earth tones, are perfect complement to the text." - Andrea Deakin, Vancouver Sun, March 1983

ISBN 0-919560-02-1, 34 pages, paperback, ages 6-10

Please note: Dusty can be ordered directly from me at ellenschwartz_2000@yahoo.com.