Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
July 4, 2001
Former Denver journalist turns children's writer
Author writes to encourage `global citizenship' and respect in kids
By Alwen Bledsoe
Simon and Barklee — the globetrotting duo of savvy world-traveling canary and loyal Scottish Terrier — have visited England, France, Germany, and soon are to travel to Mexico to brush up on Spanish and learn about Mexican culture.
Though now living in Langely, Wash., Simon and Barklee creator, David J. Scherer, is a Denver native who still considers Blessed Sacrament his home parish. He said he began his 30-year writing career at the Rocky Mountain News as a feature writer and later branched into public relations and aviation writing. In all those years, though, the grandfather of three still felt something was missing.
"I wanted to write for children," he explained. "They're just a gas to be with."
One day while camping, Dave's wife, Cathy, asked him to tell her a story, and thus emerged Simon and Barklee, world-travelers modeled off of the couple's pets.
"They became so engaging for me to write that I decided I would write a series on them and see if I would have any luck in the publishing market," said Dave. "It was just a simple little venture, but it's evolved a hundred-fold."
The "little venture" has become a company of which Cathy is president and Dave vice-president. Simon and Barklee, Inc., is currently producing Dave's fourth book, "Simon and Barklee in Mexico" and plans to publish two books on Africa exploring some African tribes and their history.
Aimed at teaching kids, among other things, geography, vocabulary, language arts and math, the Simon and Barklee series also include a workbook and a teacher's edition, both developed by Cathy, who has a degree in elementary education and has worked with curriculum development extensively, she said.
Most importantly, though, said the couple, the books seek to promote global awareness and tolerance.
Through their business travels, the two found that, internationally, Americans are often viewed as ignorant, arrogant, and uninterested in anything outside of their immediate surroundings, and that, more often than not, world sentiment seemed to err on the side of truth.
"We went to four continents and 15 countries and talked at length with people," Dave said.
"Sixty-five business executives," interjected Cathy.
"And listened to them speak about how poorly received Americans (are)," continued Dave. "I was very humiliated."
Dave soon began to see Simon and Barklee as a vehicle for reversing the unflattering image Americans seemed to be painting of their country around the world, he explained.
"The intent of the series is to promote a sense of global citizenship in young children in elementary schools," said Cathy.
With impassioned gestures, Dave explained that, with the advent of the Internet, the world has become a global neighborhood, and, he said, the earlier kids learn to understand and respect the way others live, the better for them and for the rest of the world.
For each book, Dave researches the customs, culture, and history of the country and draws on past visits to the country or actually travels there before writing it, he said. Then the book goes through upwards of 20 rewrites before it is produced, he said.
The books are beginning to find homes in a smattering of classrooms in Washington and, the Scherers hope, here in Denver. Like any book, they are receiving mixed reviews. Some Denver area Catholic schools have found costs prohibitive. Others are still reviewing the educational value of the series. A few, however, are considering using the curriculum.
Jerry Walker, principal at Most Precious Blood, said that though the school does not currently have the funds to purchase the books, it may consider adopting them.
Father Ken Koehler, pastor at Most Precious Blood, said, "I was really impressed with the series. It kind of immerses people in a very delightful way (in other cultures). It's not just learning words, but it really is the culture that the books seemed to grasp."
Jennifer Gandarias, a third- and fourth-grade teacher at South Whideby Intermediate School in Langley, Wash., said her class has been part of a pilot program to test the materials in the classroom and has read "Simon and Barklee in France" and done some of the workbook activities.
"The kids love it," she said. "The kids get to learn about different cultures, the language, the different types of food, different experience than their own. I see it broadening their horizons in discussions we're having."
"When I was the age of the children I am writing to," said Dave, "I didn't know anymore of what was going on in the world beyond my two blocks."
He hopes that the children who read his books will learn earlier than he about their global neighbors.
More information can be found online at www.simonandbarklee.com, by e-mail at dave@simonandbarklee.com, or by calling 1-888-568-9806.
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