Lange's homegrown kid's book proves a huge success
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Vermont author Willem Lange (left} and illustrator Bert Dodson of Bradford sign copies of “Favor Johnson: A Christmas Story” Sunday at Misty Valley Books in Chester. The children’s book, which first appeared in a newspaper column in 1982, has flown off the shelves this season. SUSAN SMALLHEER / RUTLAND HERALD |
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By Susan Smallheer STAFF WRITER - Published: December 24, 2009
BELLOWS FALLS – "Favor Johnson," Willem Lange's well-known Christmas tale of an old dairy farmer, his beloved dog, Hercules, and his flatlander doctor-neighbor is the smash hit of the Christmas book season in Vermont: Its first printing has sold out.
Lange, 74, of East Montpelier, a newspaper columnist and commentator on Vermont Public Radio, turned his story about the farmer and his dog into a children's picture book, with beautiful watercolor illustrations from children's illustrator Bert Dodson of Bradford.
The book's initial printing of 3,500 books is gone, much to the chagrin of Ig Bellew, the publisher of Bunker Hill Publishing of Piermont, N.H., a small town just across the Connecticut River from the Vermont town of Bradford.
"I wish we had printed 5,000," said Bellew, who said he and his wife and business partner had cut back the normal size of the printing because of the poor economy.
The book's success earned the attention of Publishers Weekly, which spotlighted the book last week with the story "Big Sales, Small Press: Bunker Hill's New England Holiday Hit."
Bellew, who moved to Piermont four years ago, said publishing "Favor Johnson" as a children's book was a natural, and he was surprised that no one had made the move earlier.
Lange, Dodson and Bellew were on the book trail this past weekend, appearing at the Village Bookstore in downtown Bellows Falls and Misty Valley Books in Chester. In both cases, the bookstores were full of Lange fans, eager to hear Lange read from his new book and wipe away some tears.
"I always cry when I hear it," said Kay Faust of Baltimore, a children's librarian, who said that she tears up every time Favor Johnson rescues his injured hound dog, Hercules, on Christmas Eve.
For those unfamiliar with the tale, Hercules is shot in a swamp on Christmas Eve by rabbit hunters, and is eventually discovered by the worried farmer, who while carrying the bloody and dying dog back to his farmhouse runs into his Mercedes-driving neighbor, Dr. Jennings. The doctor operates on the kitchen table, and saves the dog's life. And that's not even mentioning the fruitcake angle.
Lange said the tale is based in fact, with some friendly embellishments.
"In the early 1980s, the dog incident happened in our neighborhood," said Lange, who lived for years in Etna, N.H., a village in Hanover, N.H., before moving to Vermont 2-1/2 years ago.
"Doc Jennings, it really happened," he said.
"In happened in the fall, so I wrote it as a newspaper column in 1982. I later recorded it for VPR. They said it's been 15 years, which sounds about right," said Lange.
As is common with Lange, his wife, Ida, always referred to as "Mother" by Lange in his columns, played a key role in the book's inception, Lange said.
It was his wife who suggested that Favor Johnson make a fruitcake as a thank-you to the doctor, a tradition which turned into a poignant and ever-expanding Christmas tradition for the old farmer.
"Last year, Mother suggested we make it into a children's book, and I called Bert and he called Ig and Carole," said Lange, referring to his illustrator Dodson and the Bellews. A chat over lunch quickly resulted in a contract, written down on a paper napkin, he said.
Lange said it took him about an hour to cut his column and commentary down to a children's book length, Dodson made dozens of wonderful watercolors.
Dodson, who said he works on two to three books a year, said the biggest challenge was creating illustrations for such a well-known story, particularly one known primarily through the radio.
People have an image in their mind, and the illustrations should match it, Dodson said.
That and portraying a severely injured, bleeding dog on the snow couldn't be so graphic because it was a children's book, he said.
"The question is always how much of real life do you expose children to," said Dodson, who said he, Lange and Bellew discussed the issue. Hercules' injuries are essential to the story, Dodson said. "You can't change it."
Dodson worked on a tight deadline, and the story and illustrations came back in book form from its Chinese printer at the end of August.
Dodson, who has illustrated more than 80 children's books, had collaborated with Lange on an earlier book, "John and Tom."
As for Favor Johnson, Bellew said there are no more books to order, although a second printing will be available in March and next Christmas he doesn't plan on repeating his mistake.
Misty Valley and Village Booksellers sold out their stash of the picture books with Lange and Dodson's appearance.
"I wish I'd ordered 100," said Bill Reed, one of Misty Valley's owners. In Bellows Falls, Pat Fowler said she quickly sold the 60 copies she had ordered, as people waited patiently to get their copies autographed.
While the book is described as a children's book, the crowds at the bookstores have been overwhelmingly adult, Lange noted.
"It's a feel-good story, it's New England, it's popular among people who love New England, the way it was or used to be," said Lange.
For Favor Johnson fans, Lange's annual reading of his story is slated for 7:49 a.m. today on Vermont Public Radio.
susan.smallheer@rutlandherald.com.
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