During the (2015-2016) school year, Walter had the unique and fortunate opportunity to teach in a first grade, dual language program at Hunt Club Elementary School. After reading one of his first grade anchor-text entitled, Señorita Runfio from the new Ready-Gen series, he felt inspired to write his own children's book. Walter has always felt the passion to write whenever he is motivated and encouraged to tell a story in unusual and "extreme circumstances". During his entire teaching career, he has used the strategy of Daily Interactive Journal Writing as an effective learning tool to meet the social and emotional needs of all the learners that he has taught. In times of leisure and pleasure, he enjoys travelling with his wife, Marg on getaways, watching Chicago Cubs and Bears sport teams, conducting seminars, workshops, attending Church and Bible studies, and last but not least, sharing The Good News of the Gospel as an interactive minister of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World. He is a huge believer and doer of an old proverb that says," Good, better, best will never let you rest, until the good gets better and the better gets best. Practice makes us all better!"

The tragedy unfolds when both of Alicias parents pass away in a horrible accident. However, Alicia survives and is later adopted by her godmother from the Church. Alicias godmother enrolls her in a dual-language program in New York. She does well academically, but struggles with deep emotional feelings of hurt and despair when Mothers Day is celebrated towards the end of every school year. She cries and refuses to participate in any Mothers Day activities. One summer evening, when she was on vacation with Miss Runfo, she falls asleep and dreams about being taken to a faraway place called La Bellsima Ciudad. There she meets the king, who grants her a petition to see and be with her parents once again. Alicia is told by them to respect, love, and honor Miss Runfo who is now her mother. Alicias fourth grade bilingual teacher, Mr. Anderson, introduces journal writing to meet her social and emotional needs of revealing the truth about the deep secret that she has kept for years. Finally, Alicia is motivated and encouraged to make a Mothers Day card with colorful flowers and a poem for Miss Runfio to express her love and appreciation for a wonderful mom; and as the story goes she lived happily ever after and never cried again on Mothers Day. Walter has been an elementary and secondary bilingual and Spanish teacher for over thirty years for the Chicago Public Schools District 299, Evergreen Park School District 124, and Owego School District 308. He holds a Bachelors of Science degree in elementary/secondary education from Illinois State University. In addition, he has earned two Masters degrees in Bilingual Education and in School Leadership. He is the author of three published books from the AuthorHouse Publishing Company: Between Two Worlds (2005), Trust No Man (2011), and La Bellsima Ciudad (2016).

“This evocative portrait elevates an everyday routine to a wonder-filled walk of discovery.”— School Library Journal (starred review) Before your city goes to sleep, you might head out for a walk into the almost-night, your dog at your side. Anything can happen on such a walk. And as you go down your street and around the corner, the windows around you light up one by one until you are walking through a maze of paper lanterns, each one granting you a brief, glowing snapshot of your neighbors as families come together and folks settle in for the night. In this American Library Association Notable Children’s Book, now in paperback, Julia Denos and E. B. Goodale have created a setting that feels both specific and universal. Through lyrical text and welcoming illustrations, they convey not only the idea of home and the magic of curiosity, but also how a sense of love and belonging is something to which every child is entitled.

A BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick 'Ingenious ... touching, surprising and sometimes heartbreaking.' Guardian 'If you're itching to read a new novel by David Mitchell ... try this.' The Times _______________ In Tokyo - one of the world's largest megacities - a stray cat is wending her way through the back alleys. And, with each detour, she brushes up against the seemingly disparate lives of the city-dwellers, connecting them in unexpected ways. But the city is changing. As it does, it pushes her to the margins where she chances upon a series of apparent strangers - from a homeless man squatting in an abandoned hotel, to a shut-in hermit afraid to leave his house, to a convenience store worker searching for love. The cat orbits Tokyo's denizens, drawing them ever closer. 'Masterfully weaves together seemingly disparate threads to conjure up a vivid tapestry of Tokyo; its glory, its shame, its characters, and a calico cat.' David Peace, author of THE TOKYO TRILOGY One of the Independent's best debuts

My former students at James Otis Elementary School will always hold a very special place in my experiences as a teacher. Although I will miss them dearly, I still visit them from time to time, while driving to my new job at A.N. Pritzker. I personally thank Maria, an intellectually sharp Puerto Rican girl who inspired me to sub-title this book My First and New Love. This book is an autobiography of my life as a student, teacher, and minister. My first love, which is an overwhelming fascination of the Spanish language, serves as a prelude that is intricately interwoven with my new love, which is an awesome respect for the Word of God. It is my desire, hope, and prayer that the reader of this manuscript will be blessed with a new insight and understanding of how this natural love is connected to a far greater spiritual love. She was a light that guided me through my darkest journey. I fell in love with her beauty at the tender age of 16. She was the only thing that motivated me for success. I have a desire to share her knowledge with you. Some may say she is boring, but I think she is exciting! I fell in love again with my new love at the age of 30. He is my Bright and Morning Star and His Word is Absolute Truth. He found me, and loved me when I was unlovable. Some may say He never existed, and therefore not believe. But I believe by faith, because He lives within me. -Walter Blair, 2004 Since the beginning of time, humans have fallen in love with many different interests in the world such as art, music, dance, people, sports, culture, history, science, religion, and more. My love for learning the Spanish language has opened up many doors of opportunity in translating, interpreting, tutoring, teaching, and ministering.