One Maplewood Family with Two New Book Releases

Maplewood, NJ - What do academic History books and children’s picture books have in common? Each genre illuminates truths about humanity and what connects us across time and place. The other answer: each inspires a newly-released book from one household in Maplewood, NJ, from the husband-and-wife duo of Raymond Patton (historian, professor, and community musician) and Kerry Allan (dancer, educator, and author/illustrator).

Raymond Patton’s History book, In-Between Empire: Imperial Exceptionalism, Poland, and Colonial Travel Writing, published by Bloomsbury, was released in hardcover on November 14, while Kerry Allan’s whimsical children’s picture book 1 2 3, MOVE WITH ME: A Creative Movement Adventure was published by E. Gads Hill Press on November 19.

Allan is expanding her professional background in dance and arts education and performance to visual art and writing in her picture book enticing young children to explore movement by following stimulating imagery prompts and lushly illustrated pages that connect real-world movement to the infinite magic that exists in a child’s imagination.

Patton’s book is a work of East European History, but also addresses enduring questions about cross-racial allyship relevant to readers everywhere, exploring how Poland’s position in-between imperial victim and aspiring colonial power sometimes inspired empathy and solidarity for non-European victims of colonialism, but could also be used to justify domination through exceptionalism.

Both books can be found online or at local bookstores. To learn more about Allan’s arts offerings and book, please visit kerryallanarts.com and watch a video preview here. You can also read about Patton’s latest work at Bloomsbury.com.