Beverley Olson Buller never planned to write a book, although one of the last things her dad, Dr. Bob Olson, told her before his death was that she would.
And, she did.
“She’s just a natural writer,” says proud mom, Loyette Olson, of Winfield.
“From Emporia: The Story of William Allen White” is hitting book stores across the state.
The author, a Winfield native and 1973 graduate from Winfield High School, describes the book as the “first-ever juvenile biography of beloved Kansas newspaper editor William Allen White.”
A reviewer for Watermark Books describes Buller’s book as “impressive. It presents in miniature a life lived generously and well,” wrote Mark David Bradshaw. “Bev Buller has given us all a gift: a story that makes William Allen White more than just a name for a book award or a building, more even than a celebrated memory.
“She reminds us that his work and his life are a legacy for all Kansans to share in, to benefit from, and ultimately, to emulate” Bradshaw said. “It’s a fine book indeed.”
Buller said she’s enjoyed writing since elementary school but didn’t plan to ever write a book until an event in May 2005.
“William Allen White was one of the famous Kansans I grew up hearing about, and I discovered early in my career as a language arts teacher that the only true biography in print about him was his autobiography, published in 1944,” she said. “When I attended the grand opening of his home in Emporia as a state historic site and visited with his great-grandson, I decided to write the book.
Buller has degrees from Kansas State University, Wichita State University, and library certification from Emporia State University. A long time educator, she is the Library Media Specialist at Chisholm Middle School in Newton.
She is also preparing to attend her eighth meeting of the William Allen White Children’s Book Awards selection committee. “Because I help choose the books that go on that reading list, I read about 200 kids’ books a year,” she said.
“I knew exactly who my audience was and how I wanted my book to look. Thank goodness Kansas City STAR Books gave me an editor who shared my vision and trusted my judgment on content,” Buller said.
Buller begins with White’s birth and early days and follows him through his astounding career as a small-town newspaper editor whose scope and acumen were anything but small. Her book captures texture of White’s life and displays his thorough dedication to free speech and public service, the review states.
The book is full color, 112 pages, and almost every page has some sort of archival document on it to accompany the text, according to Buller.
“For example, when I talk about the bank he had as a child, there is a photo of it (courtesy of his granddaughter who now owns it,” she said. ‘It’s written aimed at middle schoolers, but upper elementary, high schoolers and adults will find it interesting, too.”
Kansas kids know about the William Allen White Children’s Book Award, Buller said, but there’s never been a book about its namesake that is kid-friendly. She also wrote the book because she feels teachers need books that provide examples of primary sources and various text features.
Buller is traveling across the state, appearing at bookstores and public libraries, festivals and workshops. She hopes to do a program at Winfield Public Library this fall combined with a visit to her niece’s intermediate center in Winfield.
The book can be purchased online here.