The Raspberry Man: Inspired by a True Story

By Janalee Tobias

One lazy summer day in the summer of 1968, a young girl discovers an enchanting backyard teeming with fruit trees, flowers, roses, and a fairy-tale castle birdhouse clustered between pine trees and a mysterious old white cottage.

Nestled in the back of this secret garden is a magnificent raspberry patch. Row upon row of bright-red raspberries dot the green leaves of the raspberry plants and light up the raspberry patch like lights on a Christmas tree. There the young girl meets “the raspberry man,” the seventy-seven-year-old owner of this hidden wonderland, a Danish immigrant who came to United States to live the American dream. He sends her home with a bouquet of roses and a bowl of raspberries. Soon after this visit, she adopts him as her grandpa and they form a lifetime friendship.

Charming illustrations help to tell this heartwarming tale, inspired by a true story, about the love that can be shared between the elderly and the young. This book also reminds us of the importance of kindness and respecting every generation and culture.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Dec 12, 2013
• ISBN: 9781491842201

Janalee Tobias

About the Author Born the youngest of seven children, Janalee Tobias was raised in Idaho. She wrote The Raspberry Man as an assignment for an English class at Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho (now known as BYU-Idaho). Thirty years later, she found this story while going through some old college papers and entered it into a writing contest, where it won first place. Several people suggested she make the story into a children’s book. So, thanks to her great-niece Julia Adams, who is the illustrator, people can see and read about the real-life characters in a time when the world was carefree, happy-go-lucky, and out of harm’s way. Each picture by Julia is hand-drawn and colored with loving care. The author hopes that everyone is blessed with a “raspberry man” in his or her life. Janalee graduated from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. She currently resides in Utah with her husband, Steve, and cat and a canary. They have two adult daughters, Lisa and Stephanie. Janalee has been involved with many high-profile organizations protecting the Bill of Rights and has had legal representation at the Utah Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of the United States with important court cases defending the First and Second Amendments of the United States Constitution. About the Illustrator Born and raised in Utah, illustrator Julia Adams was diagnosed with autism at the age of two. Since her early elementary years, Julia has devoted literally thousands of hours to honing her skills as an artist. A mostly self-taught illustrator, Julia currently attends a post-high school program and aspires to have a career in illustration and animation. Julia is the great-niece of the author and the real-life inspiration for the character of Jani in The Raspberry Man. Now a young adult, Julia resides in Centerville, Utah, with her parents, three siblings (with another on the way), and her cat, Skippy.

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© 2013 Janalee Tobias. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 12/12/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4918-4219-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-4220-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013922522

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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Dedication

Dedicated to the industrious immigrants who came to America from many nations and cultivated the United States of America into the Great Melting Pot.

And to love and friendship, the ties that bind generations.

THE ROCKING CHAIR

Three hundred sixty-four days the old man rocked

To the ticking of the clock.

He rocked in his old wood chair

’Til the cobwebs filled the air.

Three hundred sixty-four days the old man rocked

Waiting for a friend to knock.

He lived in his old wood chair

And his empty house so bare.

Three hundred sixty-four days the