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by Vernon Smith (Illustrator)
Celebrate your differences and be the best "you" possible
Charlie is a maintenance streetcar. He is small and clunky and definitely not as shiny as the other cars. He spends his days laying sand on the rail lines or repairing the more popular streetcars. He doesn't feel valued or liked by the other streetcars, and his hard work is often overlooked. It takes a series of emergencies for the other cars to learn that sometimes the person you never notice is exactly the person you need Author and illustrator Vernon Smith takes his love of iconic New Orleans streetcars to another level in this picture book for everyone who has ever felt left out or ignored. Charlie might be different from the other streetcars, but being different is what makes him special.
Vernon Smith has been creating art since he was able to hold a pencil. He provides graphics for a wide variety of businesses through his studio, MacFearsome Comic Squares. A graduate of the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, Smith earned a BFA from the University of New Orleans. He has worked on several comic-book series, including his own The Adventures of Dexter Breakfast and the successfully crowd-funded Hide. When not creating, Smith focuses on his most important role--being a father.
Front Jacket
Small and clunky, sandy and dull, Charlie is the smallest streetcar on the tracks in New Orleans. All the other cars are big, bright, shiny, and popular, and they leave sad little Charlie behind. They have jobs to do and they are much more important than the dusty, squatty car--or are they? When calamities strike, it's Charlie who stands tall and finds his purpose. As he overcomes obstacles and fixes things, his confidence soars and Charlie realizes that he is an important part of the streetcar family. Being different makes him special!
Louisiana author and illustrator Vernon Smith based this heartwarming story on the oldest New Orleans streetcar, NORTA 29. Built in 1896 and the last of the FB&D cars in existence, NORTA 29 is still in use today, traveling the tracks making sure the bigger cars can run safely--just like Charlie does!
Metairie resident Vernon Smith takes his love of the iconic New Orleans streetcars to another level in this picture book for everyone who has ever felt left out or ignored. A graduate of the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, Smith received a BFA from the University of New Orleans. He provides marketing artwork for businesses in both independent and corporate arenas through his studio, MacFearsome Comic Squares.
Smith's work is featured on GeeksOfDoom.com and ComicsAlliance.com. He has worked on several comic-book series, including his own The Adventures of Dexter Breakfast and the successfully crowdfunded Hide. When not writing and illustrating, he focuses on his most important role--being a father.
