'Noises at Night’ spooky book fun for children
Local authors successfully team up
By Pamela H. Sacks, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Susan Lubner was a child when she started writing clever poems for birthday parties. She had graduated to short stories by the time she was a student at Simmons College. She published two of them in magazines and even won prizes.

But Ms Lubner, who resides in Southboro, knew she hadn’t quite hit her stride.

After her daughters came along, she enjoyed reading stories to Hannah and Julia. Many of them were in verse, and it struck Ms. Lubner that she might be a natural writer of children’s literature. “I really enjoy writing in rhyme,” she says. “It’s a skill. I’m good at it.”

She had been trying her hand at children’s stories for several years when she saw an announcement at Borders in Framingham of a workshop offered by children’s author Jackie Greene. Ms. Lubner signed up and soon became friends with Beth Raisner Glass, who was writing about the nighttime bangs, creaks and clangs that can spark a child’s imagination. Ms. Glass needed help with meter, and Ms. Lubner was happy to lend a hand.

It was the perfect pairing.

The co-authors’ first children’s book, “Noises At Night” (Abrams, $16.95), was released earlier this month to a good review from Publishers Weekly. Ms. Glass and Ms. Lubner will appear at 7 p.m., Thursday, at Tatnuck Bookseller, 18 Lyman St., Westboro to entertain children with a book reading and signing at a pajama party.

When Ms. Glass and Ms. Lubner sold their manuscript to Abrams, they were, naturally, thrilled. On reflection, Ms. Lubner says, they didn’t know how lucky they were. Abrams hired a leading illustrator of children’s books, Bruce Whatley of Australia, to draw the images. Against a background of blues, Mr. Whatley portrays the adventures of a little boy with big round eyes, who always has a teddy bear nearby. Mr. Whatley illustrates a series of adventures that accompany the charming verse:

“Drrroppp, Drrroppp drips the faucet I hear down the hall,
It’s not from the sink, but a ship sailing tall!
I stand at the helm — I’m a sea captain now,
I skim over waves that slap onto the bow.”

The authors couldn’t have been more pleased with the art. “You always have an idea of what the characters might look like, the colors the texture,” Ms. Lubner says. “I think he went beyond our wildest expectations.”

Ms. Lubner intends to stick with children’s books, which, she says, are harder to write than people might think. Indeed, a good story for children must have all the elements of adult fiction — rich characters, a strong story line, plot, conflict resolution. What is more, the story has to be told in a very limited number of words, with few adjectives because the illustrations must flesh out the tale.

Which is why Ms. Lubner, 40, is feeling doubly fortunate these days. She already has sold her second manuscript to Abrams, this one titled “Ruthie Bon Bair: Do Not Go To Bed With Wringing Wet Hair.” And Mr. Whatley will be the illustrator.