Marco Polo Blackberry
Ginger Heller introduces her first novel - "Marco Polo Blackberry"Published: Friday, March 19, 2010A story about a 12-year old boy who earns half a million dollars trading stocks and commodities on the Internet without his parents knowledge seems a stretch of the imagination. The fact that he finds a way to take those profits and help children around the world is pushing the probability envelope even further. But, the title character of Greenwich resident Ginger Heller's new book for young adults, "Marco Polo Blackberry," does just that."All big things in this world are done by people who are naïve and have no idea that it is obviously impossible," Heller says, using a quotation she came across to explain her title character's abilities.Heller actually feels the quotation also defines the unlikelyhood of her becoming an author. But, Heller has brought to her book her experience of teaching middle schoolers, and her 20 years of trading in the stock and commodity markets to write what she called the first book for young readers that deals with economics.Heller dedicates her book to her husband Donald, "a person of vision; wise, yet daring," who is chairman of the Town's Planning and Zoning Commission. The two have four children and eight grandchildren, aged 8 to 20, a sizeable number of readers for Marco Polo Blackberry.To learn more about her new book, Marco Polo Blackberry, the Citizen asked Heller a few questions.What inspired you to write Marco Polo Blackberry?I had the need to write something that captured both of my distinct careers: as a trader of stocks and commodities, and as a teacher of children. I still am -- both.How long did the writing take?As the Queen of Hearts in `Alice and Wonderland' advised, --¦just begin at the beginning and when you came to the end, stop." That's what I did.How did you come up with your main character's name, Marco Polo Blackberry?Marco Polo was a famous world adventurer and Blackberry just sounded like fun.What is the book's main story line?Marco Polo Blackberry deals with the problems of children in third world countries. It's a story that concerns the universal issues of war, poverty, and disease and the children who are caught up in these tragedies. But it's also the story of hope, as Marco and his friends learn of the plight of those who are less fortunate and come to their rescue.What are its major themes?I see two major themes. The first one was perhaps best expressed by the 6th grade teacher, Jeanne Fachner, when she told me that a major idea in the book was, "To what extent does each of us have a moral responsibility to help others?" Mrs. Fachner and I have initiated a seminar series for her 6th grade class at Eastern Middle School where we cover these issues using "Marco Polo Blackberry" as the vehicle. She has even placed the theme, in bold, in a prominent spot in the front of her class room.Can you give an example?Sure, as the book begins, Hakim, an African boy is confronted with just such a problem: "Immediately Hakim knew. The men were kidnappers. He had heard about these bands of thugs who were snatching young boys and forcing them to become part of the militia, to become one of the vicious child soldiers of the region. `Ah,' he gasped as he saw them. Hakim lay down and flattened his body against the earth. Then he started to crawl towards the jeep..."And the other major theme?Hope, and the very real possibility that each of us, like 12-year-old Marco, can make a difference, one small step at a time.Where did you get the idea of using the book in a seminar series in the schools?I've always believed stories teach by attraction rather than compulsion. Through a story one can reach a child's heart and then perhaps have the potential to open the student's mind to the variety of possibilities.The story is an international one, involving characters from different parts of the world. What made you think of the idea of having children from six different continents communicate with each other?Why not? I've traveled extensively and love to converse with people from all different countries, why wouldn't the kids?What have you learned from your extensive traveling?It's surprising the more one travels the more one realizes that all of us are really much more alike than different. I wanted the children who read my story to appreciate this.Is there anything else about Marco Polo Blackberry that you'd like us to know?Perhaps it's best to hear from Marco in his own words: "I used to think that when I grew up I'd work somehow with dogs, (I totally love dogs) so maybe I'd be a vet, or I'd be a banker and handle lots of money. But now I think I'd like to be a world leader `cause the folks that are doing the job at this time, certainly need some help, and Auntie M. always says, `Marco, you're such a good thinker!'" --Greenwich Citizen, March, 19, 2010