DURHAM – Local author Leslie Bulion has released a new children’s book, "Galápagos: Islands of Change." She calls the writing style "science poetry."
“I think of a big idea, like in this case, looking at the whole ecosystem of the Galápagos,” said Bulion, a Durham resident. “I do a big, wide general reading on it.”
And her research didn't stop there. She also visited the Galápagos, an archipelago of volcanic islands located in the Eastern Pacific. “The people who live on the Galápagos are learning about sustainability and trying to take care of their island,” Bulion said.
During a book launch at the new Durham Community Center in April, Bulion took the audience on a ride through the Galápagos, which is home to a diversity of plant and animal species, many found nowhere else on Earth.
"Galápagos: Islands of Change" describes a young volcanic ecosystem influenced by seasonal ocean currents, and the book looks at how "food energy" moves through integrated land and sea communities.
Bulion has penned more than a dozen children's books, many of them focused on the natural world.
"I have been reading and writing poetry since the fourth grade. I love the musical sounds of words in poems – words that make my heart and mind soar, words with rhythm and words that rhyme," the author states on her website, LeslieBulion.com.
She adds, "I didn't always know I wanted to be a writer, but I've always been interested in learning about people, science and nature. I studied science in college, and oceanography in graduate school. I also studied social work in graduate school, and then worked with children and families in hospitals and schools. So you could say I studied science, worked with children and families, and now I learn and write about science for children and families."
Bulion said, for her, writing a book can take anywhere from several months to more than a year. Once completed, the story is sent to an illustrator.
In "Galápagos: Islands of Change," Bulion worked with artist Becca Stadtlander, who created the front cover image and the pictures throughout.
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