Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 17/99) - Raven Rock, a uniquely Northern publication company, is all set to go to print with its latest children's book, A Winter Walk with Haley.

But this particular book is a little different from the seven other books published by Raven Rock. Author Jaya Bastedo was eight when she wrote the poem, and at nine she is the youngest author to be published with the company.

Publisher Diane Brookes was walking through the halls of Jaya's school one day when she spotted the poem displayed.

"As soon as I read it I got really strong visual images," says Brookes, whose own children's book has been optioned by a film company.

"Other people did too. And I thought -- this is probably a good idea for a book."

The poem, which serves as the text of the book, was first written by the young author as an entry for a national literacy writing contest. She won.

Haley, of the title, is Jaya's two-year-old dog. The illustrations in the book also have as their subject Jaya herself with Haley.

The method of illustration makes this book different from the great majority of literature for children. The detailed and painstaking photographs of Jaya and Haley in action were taken by long-time Northern photographer Tessa MacIntosh.

"I've known Jaya since she was a baby," explains MacIntosh. "We were even in dog obedience class together. So we thought that would be a plus when we were trying to get the pictures worked out."

MacIntosh realized that she had to tailor her work to accommodate child and dog.

"I work long hours and I had to make sure that we didn't work too long," MacIntosh says.

According to Jaya, things sometimes got boring, as she waited for her photographer to set up shots.

Illustrating "her hair sticks up and she tucks in her tail," proved especially difficult.

"She wouldn't do it!" Jaya exclaims.

The pair shows me a photograph of Jaya holding two ptarmigans, and of course I'm stunned.

"Ptarmigan let you do that?" I ask.

Jaya nods her head, then breaks out into laughter.

"They're stuffed," she says smiling gleefully at my gullibility.

Stuffed rather than live ptarmigan was a concession they had to make to get just the right photograph. It's one thing to get a dog to follow instruction, but ptarmigan are another story altogether.

Raven Rock Publishing, though based in Yellowknife, is always looking for fresh material from across the North, east or west, says Brookes. Who knows what might spark her imagination next.