I am blessed to get many emails from parents of teen drivers. Reprinted below is one of the nicest I have received, a good example of why I do what I do, and what keeps me going:
Dear Mr. Hollister, As a parent of an 11th grade daughter, preparing for her upcoming permit test and eventually learning to drive, I felt I needed some parental support on the subject. So being a Children’s Librarian I of course decided to look for a book at my library where I work in Garden City, Long Island. When I found your book in the YA department I was pleasantly surprised that such a book which addressed all my concerns actually existed. I read it cover to cover, with a million sticky notes. In fact I purchased my own copy from Amazon so that I could highlight some key facts so my husband could take his time and look it over. I am about to leave it on his table next to his spot on the couch. Before I did that I wanted to be sure to send you an E-mail to first say how very, very sorry I am for the tragic loss of your son Reid. In his memory, you will likely be saving so many lives by writing and discussing your research findings. I would love to hear you speak if I ever have the opportunity. Thanks very much for your incredible amount of research gathering and giving parents a “road map” to help them to guide their teens during this exciting but potentially dangerous time in their lives. I only wish someone had written this book for you.
Sincerely, Sandra DeCarle, New Hyde Park, NY
