Peter Yarrow will visit Willow Books in Acton tomorrow.
'Puff' back in children's book
Peter Yarrow will visit Willow Books in Acton tomorrow.
ACTON -- Ever since the song "Puff, the Magic Dragon" was made famous by the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary in the 1960s, children worldwide have shared in the adventures of Puff and his friend, Jackie Paper, in the land of Honalee.
At 7 p.m. tomorrow at Willow Books & Cafe in Acton, families can sing along with "Puff" cowriter Peter Yarrow and his daughter, Bethany Yarrow, as they celebrate the publication of the first picture book adaptation of the tale.
A resident of New York City, the 69-year-old Yarrow said he has a larger purpose for the 25-city tour beyond selling books.
"It's about spreading a culture I believe in so deeply and have been a part of for so many years," said Yarrow, a Grammy Award winner and Emmy Award nominee, whose advocacy for human and civil rights, social justice, and peace is embodied in Operation Respect, a nonprofit organization he founded in 1999 to combat bullying, ridicule, and violence in schools.
"Folk music can establish a sense of community, an acceptance of each other rather than alienation of those who don't have the same religion or skin color or eat the same food. It does not speak to competition, but is a celebration of who we are, a celebration of goodness, decency, and neutrality," Yarrow said. "This kind of music is a very powerful tool of peace. And at this point in my life, I only want to do things that promote truth and beauty and help make the world a better place."
David Didriksen, president of Willow Books & Cafe, said he is "very excited" to welcome the Yarrows, whom he met at the BookExpo America convention in June in New York City.
Tomorrow's event "is a nice fit for our family-owned, community bookstore and a great opportunity for our local customers" to meet a world-renowned singer and songwriter, he said.
Yarrow was in college when Lenny Lipton, a friend and Cornell University classmate, left a poem he wrote about a dragon in Yarrow's typewriter in 1959. Yarrow added lyrics and music, transforming the poem into a song. When Yarrow joined Noel Paul Stookey and Mary Travers to form Peter, Paul and Mary in 1961, the folk group performed the song live and ultimately recorded it.
Yarrow said he and Lipton, who has since written four books on motion picture technology and invented the modern three-dimensional projection system used in cinemas worldwide, waited until now to adapt the song into a book because "things happen in their own time." Included in the book is a four-song CD with Peter and Bethany Yarrow and cellist Rufus Cappadocia, featuring lyrical and instrumental versions of "Puff, the Magic Dragon" as well as the songs "Froggie Went A-Courtin" and "The Blue Tail Fly."
Although Peter sang backup for Bethany on a previous album, he said this is the first CD they have recorded together. He also continues to tour nationwide with Peter, Paul and Mary.
"It's a dream for every parent to work on something one cares about with one's child," he said. "Beyond that, we're sending an intergenerational message that we're proud of this legacy of songs."
Just as the book has been published "with the right heart and the right spirit," Yarrow said he will present the story of "Puff, the Magic Dragon" to the audience in Acton in the "same special way" he did when his own children were young. In addition to 36-year-old Bethany, he has a 34-year-old son, Christopher, who owns The Monkey & the Rat art gallery in Portland, Ore.
"We'll talk about when Puff discovers that Jackie Paper has grown up and gone away, and how Puff might feel at the end of the book when a little girl comes to visit him," Yarrow said of the new happy ending created by Eric Puybaret's illustrations. "If you use books in that context, reading becomes an active kind of shared experience between adults and their children."
Didriksen said he is expecting a substantial turnout to meet the Yarrows, but believes one of the reasons his store was selected is that it has a large meeting space and plenty of free parking.
In addition to being "grateful to the people who helped the book come together," Yarrow said he is eager to share its story while introducing folk music to a new generation whom he believes can rebuild the "spirit of hope" that was prevalent in America in the 1960s.
Published by Sterling Publishing Co., "Puff, the Magic Dragon" is available for $16.95. For more information, visit puffbook.com.
Cindy Cantrell can be reached at cantrell@globe.com. 
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.
