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Welcome to my website. My name is Una Belle Townsend. I am a former teacher/librarian and award-winning author. I live in Oklahoma, and I'm the author of thirteen books. I'm often found signing books at schools, libraries, and museums. My car thinks it's a bookmobile since it's usually full of my books.
***The best way to contact me is to email me at unabelle1@gmail.com. ***
***I'm on Facebook as Una Belle Townsend, Author*** Like my page
I'm on Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and I have a blog (although I don't keep up with stories very well) at unabelletownsend.blogspot.com I do have many activities and ideas for parents and teachers. Please check out each book entry on the blog. You'll find many fun activities and photos of book events.
Many times I'm available for school visits during the day and even some nighttime activities. I enjoy signings at museums, local activities and events, reading nights at schools, craft fairs, and public libraries.
*** Many of my books are now out of print. They are no longer on Amazon. I do have a few copies available of some of my books. Email me at unabelle1@gmail if you are interested in buying a copy of a particular book.
*** "Grady's in the Silo" has a new look in its second edition. It was Feb. 22, 1949 when a cow named Grady jumped in a silo in Yukon, OK. So this year is the 75th year since Grady jumped in that silo. I published a second edition this year, and the illustrator for the second edition is Jerry Bennett. www.thejerrybennett.com
I have recently published my latest Haiku book called "Just 'Plane' Haiku." There are many photos of airplanes in it, and I took some of the photos. Virgil and Chris Townsend also contributed photos. In the book you will see pictures of famous planes, aerobatic planes, military aircraft, homebuilt planes, business planes, and warbirds. There is even a shuttle riding atop a B-747 which was on an overnight stop in Oklahoma City, OK, in 1981.
For many years, I was a classroom teacher, librarian, reading teacher, and ESL teacher. I wrote many grants for the school, and I was a 4-H leader, too. I was chosen Teacher of the Year three times at Riverside Elem. I also wrote many stories during those years, but have only been actively publishing or reading my work to others for about 20 years.
A Little Bit about My Books
I enjoy writing stories about Oklahoma and animals and often combine the two when I write. I enjoy photography, crafts, and writing haiku. The following is just a blurb about some of my published books.
Grady's in the Silo: I received an Oklahoma Center for the Book Award and an IRA/ Children’s Choice Award for my book, Grady’s in the Silo. My book is about the cow that jumped in a silo back in 1949 in Yukon. It has been read by many teachers working on farm units. The land where Grady roamed in Oklahoma was part of the Chisholm Trail and also a part of the land in the first land run in 1889.
The Great Elephant Escape: I received an Oklahoma Writer’s Federation Best Juvenile Book Award for my book, The Great Elephant Escape. This story of two elephants escaping from the circus grounds in Hugo, OK in 1975 made headlines for weeks until the elephants were found.
The Oklahoma Land Run: My Oklahoma Land Run is often read to students during pioneer days/western days and school land run events. My presentation includes displaying items such as a rug beater, a branding iron, sad irons, quilts, and bonnets which would have been found around the time of the land run.
The Racecar Driver's Night Before Christmas: My Racecar Driver's Night Before Christmas, was in the "Night Before Christmas" series created by Pelican Pub. Co. A group of Boy Scouts in Tennessee picked this Christmas book to represent their float entry in the local Christmas parade. I traveled from Oklahoma to Tennessee to see the float the boys made depicting the race car. I also rode in the truck pulling the float.
Toby and the Secret Code: My picture book, Toby and the Secret Code, is a multicultural book which includes some information about Oklahoma’s Choctaw code talkers in World War I. It has a glossary and a section of Choctaw words in the back. It’s the first in a series of Choctaw Adventure stories.
Ben and the Missing Pony: The second book in the Choctaw Adventures series is Ben and the Missing Pony. The book includes information about the Choctaw ponies and the efforts by many individuals to keep this breed from becoming extinct. It also includes some Choctaw language.
Scanner: In my picture book, Scanner, Miss Copywright, the school’s librarian, finds a Scottie puppy that needs a home and a name. Scanner’s job is to listen to children read in the school library. He also has a BIG secret. This book is the first in a series of Scanner stories.
Scanner and ther Icky, Sticky Gum: Scanner and the Icky, Sticky Gum, is the second book in the “Scanner the Scottie” series. The little Scottie falls head first into a trash can and then there’s this gum problem.
Clancy: In the book, Clancy, a goat discovers a new delicious item to eat on the farm. It causes quite a ruckus as he searches for this tasty treat.
Blazer's Taxi: In the book, Blazer’s Taxi, a Clydesdale who became the mascot for the Oklahoma City Blazer’s Hockey team, has a problem and a friend who helps him solve it.
Sunsets and Haiku: In this Haiku book, Sunsets and Haiku, brilliant photos accompany the haiku written about each sunset. It received a Delta Kappa Gamma award for poetry.
Books with Oklahoma Ties
Grady's in the Silo
Blazer's Taxi
Sunsets and Haiku
The Oklahoma Land Run
Toby and the Secret Code
Ben and he Missing Pony
The Great Elephant Escape
Awards and Recognition
The Riverside Elementary School District in El Reno, OK, honored me by naming the school library the "Una Belle Townsend Honorary Library" for my "commitment to children and reading."
I was the very first Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom Teacher of the Year, and was also chosen as Canadian County Citizen of the Year. I was recognized in 2017 as one of the "Significant Women in Oklahoma Agriculture" and Oklahoma's 2019 Ag in the Classroom Ag Advocate.
In 2017, I received a Creative Woman of Achievement in Poetry Award from Delta Kappa Gamma for my book, Sunsets and Haiku. I wrote the haiku for the book, and took photographs of Oklahoma sunsets to accompany the book.
I have also received awards in poetry, essays, photography, canning, cake decorating, candy making, 4-H, ESA Sorority , and many awards at Senior games and at Canadian County and Oklahoma State fairs.
I may be reached at unabelle1@gmail.com. Look for me on Pinterest, Instagram, Linkedin, Facebook, and at unabelletownsend.blogspot.com.
Many of my books are also in ebook format. They are available through 24symbols, Playstar, OverDrive, Bibliotheca, Baker & Taylor, Rakuen Kobo, Apple Books, SCRIBD, Tolino, and hoopla.