“Scary Spring: Our Polio Fright of 1955”

For today’s kids, the 1950s can seem like a far-distant time. Sometimes, their only exposure to that era comes from re-runs of “Leave it to Beaver” and “Happy Days”. For those lucky enough to have grandparents who enjoy telling stories, the ‘50s can be better understood for the defining decade that it was, made up of a mix of idealism and challenges. One of the challenges that faced American families then was the polio epidemic.

Poliomyelitis, a disease that affected the spinal cord and often led to partial paralysis, was declared an epidemic in 1952, causing parents across the United States to live in anxiety about their children’s health. Because nobody was certain how the disease was spread, people often went to great lengths to keep themselves and their children safe, avoiding public spaces and trying to keep their homes as spotless and germ-free as possible. It was later discovered that modern sanitation was in part to blame for the disease, by removing people’s exposure to the virus as infants, thereby lowering their resistance later in life.

Of course at the time of the epidemic this was unknown, and the idea of keeping the family clean, safe and hidden away was understandably very appealing to people, especially to mothers. The fact that many families had a polio victim close to them, whether it was a blood relative, friend or neighbor, heightened the fear. They saw firsthand the physical, emotional and financial burden caused by the disease and feared that fate for themselves or their loved ones.

While this all sounds very gloomy, it didn’t entirely snuff out the optimism and innocence of that decade. Children growing up during that time – even those who were close to a polio sufferer or experienced the disease themselves – still benefitted from living during a time of American prosperity, patriotism and hope in scientific progress that eventually led to Salk’s 1955 discovery of the polio vaccine..

In her new children’s chapter book, Scary Spring: Our Polio Fright of 1955, author C.A. Hartnell seeks to bring the spirit of the ‘50s alive for elementary school-age readers. The events are seen through the eyes of 11-year-old Carol-Ann and her friend Pete, whose adventures in their neighborhood are a mix of classic youthful mischief (finding a stray puppy, spying on the local “crabby old man”) to more serious themes like witnessing the dangerous consequences of hot rod racing and facing the realities of polio. Pete and Carol-Ann’s friendship is a good old-fashioned coming of age buddy adventure. They depend upon one another, share their fears and secrets and can always count on each other for a laugh.

Scary Spring is the first in “The Adventures of Pete and Carol Ann” series of four chapter books, which won a 2013 California Mom’s Choice Award. Hartnell’s stories and characters are based on memories from her own experiences growing up, so they have an easy flow and believability that make the era accessible to today’s kids.

For more information, visit www.cahartnell.com