Background
Spire, Hazel Jean was born on April 7, 1950 in London, England. Arrived in United States, 1978. Daughter of Leslie Roy and Jessie Craig Longhurst.
("A remarkable adventure book and we highly recommend it."...)
"A remarkable adventure book and we highly recommend it." --Children's Bookwatch of the Midwest Book Review Originally from Texas, Jandy Graham is in eighth grade in Iran, where she has lived for three years while her father works on a dam. Her best friend is Maryam, an Iranian classmate. Their excitement about the school play turns to fear when Maryam's practice tape of her dance music turns out to be an Ayatollah Khomeini speech against the Shah of Iran. Suddenly the girls are swept up into the changing atmosphere of Iran: Maryam's mother begins wearing traditional cover-up women's clothing; anti-west protest mounts; people begin carrying posters of Khomeini in parades; American ex-patriots become targets and are warned to "go home." The Shah's statue is pulled down; and finally, the Shah is deposed by militants. Mr. Graham is ordered to pack his family for home, but his passport is missing and a note on his desk warns that he is to be tried as a spy. The search for the missing passport makes the family miss the last bus to the airport in Abadan. A true friend, Maryam's father attempts to drive the Grahams to the airport as bullets whiz around them. His tire is shot out, and Maryam's uncle Gholam offers to help. He drives furiously, all the while cursing foreigners and the Shah and giving the Grahams some insight into the militant's viewpoint of the Shah's regime: torture and the SAVAC, the Shah's secret police. At the airport, the Grahams must pay an exorbitant airport tax to be allowed to race to their plane. A suitcase is dropped and instantly grabbed by a mob of demonstrators. After pushing and pulling to get on board, Jandy has a chance to open the book Maryam gave her marked with a Persian proverb, "The best thing you can bring back from your travels is yourself unharmed." The theme of two families finding friendship and a cross-cultural understanding is woven throughout the story.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0880925418/?tag=2022091-20
Spire, Hazel Jean was born on April 7, 1950 in London, England. Arrived in United States, 1978. Daughter of Leslie Roy and Jessie Craig Longhurst.
Diploma in teaching, Southampton University, England, 1971. Bachelor of Science, Texas Woman's University, 1992.
Teacher Ludlow Middle School, Southampton, 1973—1976. Teacher elementary school Development & Resources Corporation, Andimeshk, Iran, 1977—1978, Rosemeade Christian School, Carrollton, Texas, 1997—2002. Teacher art College St. Elementary School, Lewisville, since 2005.
Freelance writer The Colony, since 2001.
("A remarkable adventure book and we highly recommend it."...)
Sunday school teacher First Baptist Church, The Colony, 1999—2001, LakeWay Baptist Church, The Colony, 1988—1992. Member of American Christian Writers, Society Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (newsletter circulation 1999—2001), Carrollton Art Association (Farmers branch), Art by the Lake Associates (secretary 2000-2001).
Married Mark Dewayne Spire, July 8, 1978. 1 child Rachel Annual.