Published: November 13, 2009 11:17 pm      

Local children’s author going places with Ned

SOUTHMONT — Honors are piling up for Southmont children’s author Dr. Ron Madison.

• He will be a featured author at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Melbourne, Australia, on Dec. 3-9. The parliament is described by its officials as “the largest organization in the world devoted to interfaith understanding and harmony.” The Dalai Lama, Tibet’s Buddhist leader, will be the featured speaker.

• “Ned and the World’s Religions,” the latest book by Dr. Ron, as he is known to youngsters, was an award-wining finalist in the children’s religion section of the National Best Books 2009 Awards in October. The event is sponsored by the USA Book News, the online publication of JPX Media, headquartered in Los Angeles.

• By winning a finalist award, his book now is eligible for entry in the 2010 International Book Awards contest, also sponsored by JPX. Winners will be announced in May at a premier publishing event, the BookExpo of America, in New York City.

• The Ned series of books, all written in rhyme, also have been selected to be included in the online Ripple Reading Web site, where “grandma” reads books to children.

• The American Red Cross has purchased 60,000 copies of “Ned and the Gift of Life,” which explains to children the reasons for donating blood. The books are being distributed by Red Cross chapters across the nation.

• In all, more than 125,000 Ned books have been sold as of Nov. 1, the author announced.

Dr. Ron will be accompanied to Melbourne by his son, Michael, of Chicago, and the Rev. William Carpenter of Atlanta, Dr. Ron’s religion adviser for “Ned and the World’s Religions.”

“We are looking forward to the parliament session,” Dr. Ron says. “It will give our book worldwide exposure. I am honored to be a featured author.”

In program literature for the parliament in Australia, Dr. Ron is described thusly: “Ron Madison began his writing career 15 years ago. Since then he has written extraordinary and insightful children’s books for such diverse groups as the American Red Cross and the U.S. Army (“Ned and The General,” a lesson about deployment). He recently was asked by Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Education (Gerald Zahorchak) to write a book to introduce children to the world’s religions. The result expresses what Dr. Ron learned from his research: It’s not a book that teaches religion. It’s a book that teaches understanding and harmony.”

Dr. Ron has been a guest author and speaker in schools from Colorado to Georgia and in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and Illinois. In addition, he has conducted author signing sessions in various bookstores throughout the East, the Midwest and the South.

“I’ve been excited over how well the books are being received and the children’s reaction to them,” Dr. Ron says.

His fans are called “Neddies,” and he developed a line of “Neddie” dolls, pins, tapes and music to complement the books.

He will conduct a poetry workshop at the new Children’s Museum at the Heritage Discovery Center, 201 Sixth Ave. in Johnstown, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Nov. 21. Dr. Ron is the author in residence at the museum.

The author, who holds a doctorate in civil engineering and is retired from executive posts at Bethlehem Steel Corp. and Pennsylvania Electric Co., composed poems to tell his children years ago. He “rediscovered” them for his grandchildren, and their delight in the stories about Ned, the kid with a big head who wasn’t big-headed, led to his decision to write a book, “Ned’s Head.”

Its success resulted in a series of 11 books featuring stories and adventures of Ned, who learns lessons about the importance of loyalty, friendship, family, self-esteem, compassion, safety and how to say “no” to drugs.

The books are illustrated by local artist Dave Covola.

“It’s been a long road to success,” Dr. Ron says. “But with the help of a lot of people ... people who firmly believe Ned teaches children important lessons in life ... and my understanding wife, Meg, I believe we are making an impact.”



Ed Kane of Johnstown is a former newspaper reporter and editor, and owner of an advertising and public relations company.