Chinaberry’s winning combination: soft on the outside, savvy on the inside

By Reported Donna Loyle

Once Upon a Time

In 1982, Ann Ruethling, a new mother living in Oregon, went scouting for children’s books suitable for her 2-year-old daughter. She sought content that was nurturing and uplifting, but what she found left her disappointed. Violence and even abuse ran as undercurrents through many story lines, including Mother Goose classics.