Dr. Ellen talks about the Willi book and how it came about

Students always ask why Dr. Ellen wrote the Willi book...and why she used a dog to tell the story. Her answer is that dogs are fun and great story-tellers, and everyone loves them. Right? Anyway, who can turn down a starlet like little Willi!

It took Dr. Ellen two years to write the book and to compose all of the photographs that are in it. She wanted to publish it in time for the 400th anniversary of Jamestown. Do you know what that anniversary is all about?

English explorers came to Jamestown Island in 1607 to establish the first permanent English settlement in the New World. They arrived on three ships named the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery. The explorers landed their people at Jamestown Island on May 14, 1607, so the 400th anniversary will be celebrated in May of 2007.

2007 minus 1607 = 400 years.

Dr. Ellen also happens to think that history can be pretty boring to many students, so she thought that she would help bring history alive by using her photographs to tell the story of the Historic Triangle and its important role in American history.