Author hopes 'Take Me Back to Oklahoma' book will help young readers appreciate the state

Jimmie Tramel

Tulsa World Scene Reporter

Author Cody Burke had to leave Oklahoma to fully appreciate Oklahoma.

From that epiphany sprang a book.

“Take Me Back to Oklahoma,” a children’s picture book written by Burke and illustrated by Camilla Crittenden, will be released soon by Yorkshire Publishing.

The story? Thomas is excited for his family’s summer road trip to a busy city, a sandy beach and giant mountains. To Thomas, his home state of Oklahoma is boring — and don’t even get him started on the weather!

But as Thomas explores new places, something surprising happens: He begins to miss home — the delicious food, the music, the feeling that he’s a part of something bigger and even the sound of the wind and rain.

Most of all, Thomas misses the people — their kindness, resilience an