Some careers come full circle. Susan Stevens Crummel’s certainly has.
Ask Susan to describe her professional life, and she’ll tell you it has unfolded in three distinct chapters. First came 12 years teaching in Fort Worth public schools. Next, a 20-year career at Fort Worth Country Day School. Then came a surprise third chapter, one she never saw coming, that transformed her into an internationally recognized children’s book author.
Now, after more than 30 years in education and more than 25 years inspiring young readers through her books, Susan has come full circle once again as a proud member of the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA).
“I joined TRTA to support my husband, Richard,” Susan says. Richard, a former superintendent of schools in Burleson, serves as Legislative Chair for the Burleson Area Retired School Employees Association and as President of TRTA District 11. “But being part of TRTA also keeps me connected to the profession that has meant so much to me.”
Ironically, Susan’s writing career began with something every writer understands—writer’s block.
In 1997, Susan’s younger sister, Janet Stevens, a celebrated children’s book illustrator, called with a problem. Janet had an idea for a story but couldn’t seem to get the words on paper.
“She asked if I would help,” Susan recalls. “I said yes.”
Neither sister realized that one simple conversation would launch a career spanning decades.
The two shared more than family ties, they shared the same sense of humor and an instinct for storytelling. Their publisher quickly recognized the magic of the partnership, first encouraging them to write a story for a school reader and then expanding that collaboration into picture books.
Their breakthrough came with Cook-a-Doodle-Doo!, which earned the coveted Texas Bluebonnet Award, one of the highest honors in children’s literature because it is chosen by Texas schoolchildren themselves.
“When we accepted the award at the Texas Library Association conference, everything changed,” Susan says.
School librarians lined up to invite the sisters to visit their campuses. At first, Susan took a one-year sabbatical from teaching to accommodate the growing number of invitations. Before long, the requests extended well beyond Texas.
“It became clear I couldn’t do both,” she says. “Leaving the classroom was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made, but I realized I had another way to teach.”
That decision opened doors Susan never imagined.
Together, Susan and Janet created award-winning books that have delighted children for more than two decades. Their titles include Cook-a-Doodle-Doo!, Help Me, Mr. Mutt!, The Great Fuzz Frenzy, The Little Red Pen, Jackalope, and And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon. Their books have earned state and national awards across the country, with several becoming New York Times bestsellers.
Recognition soon followed on a national stage. Former First Lady Laura Bush invited Susan to read at the White House Easter Egg Roll in both 2005 and 2006, where the sisters’ books were featured as part of the annual celebration.
From there, Susan’s passport began filling up.
She has traveled to China, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, sharing stories with students at international schools. Along the way, she estimates she has spoken to well over one million children.
Despite all the accolades, Susan remains quick to point to the people who made those experiences possible.
“I’ve always believed librarians are among the greatest champions for children,” she says. “They’re the ones who open the door to the magical world of reading.”
That appreciation has never faded.
Although Susan speaks less frequently these days, she still enjoys visiting schools, conferences, and workshops. Closer to home, she has become a familiar face at several TRTA Chapters throughout District 11, generously sharing her time and talents with fellow retired educators.
She also recently supported the Texas Retired Teachers Foundation (TRTF) by contributing to its successful fundraiser at the National Medal of Honor Museum.
Looking back, Susan sees a common thread connecting every chapter of her life.
Whether she was teaching math, physics, and computer science, writing humorous picture books with her sister, or speaking to audiences around the world, the goal was always the same: helping children discover something new.
Today, through her involvement with TRTA, she continues supporting the educators who make those discoveries possible every day.
For Susan Stevens Crummel, retirement hasn’t been an ending at all. It’s simply the next chapter in a lifelong story of teaching, learning, and giving back.
And, like every good children’s book, it’s a story still being written.
