his father's shoes.

He had his first book "Russell's Small Talk and Tall Tales'' published this year.

The book consists of several class assignments -- stories and poems -- which Russell, the son of Dellwood principal Mr. Dale Butler and paediatrician Dr.

June Hill-Butler, wrote when he was eight.

"Russell became involved in my hobby at the launching of my major biography on the life of Dr. E.F. Gordon in 1987,'' Mr. Butler said.

"The works appear in the book just as Russell wrote them in class. They show both his strengths and weakness. I think he did a commendable job.'' Mr.

Butler also thanked Russell's teacher Mrs. Pat Roach.

Russell is a primary four student at Gilbert Institute where principal Mrs.

Carole Figueiredo said emphasis was placed on students acquiring good writing skills.

"It is important that children also have an audience for their written work,'' she said. "We try to provide our young people with meaningful experiences which they use as a basis for writing.'' Asked what inspired him to write the book, the modest young writer said: "I thought I had good stories so I wanted to write a book.'' The stories and poems in the book are a mixture of real life experiences and fantasies, Russell said.

In the book, he also expressed his feelings about society in an essay on the effect crime has on tourism.

Russell's brother Jay and his grandmother Mrs. Georgine Hill helped design the book's cover.

There were only 200 copies of the book printed and they are available at all book stores throughout the Island for $5.

CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK -- Nine-year-old Russell Butler (centre) presents copies of his book "Russell's Small Talk and Tall Tales'' to his primary four teacher Mrs. Pat Roach and Gilbert Institute principal Mrs. Carole Figueiredo (far right) while his father, teacher and author Mr. Dale Butler, looks on.