Even if school will be taking place in your living room this fall, your child should still have access to the best children’s literature possible. After all, studies have shown that children who read about topics they enjoy are more prone to be excited about their learning experiences. Sounds like a win-win to us – as long as you have the right books at your fingertips.
Local children’s book author Elizabeth Reinhart grew up in the rolling hills of West Virginia, and when it was time for college, moved to New Mexico to study Paleopathology. After school, she moved back to the DC area to work as an analyst, and as she says, “spent years of plowing through responsibilities, work, and long-distance commuting,” before the idea of writing a children’s book was even a mere thought.
For Liz, her journey to becoming a children’s book writer is a personal one. It wasn’t until the tragic passing of her parents that she says she “had an epiphany and was finally forced to look up. Time suddenly started to feel like it was running short and all I had to show for myself was that I was ‘a hard worker.’ I knew this was not what my parents wanted for me.”
With that, Liz began writing, and explains that her series of children’s books about “Little Fox,” is, in a way, a “love letter to my parents.” Not only did Liz set out to complete and publish her first book, The Fox Who Chased the Sky, this year, she went so far as to start her own publishing company, Dreaming Pine Press, LLC where the book and other merchandise are available for purchase at www.emreinhart.com.
In The Fox Who Chased the Sky, Liz tells us that Little Fox finds himself longing to explore the world outside of his den. He is constantly answered with a “no” when asking his siblings to join the adventures with him and decides to follow the sun as it travels the sky on his own. As the day progresses, Little Fox begins to gain more confidence in himself and embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
Liz explains, “For me, the fun of the story is that the meaning can be interpreted in multiple ways. I tend to use a lot of symbolism, and (I hope) that adults take away something from the stories that is a bit outside of the literal interpretation that a child may understand. These books became a way for me to hold on to the life lessons my parents taught me. Writing gave me a way to remember all the things they wished for me in life. They are messages of kindness and patience, of courage and confidence, of comfort and friendship."
When I met Elizabeth, I was surprised at the similarities we shared. Just last year, I was given the opportunity to illustrate my first children’s book with an author from the west coast, named Janice Wilson. The book I helped create, Eliana, where do Thoughts Come From? carries a very similar theme to Liz’s Little Fox series, in that they are both journeys of self-discovery, growth, and curiosity.
Janice’s source of inspiration for her book, Eliana, Where Do Thoughts Come From? came shortly after the birth of her first grandchild, Eliana, the “miracle of God’s answered prayer.” Janice says, “I wanted to give Eliana a gift that would last her a lifetime, so I decided to write her a story that would teach her how to always keep her magic alive.”
In 2018 while at home with a kindergartener and newborn baby, I found myself surrounded with more children’s books than I could count. I started to pick up a pen and paint again and post some of my artwork on social media. The designs I came up with were all dream-like, whimsical illustrations inspired by my new life as a stay at home of two little ones, at very different stages of childhood.
When Janice came across my work and told me about the book she had just written, she asked if I would illustrate it, and I jumped at the opportunity. It was special to me for so many reasons – Eliana’s mother, a friend of mine, and I were pregnant at the same time and we gave birth to our girl’s days apart.
After reading the manuscript, I felt such a connection to the story – one that was brought together by the love of Eliana and the message we both wanted to convey to the world to children about mindfulness and the power of positive thinking.
Eliana is about a curious mermaid who is constantly questioning “where do thoughts come from?” The book is written in a rhythmic style with stanzas and a joyful tone of voice that’s delightful to read and listen to, both for children and adults. When Eliana questions “where do thoughts come from?” for the final time, she comes to the conclusion: “Now I know, wherever I go, my thoughts will always come from me. I get to pick what they will be. I find the ones that feel happy and free.”
The process of creating Eliana, Where do Thoughts Come From?, is one that started with a storyboard in pencil and has evolved into the full colored 42-page book that is now available for purchase on Amazon.com here. For those who are looking for additional educational resources this fall, Janice has also made the story available on YouTube for children to listen to here.
Janice says creating this book “was truly a miraculous adventure! It was such a joy to collaborate with Shayda, who brought the colors, characters and story to life in a mesmerizing and uniquely playful vision. Her love for art, children and magic is unparalleled in children's literature. I believe every child should feel the powerful thrill and magic of this story and artistic imagery while learning the secret we all want the answer to: ‘Where do thoughts come from?’”
As an illustrator and writer, it has been amazing to see the power of storytelling and how a very similar message can reach people in very different ways. While the Little Fox and Eliana come from different walks of life, both are curious, adventure-seeking creatures who learn to make choices on their own. Whether it’s finding the goodness in Eliana’s heart, or following the brave Little Fox who longs for adventure, these are stories that any curious child (or parent) will enjoy reading – not just this fall – but as keepsakes for generations to come.
Please feel free to follow along with Elizabeth Reinhart on Instagram @author_emreinhart.
I regularly post about my art and creative projects on Instagram @shaydawindle.