Williamstown Mom Writes Children's Book With 5-Year-Old Son
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Jennifer Holey, center, and her son Max, front and center, pose with the book they wrote abut Max's stuffed penguin Harry. With them are local artist Jean Bourn, right, who illustrated the book, and proud husband and dad Gordon Holey. (Courtesy Holey family) |
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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Local author Jennifer Holey has made her newest book a family affair.
Holey, who has self-published a two-part memoir, has released a new children’s book called “Thank You Harry, Love, Max.” And she is intimately familiar with both title characters: Max is her 5-year-old son and Harry is his beloved stuffed penguin, given to the child to comfort him after the death of his grandfather.
Mom and son will be officially launching the book on Sunday, Oct. 18, from 1-3 p.m. at an event that will feature a book reading, refreshments and children’s activities. It will be held at the farm of local acrylic artist Jean Bourn at 790 Henderson Road, a fitting location as it was Bourn who inspired the book.
Holey said the idea for the book came after Bourn took a photograph and turned it into a beautiful acryic painting.
“I had an idea,” Holey said. “I thought, how fun it would be to make a children’s book.”
So once a month, Holey would give Bourn a new photograph of Max and his penguin reading together or playing together, and Bourn turned each one into an illustration to accompany the words. Holey said the idea was to make a book that teaches children thankfulness, togetherness and a healthy lifestyle to include exercise, eating right and yoga.
“(I thought) let’s make this a thank you letter from Max to his penguin for being there,” she said. “I wanted it to be this adventure of them together.”
As with her memoirs, Holey published the book at Northshire Bookstore’s Shires Press. It is geared toward children ages 5 to 10, and Holey said she already has donated some copies to libraries and schools, and she plans to do more readings with Max at local bookstores. People can order a copy of the book on its website or buy a copy at the event on Oct. 18.
“It really turned out better than I could have imagined it,” Holey said.
Max, a kindergartner at Williamstown Elementary School, is already enjoying the fame of being an author, Holey said. And he is already planning a new book based on the adventures of a couple of his other stuffed animals, like doing karate with a furry friend named Pokey.
“He’s got a whole story board going,” Holey said. “He’s all fired up.”
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