My son Brian, his wife Kristi, and our grandtwins Alex and Zach are in visiting! Happy days!

Alex loves “The purple hippo book” (my book titled Clyde and I Help a Hippo to Fly.) He’s asked me to read it to him any times since he arrived. Kristi says he asks her to read it over  and over again when they’re at home. (I LOVE to hear such things!) Kristi also suggested that I turn that book into a board book. When she reads it to Alex she has found the parts of the story that would be good for a board book with substantially less text for younger children. I think it’s a great idea and will attempt to find a printer that is willing to do board books at a reasonable cost. If I can, I’ll probably also turn Clyde and I and Misty Zebracorn into board books.

I have written books featuring Zach and my 3-year old grandson Thomas and have been attempting to come up with a story idea worthy  of featuring Alex and today came up with the idea that I could include Alex and a purple hippo in one of my latest children’s book projects, A Day in the Shade of a Tickletoe Tree. I’d set it aside for quite a while without really knowing why. Perhaps it was so I’d have the time to think of this idea. I plan to play with the idea for a while and see what, if anything, gels. I would probably create at least one version of it as a board book if possible. It seems the best format and construction for 2-3 year olds.

The photo on the left features (from left to right) Alex, Kristi, Brian and Zach. The one on the right is of Alex playing make-believe in his parrot wings, dear mask, and fire fighter’s  helmet. Kristi knew of been attempting to find a story to feature Alex in so she sent the photo to me saying said she thought it might make for good inspiration for ideas for a book featuring him.

With Love,

Russ