Local author launches new children’s book

Leamington author Kelly MacLellan launched her second book — this one a book for children — on May 30 at an evening event at Kingsville’s Joe Hot+Cold.

A deep connection between MacLellan and her dog Chloe was the genesis for the book, more specifically a day the two had at the beach.

“The book essentially started in 2006 when I was going through some fertility issues,” said MacLellan. “I got a dog, and that dog got all of my motherly attention and all of my love.”

The author added, “My dog Chloe and I would spend a lot of time together and one day we were on the beach. These little butterflies began to hang around Chloe and I went home and began to write about it. I began to wonder if the butterflies were an expression and a connection to something else.”

MacLellan’s Chloe & the Butterflies chronicles the adventures, transitions and losses for a girl named Katie, her dog Chloe and her family. 

This 80-page chapter book has been written for an audience that ranges from six to 10 years of age and may serve as a way of connecting families when used as a read-aloud or while going through the discussion prompts that follow the story itself.

“As parents, we feel a lot of pressure to help our kids cope and adapt to issues that they are having,” says the author. “I hope that the book helps create a sense of attachment and security for families, so that when something does arise, the conversation has already been started.”

The heartwarming Chloe & the Butterflies retails for $20 and can be purchased in person at Chapters in the Devonshire Mall or at Storytellers Bookstore on Ottawa Street in Windsor. For those looking to purchase online, visit her website at embraceyourlife.ca.