Retired teacher shares her new book

By Paul Forman

Long-time elementary teacher Joan Epp made a stop at Margaret D. Bennie Public School on November 21 for a read aloud of her first published book titled Ice Cap. 

“I’ve been a writer all of my life and find it most rewarding,” said Epp. “I’ve written stories for memorials and my church newspaper, but now I wanted to put a fun book into some little hands.”

The first-time author has spun together a tale about a tech-savvy, modern day snowman who spreads kindness and friendship with the children in a quaint town. 

Helped along the way by her granddaughter Audrey, Epp’s goal has been to write a children’s book that is fun to read, has rhymes, contains local Canadian content, allows the reader to make connections with the characters in the story and drives home the message that “kindness is cool.”

Ice Cap would make for a great Christmas gift and can be purchased in person at Leamington’s Belamund Cafe, The Flower Shop at Thiessen’s, Briar Patch Studio in Wheatley or at the Carnegie Arts Centre in Kingsville. The book is also available online through Amazon, Indigo and Barnes & Noble. 

To encourage the youngest writers, Epp has expressed that she would love it if kids wrote their own  tale and send  it to  her at  just [email protected].   

For those that would like to meet Leamington’s newest author, Epp will provide another read aloud of her book at the Leamington Library on December 14 at 10 a.m. and hints of a sequel to Ice Cap linger in the winter air.