FREMONT - When a trip to the library failed to produce a book to help her grandchildren emotionally process their family’s move, Kellie Carte-Sears of Fremont decided to write one.
Moving to a new home can be frightening and confusing for children, and Carte-Sears’ book, “Moving Away Will Be Okay” helps children explore their feelings with the help of Massy, the book’s bright-eyed heroine, and her cat, Blue.
“About 12 years ago, my grandchildren were moving, and they were very young at the time,” Carte-Sears said. “I wanted to pick out a book at the library to help them understand, but I couldn’t find any with kids. I wanted something they could point to and directly relate to. I decided I needed to go home and write a book.”
“Moving Away Will Be Okay,” which was published in March, is the first book in the “Moments with Massy” book series. It was written to help stimulate discussion between children and their parents.
“The purpose of the book is to create dialogue with children so we can understand the feelings and the questions they have,” Carte-Sears said.
Local readers will find familiar surprises in the book, like the Ross purple and St. Joe’s crimson and gray clothing the school children are wearing. Other hints of Fremont and Ohio are found throughout the book.
“Moving Away Will Be Okay” received immediate positive response on Amazon. It ranked number eight in the Family New Experiences category and number 10 in the Christian Emotions and Feelings category.
Carte-Sears’ second book in the “Moments with Massy” series, “You’re Not Bad, We All Get Mad,” is scheduled for release in September. The book introduces new characters and a new concept to explore: childhood anger.
“As a mom I was exposed to this, and now as a grandma I’m exposed to it again. That prompted me to look within. As we get older, we get wiser, and I have a better perspective on it,” Carte-Sears said. “It’s important for children to know anger is a normal emotion, and it doesn’t make them bad as an individual. The behavior may be bad, but they’re not bad children.”
Both books are filled with brightly colored pictures and fun characters drawn by Armenian illustrator Anahit Aleksanyan. Carte-Sears connected with Aleksanyan through the website Upwork, which helps professionals find professionals for specific creative online jobs.
“I searched profiles and used the website’s filters, and that’s how I found Anahit. I’m a very visual person, and I already had in mind the illustrations I wanted for the book,” Carte-Sears said. “Her style was exactly what I wanted.”
Writer and illustrator communicated exclusively online, but that didn’t stop them from moving beyond a sterile working relationship.
“We became friends. She’s an amazing and talented young lady,” Carte-Sears said.
Publishing, Carte-Sears found, has been a joy, and the greatest pleasure came from the feedback she received from children.
“First and foremost is the children’s reaction. I’ve received photos and messages telling me how much the kids love the book,” she said. “And I’ve enjoyed the communication it opened up with people who have been thinking of writing a book. People have reached out and asked questions. If this inspires someone else to publish, that is awesome.”
Most importantly, Carte-Sears is thankful the book is doing what it was written to do — encouraging dialogue between children and parents.
“If at the end of the day, they learned something, had fun, and felt wonderful reading the book, that’s precious to me,” she said.
“Moving Away Will Be Okay” is available in Fremont at White Birch Gifting and Antiques, Gypsy Soul, and Thingamajigs. It can also be purchased through Amazon. A customized version is available to real estate agents to purchase as gifts to their clients. For more information, visit momentswithmassy.com.
Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.
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