Robert Fisher
Staff Reporter
BARRY’S BAY – Alex Recoskie, 12, held a meet and greet for her new book Hope on Saturday at Stedmans in Barry’s Bay. The book tells the story of a butterfly that is bullied by other butterflies and is based, in part, on her own experience.
Alex worked on the book with her grandmother Jackie. It is a picture book with narrative. Some pages allow young readers to colour in the drawings, too.
“It’s about a butterfly. She is getting bullied by these (other) butterflies who have their wings and are bigger,” Alex explained. Her butterfly isn’t as large as the other butterflies and her wings aren’t as big.
“A fairy comes and gives her magic powers. But she never really got (magic powers). It was just confidence, instead.” Confidence was the butterfly’s magic power.
Alex said she likes butterflies which is why she made one the subject of her story. “I was having a hard time at school and I thought I could write a book about, kind of like me but also about a character.” One of her cousins also wrote a book recently, “so I thought it would be a good time to write one, too.” Alex emphasized that she’s okay now and feels that many children get bullied at some point.
Jackie drew the pictures based on descriptions from Alex. Some of the drawings are coloured in and Alex did the colouring on an iPad.
She has received positive feedback so far. “Everybody thinks it’s very cool that I wrote a book so young.” Her cousin was even younger, nine years old, when she wrote her book.
Alex said she likes writing and will try to write another book. She and two cousins are going to work on another one at camp this summer. The new book will be based in the insect world, as well. “It’s the three of us and we’re solving a mystery. Annie the anaconda, Bob the monkey and Lucy the ladybug will be the three sleuths. Alex isn’t sure yet what the mystery will be. She and her cousins will figure that out when they get to camp.
She said the process of writing the book and getting her thoughts out onto the page helped her deal with being bullied.
robert@thevalleygazette.ca
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