"Bo Finds Some Berry to Love"

There’s nothing more magical than childlike wonder and unconditional love. When we are small, the world around us seems so big – and it takes so little to amuse us. Blowing bubbles, running in the sprinkler, watching a ladybug crawl across a leaf, charging around the room in a superhero cape, and hosting a tea party for our favorite stuffed animals can provide hours of fun.

When we are young, our imaginations soar, and anything is possible – and the bedtime stories and children’s books we cherish stir our imaginations, introduce us to all sorts of captivating characters, and take us places far beyond our own backyard. They also deliver meaningful messages that leave a huge imprint on our hearts.

I spent a lot of time in the hospital as a child. I have cerebral palsy and had multiple surgeries that required body casts from the chest down one or both legs for three months at a time. Doing anything beyond sitting propped up in a folding lounge chair with a tray across my lap was tough. Thankfully, in and out of these casts, I was (and remain) a bookworm.

I was an avid, early reader who devoured all kinds of stories – especially when I was laid up for a long time. “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Ramona and Beezus,” “Winnie the Pooh,” “The Wizard of Oz,” and “The Secret Garden” are some of my favorites. These stories transported me to places in my mind that helped me forget how confined my body was in those casts.

More than that, my treasured book collection fostered a fierce desire to write my own stories. During one of my recoveries, I wrote my very first children’s story about a brother and sister at a Halloween feast. It filled 22 pages of notebook paper and my second-grade teacher entered it in a contest – and I won. When I got out of my cast, I read the story over the radio at our local NPR station. I was so proud!

My friend Valerie and I met through our mutual friend, Kathy, when we were 12. I soon discovered Val also loved to write stories. I can barely draw a stick figure. She draws, paints, crochets, and loves photography.

Although I didn't know her during our early childhood, Valerie also spent many summers healing multiple fractures due to osteogenesis imperfecta. During those long, hot days that she was immobilized, Valerie read many books and was fascinated by the beautiful illustrations.

One of her favorite classic bedtime stories is “Goodnight Moon” which is written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd.

She also adored a beloved 1950 children’s story called “Peppermint,” written and illustrated by Dorothy Grider. In “Peppermint,” a scruffy kitten that lives in the candy shop, unexpectedly wins first prize in a cat show after accidentally being dyed blue.

Valerie was awestruck by the vivid, vibrant, and detailed drawings that brought her favorite childhood stories to life. Determined to conjure some of that magic herself, she started filling notebooks and sketchpads with memorable drawings, paintings, and characters of her own.

As two young, budding artists stuck at home for long periods of time, creating art and stories helped us cope with the physical challenges and loneliness that our convalescence caused. We had no idea we would meet years later, become friends, and work together on multiple creative pursuits.

Writing remains a lifelong passion. I've worked for many years as a freelance writer - many of them in Arts & Entertainment. Valerie has accompanied me on several interviews to shoot photos and videos. This kind of "work" carries so many intrinsic rewards.

Today, we both still battle multiple physical challenges, run households, care for our families, and juggle many other responsibilities that require a lot of our time.

So, the time we spend apart and together working on various stories and projects is precious time that allows us to relax, de-stress, and focus our thoughts and energy on the mutual creative ambitions we share. It also allows us to boost each other up and fan the flames of our childhood dreams.

Though physically separated during the pandemic, we spent many fun hours collaborating via video and phone. As restrictions eased, teaming up to work with each other once again is something we cherish.

Valerie has two daughters who are now in their 20s. My son is heading into his senior year of high school. As moms, we’ve often reflected on how fast time flies. Books we’ve read to our children include “Is Your Mama a Llama?,” “The Prince of Egypt,” “Toy Story,” “Scooby Do,” and many more.

“Bo Finds Some Berry to Love” is an original children's story Valerie and I created together.

As we considered the story we wanted to tell, it was important to both of us to craft a tale that encourages children everywhere to love themselves and embrace the differences in themselves and others that make each one of us unique. We also wanted to tap into that unbridled childlike imagination that enabled us to befriend and embark on “adventures” with our favorite stuffed animals and toys.

Throughout our lives, Valerie and I have learned that friends make dreary days brighter, and heavy burdens lighter. And soul-to-soul connections can inspire us, empower us, and bring us incomparable joy.

In telling a little girl and her stuffed panda’s story, we share how friends embrace each other's differences and color our lives with hope, kindness, happiness, friendship, Imagination, and most of all, love. We hope you enjoy!