A Leonard family turned the stories, songs and rhymes they created on long car rides into a new children’s book due out this holiday season.
Entitled ‘Peanut Butter in a Mason Jar,? the self-published book from AuthorHouse follows the adventures of the Mason siblings, Douglas, 6, and Liberty, 4?, as they meet a special circus elephant named Pearl and learn valuable life lessons.
But the Masons aren’t fictional characters who exist only in print, they’re a real-life brother and sister team.
Douglas is a first-grader at Leonard Elementary who sits on the student council, while Liberty is a preschooler who carries around a little stuffed gray elephant named Pearl, wearing a pink flower broach
The kids co-wrote ‘Peanut Butter in a Mason Jar? with their mother Lisa Mason.
‘It started off as a small family story that we started telling when we were in the car and it ended up becoming this wonderful book,? said Lisa Mason, who will be reading an excerpt of the new book in the Children’s Acitvity Area during the Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce Women’s Expo Oct. 5 at Boulder Pointe.
Seven chapters long and written all in ryhme, the story tells how Douglas and Liberty got greedy and lost track of time.
A Saturday visit to the circus is where the book has its start as the kids meet Pearl, a magical and wise elephant who sends them to shop in her mart.
With a chess set for Douglas and a dolly for Liberty, the kids learn they must pay with an elephant’s favorite currency.
Back by dusk with two pounds of peanuts is the family’s quest, but greed puts the kids? ability to follow directions to the test.
A train turns the peanuts into butter so creamy meaning no chess set for Douglas or dolly for Liberty.
‘At the end of the book, they don’t get their toys, which is unlike most children’s books where the kids always get exactly what they went after,? Lisa said.
‘Peanut Butter in a Mason Jar? stresses the importance of family time, togetherness and teamwork with the moral of the story being that love and happiness are more important than material possesions.
While the story is for kids, the lessons in it are for both children and adults.
‘There’s something for everybody,? Lisa said.
‘Peanut Butter in a Mason Jar? started as a scrapbook of stories, songs and rhymes the Masons made up to entertain themselves on car rides, particularly their Saturday morning family outings.
After moving to Leonard from Sterling Heights about two years ago, the family soon realized it took them ?40 minutes to an hour to get any place,? according to Lisa.
‘We started adding to (the scrapbook) every time we would get into the car,? she said.
The passing of Lisa’s grandfather, Raymond DeVries, on Jan. 31, 2006, motivated her to turn the family scrapbook into a children’s book.
Lisa noted her grandfather was an inspiration for this book because he wrote little songs and ‘constantly ryhmed things like Dr. Seuss.?
Providing the book’s moral compass is Lisa’s mother Mary Morgan, of Clawson, upon whom the character of Pearl, ‘the wise matriarch in the story,? is ‘loosely based.?
The first line of the book ? ‘Is today the day?? ? is a question Douglas used to ask every morning, hoping it was Saturday, the day set aside for family time and car rides leading to adventure.
Friends and strangers alike helped make ‘Peanut Butter in a Mason Jar? a reality.
‘As we were writing over the last year, we met so many nice people that were very willing to help,? Lisa said.
Troy resident Todd Teeter, a close family friend for more than 20 years, illustrated the book.
Oliver Thompson, an employee of American Music Academy in downtown Rochester, wrote music for the book’s one short song, for free.
‘He was so willing to help and so enthusiastic,? Lisa said. ‘He did it out of the goodness of his heart.?
Designed for children ages 4 through 11, Lisa said a 4-year-old couldn’t read it because it’s too long for that age, but an 8-year-old probably could.
She said the book’s really meant to be read by parents and children together. ‘That’s the great thing about it,? she said. ‘You really need a parent to sit down with their child and read.?
‘It’s a book that all your family can sit down and all read,? noted Liberty.
To make it as affordable as possible for families, Lisa said they’re trying to keep the book’s retail price under $14.
AuthorHouse will help market and promote the book, which will be available for order at more than 25,000 retail outlets worldwide and on the internet at www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com.
‘Peanut Butter in a Mason Jar? will also be available through the self-publishing company’s website www.authorhouse.com.
But don’t for a second think Douglas and Liberty’s adventures end with ‘Peanut Butter in a Mason Jar.?
The book is only the first in a series.
The kids will return in ‘Jelly in a Mason Jar,? which Lisa said is ‘nearly complete? and expected to be published spring 2007.
‘It still needs a little bit more work.?
‘Peanut Butter in a Mason Jar? started as a scrapbook of stories, songs and rhymes the Masons made up to entertain themselves on car rides, particularly their Saturday morning family outings.
After moving to Leonard from Sterling Heights about two years ago, the family soon realized it took them ?40 minutes to an hour to get any place,? according to Lisa.
‘We started adding to (the scrapbook) every time we would get into the car,? she said.
The passing of Lisa’s grandfather, Raymond DeVries, on Jan. 31, 2006, motivated her to turn the family scrapbook into a children’s book.
Lisa noted her grandfather was an inspiration for this book because he wrote little songs and ‘constantly ryhmed things like Dr. Seuss.?
Providing the book’s moral compass is Lisa’s mother Mary Morgan, of Clawson, upon whom the character of Pearl, ‘the wise matriarch in the story,? is ‘loosely based.?
The first line of the book ? ‘Is today the day?? ? is a question Douglas used to ask every morning, hoping it was Saturday, the day set aside for family time and car rides leading to adventure.
Friends and strangers alike helped make ‘Peanut Butter in a Mason Jar? a reality.
‘As we were writing over the last year, we met so many nice people that were very willing to help,? Lisa said.
Troy resident Todd Teeter, a close family friend for more than 20 years, illustrated the book.
Oliver Thompson, an employee of American Music Academy in downtown Rochester, wrote music for the book’s one short song, again for free.
‘He was so willing to help and so enthusiastic,? Lisa said. ‘He did it out of goodness of his heart.?
Designed for children ages 4 through 11, Lisa said a 4-year-old couldn’t read it because it’s too long for that age, but an 8-year-old probably could. She said the book’s really meant to be read by parents and children together.
‘That’s the great thing about it,? she said. ‘You really need a parent to sit down with their child and read.?
‘It’s a book that all your family can sit down and all read,? noted Liberty.
To make it as affordable as possible for families, Lisa said they’re trying to keep the book’s retail price under $14.
AuthorHouse will help market and promote the book, which will be available for order at more than 25,000 retail outlets worldwide and on the internet at www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com.
‘Peanut Butter in a Mason Jar? will also be available through the self-publishing company’s website www.authorhouse.com.
But don’t for a second think Douglas and Liberty’s adventures end with ‘Peanut Butter in a Mason Jar.?
The book is only the first in a series.
The kids will return in ‘Jelly in a Mason Jar,? which Lisa said is ‘nearly complete? and expected to be published spring 2007.
‘It still needs a little bit more work.?