Local Author Writes for Children

Local Author Writes for Children

Pamela Hall

The Ashland Beacon

Children’s literature has many classic and popular books that appeal to children of all ages. The books range from board books for toddlers to picture books for young children to chapter books for older children. Authors can become very well known, such as Dr. Seuss, Beverly Cleary, and Beatrix Potter. Most authors do not gain that sort of notoriety, but their books may have a great message for young readers. Such is the case for a Greenup County resident author, Carrie Glass. 

Carrie had a desire to write children’s books from the time she was a child herself, around the age of ten or twelve years old. She grew up to become a kindergarten teacher and also taught Sunday school for over 30 years. It seemed that her whole life revolved around children. She has always been an advocate for literacy, especially for preschool and early childhood education. 

Carrie retired three years ago from teaching and decided she wanted to do something special for her five grandchildren. Since retirement, she now had the time to invest in doing something she had always wanted to do, write children’s books. She started a publishing company called Five Blessings Publishing, referring to her grandchildren. Then she began writing. 

Her first book started out as just a general children’s book. About halfway through, she felt that she needed to add in some elements of faith. 

“I just wanted to make it more faith-based," Carrie explained, “so that when my grandkids grow up, they’ll know that was the most important thing, not just for them, but for me as well.”

Carrie’s first book, If My Stuffy Could Talk, The Princess in the Mirror, was written for her granddaughter, Ella, who is five years old. Ella’s favorite stuffed toy is a mermaid, so that is the character in the book. 

“The stuffy is telling the kids how they need to see themselves,” Carrie said. “We are fearfully and wonderfully made, it says in Psalms, my favorite scripture, so the stuffy lets her know that she is perfect just the way she is.”

The second book, If My Stuffy Could Talk, The Superhero I See, was written for Ella’s twin, Ian, and has a similar message. Although little boys can sometimes be a bit rowdy, Ian’s favorite stuffed toy, a purple octopus, lets him know that he is still perfect and special just the way he is. 

“We tend to slow kids down all the time,” Carrie relates. “We tell them not to run or jump. Their little imaginations are farther ahead than what their little minds can handle. They don’t always know how to calm themselves down. I want him, and any little boy or girl that reads the book, to know that it’s ok that they are like that.”

In the middle of writing the second book, Carrie felt led to stop and write a different type of children’s book. This book is more of a weekly children’s devotional called Learning to be God’s Princess One Jot at a Time. It will be the first book in the God Jot Series for ages 4-6. Knowing how kids like to jot and scribble, Carrie designed the book to include tracing activities related to Bible verses, along with memory rhymes that help them remember the verse and understand what it means, prayers for them to pray, and other activities they can do on their own. Of course, the second book in the God Jot Series will be Learning to be God’s Superhero One Jot at a Time.

Not only does Carrie author the books but she also illustrates them. Illustrating them takes longer, she says, but it is something she loves to do. She likes to add in a few little special details that have a personal meaning that only she and her grandchildren will understand but are broad enough for every child to enjoy. 

Carrie plans to do three more books in the If My Stuffy Could Talk series, for her remaining three grandchildren. The subject matter for those will touch on anxiety, autism, and fear. She plans to try and release a book every three months.

Carrie’s books are available for purchase on her website, www.carrieglass.ny.canva.site or on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Walmart.