In 2010, 11-year-old Alexa Peters, along with her mother Monique Peters, found a meaningful way to turn her passion and love for writing and drawing into an opportunity to ?give back? to other kids. Starting at a very young age, Alexa created illustrated stories about her daily experiences, and from the pages of her sketchbooks came the idea for her first book, Cooper and Me. The story of a little girl’s fears about starting school evolved into a timeless tale about overcoming separation anxiety and trying new things ? basic emotions all people experience throughout their lives ? but this time, written by a child, for children. As retold in Cooper and Me, Alexa’s own story had a ?happy ending? ? a clever, compassionate solution that involved taking a small replica of her beloved pet to school with her. The first book introduced the family’s real-life dog, Cooper the Labrador Retriever, and the mother-daughter team began imagining a series of stories featuring Cooper that would engage little kids while guiding them through the ups and downs of daily life. In addition to the original Cooper and Me, four more story books are set to publish throughout the next twelve months, all containing relatable life lessons inspired by Alexa’s experiences, with illustrations based on her drawings of Cooper.
Cooper and Me and the Winter Adventure is just one of the insightful and creative books written by the Mother / Daughter duo. As with all Alexa, Monique and Cooper’s stories, there is a lesson about life and the little adventures. Cooper and Bella cannot wait to go sledding and in their excitement they travel a bit too far from home and get caught in a snowstorm. Lost and worried, they find their way back with the help of a friend. The story teaches children about being prepared if they get lost and the importance of making good decisions.
‘As a reading specialist I see a variety of important avenues to take these wonderful stories of Cooper and Me. I would use these delightful stories in kindergarten, in grade one and in grade two for “read-to” activities. They lend themselves to many feelings and situations that children at that age experience. I would also use the rhyming in each book to teach phonics. The colorful words and pictures will stimulate the children’s desire to read.’ – Linda Lupario / Reading Specialist
In fond memory of Marc Lustgarten and to honor him, $1 of every Cooper and Me and the Winter Adventure book sold will go to the advance research & treatment of pancreatic cancer, via the Lustgarten Foundation. And you can receive Free Shipping on any order over $25 until the 15th of December by using the Code: COOPERBLOG. Not only would this make a great gift for your child, but also would give the gift of help and assistance to those struggling with pancreatic cancer.
Connect: You can connect with Cooper and Me on Facebook and/or @Cooper_and_me on Twitter!
Gift It! You can buy the Cooper and Me and the Winter Adventure for $12.99.
