Mother of four, content creator Lucie-Rose Lévesque published her first children's book in the spring. A first step that certainly gave her the writing bug!
Writing has always been a passion for Lucie-Rose. With a background in journalism, she has been writing her blog for several years while collaborating with different media and platforms. Then, an unexpected proposal came: that of writing a children's book.
"The publisher called me from Paris to offer it to me. I couldn't believe my eyes!" says the author of the book Petites loutres en cavale .
The story is largely inspired by his twins Maxence & Léandre, who are similar but completely different in their personality.
"There weren't many books that addressed twins and presented their reality. I wanted to write for these families, and for them to recognize themselves, but also for all the others."
During their journey, the two little otters will go on an adventure one night and discover 1001 mysteries on their route dotted with sweet and beautiful things.
"My children were my source of inspiration and they participated a lot in the writing process. I tested sentences and rhymes with them and they had fun," adds the one who took almost a year to bring this project to fruition.
Little curious ones will also have noticed: the book invites them to spot the numbers and count to 15 in this one-night journey, which will go as far as falling asleep on a bed of dandelions.
“It’s a more educational aspect that allows little ones to be captivated and involved even if they can’t read.”
Although this book is intended for 3 to 7 year olds, older children are also interested in the story. As proof, Lucie-Rose read it to her daughter's class. The strength of children's books is that they create imaginary worlds that make young and old dream.
Is a sequel possible? The author who lives in Portneuf would like to continue the adventures of the little otters.
"I have several writing projects in mind and in process. Whether it's with otters or not, I hope to be able to write other children's books."
To be continued!
Lucie-Rose's tips
Making books accessible
“In my house, books are everywhere: in the bedrooms, in the playroom. They have to be within reach of the children.”
Make a game out of it
"The first books were padded formats for the bath. For my twins, books are games: we have fun looking for numbers (like in my book) and objects in particular."
Incorporate them into the evening routine
“The bedtime story has been part of the bedtime routine since they were little. My girls now read alone in their rooms, but I still like to read aloud.”
Lead by example
"I am basically a book lover. I read a lot. In the evening, it often happens that the TV is turned off and we read as a family."
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Looking for Quebec books?
As I Buy a Quebec Book Day approaches, here are some other suggestions that caught our attention:
- We dive into the collection of La courteéchelle , a Quebec publishing house that has existed since 1978.
- We love the inclusive and positive books by Élise Gravel :
- We learn with these educational ABCs :
- Did you know? This book by Cœur de Pirate includes an unreleased song:
Cover photo: Nathalie Godin photographer
