Local author’s books teach children social values through fun animal stories
Author Jeff Lessard, of Woodman, has released three children’s books since February and plans two more this year.
By Correne Martin
Most young children are not awake at 3 a.m., but for Jeff Lessard, that seems to be a prime time for creativity. In fact, he wrote each of his five recently-released children’s books during those wee hours of the morning.
“When I decide to write, I write. It doesn’t matter the time,” said the Woodman author and retired 22-year Prairie du Chien Schools employee.
All composed in 2007, “Magic Dance” was released in February of this year, and “The Little Bug” and “The Circle” were available beginning early June. “The Mouse and the Monkey” and “The Mouse, the Monkey and the Rock” will be up for grabs in August and October, respectively.
Lessard teaches social values through each of these fun animal stories, published internationally by Tate Publishing and Enterprises, of Oklahoma.
“Magic Dance” is about a mystical meadow, underneath the starlit sky deep in the woods, where beings gather and dance among the flowers and mushrooms. The magic there adds vivid colors, sweeter melodies and youthfulness to everyone who journeys through the meadow.
In “The Little Bug, all living things have their adventures. This is a story of a little bug and his adventures—from bug zappers to car windshields to his last day on Earth and his final resting place.
In “The Circle,” sometimes, natural enemies have to live together and share resources. Animals have the same needs as people. Even when they don’t get along, they have to share water, space and much more. Has one ever wondered how? This story tells how these animals manage. It comes with a lesson about sharing, anti-bullying and accepting differences.
In all five books, Tate Publishing provided the illustrator, but Lessard was very much involved in the process,when it came to editing, artistic concepts, and even the audio recordings of them.
Lessard has plans to publish a yet-untitled sixth book about landmarks of area history, that he was inspired to write after the Marquette Hardware Store burned down in 2014. His seventh paperback, of fact and fiction, called “Magic Island,” will be for children as well as adults. It will include different versions of flood stories from St. Feriole Island’s storied Fourth Ward, where he grew up on the banks of the Mississippi River.
Lessard has been busy promoting his titles at various libraries and businesses around Crawford, Grant and Clayton Counties.
“People seem to like them. I never dreamt this kind of a reaction,” he smiled. “I just wish I’d written them sooner in life.”
For Lessard, he knows he’s not about to become rich or become the next Dr. Seuss as a result of effortless rhyming ways. Instead, his expressions are more for personal reasons—with the added flattery of interested readers.
“For me, I’m not wealthy. But when I’m gone, my kids will have these stories,” he noted. “I think these books show that anybody can do anything.”
When Lessard is not sharing his books with others, he’s often found in front of his computer keyboard, typing stories for the Facebook pages of the Remember Fourth ward group, History of Prairie du Chien, If you grew up in Prairie du Chien, and If you grew up in Marquette/McGregor.
“The Facebook community has been kind of pushing me along toward publication,” he said.
Lessard also regularly freelances for Big River Magazine.
When he gets back to writing children’s books, his next idea is ready. There will be a teddy bear, stuck under a bed, with nothing but a lost sock. He just has to decide which direction teddy will go.
All five paperbooks, as well as their e-versions, are available (or will be available) via Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Book Depository. “Magic Dance” and “The Circle” are both available locally at Paper Moon in McGregor and Valley Fish & Cheese in Prairie du Chien. They are also available at local libraries.
