Local Author Publishes Children’s Book Series with a Message About Giving
Hot off the presses and with a heartfelt message about friendship and giving is a new book series for children by White Plains resident Leslie-Ann Messina.
The first book in “The Adventures of Dolly the Dollar Bill” series is “Dolly Meets Matilda” where the adventure begins. Matilda earns her first dollar bill, gains a respect for money and learns about sharing.
The soft cover book is colorfully illustrated by Joshua Allen and easy to read.
Messina said the book took about a year to write, illustrate and get ready for publication. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and the characters in the story including Dolly the Dollar Bill come from people in my life.”
Remembering her grandmother who would always have a dollar to give on special occasions Messina said she kept a scrapbook and wrote things down. Many times those special memories were punctuated with a special dollar bill.
The series is dedicated to her son Michael.
Messina has also been interested in travel and adventure. Her own experiences and dreams of adventure helped her to bring the possibilities of what might happen when money enters the marketplace to life.
Dolly gets to do the traveling and Matilda learns about work and giving. The interplay of the two characters gives young readers an opportunity to think about what really matters in their lives as well as to dream about the possibilities and opportunities that await them.
Having acted with the Harrison Players, Messina knows how to put dialog together in story form. She also spent many hours working at the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center. “The idea just popped into my head one day and I decided to go with it,” she said. “I carried around my laptop everywhere I went and when I had time I’d write something and play around with it.”
Messina will not let on exactly how the series ends, except to say young readers will learn from it. “I wanted the ending to be serious and heartfelt,” she says.
Messina will be introducing the book at a book signing Monday, May 6 from 4 to 7 p.m. at “Sweet Anniez” Ice Cream and Candy Shop owned by Annie and Brian Peroni at 341 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains. Messina is also a featured guest at the Free Book Giveaway at Eastview Middle School, 350 Main Street, White Plains, May 6, where she will read from her new book.
The title can be purchased at www.authorhouse.com
