Mount Prospect Author & Illustrator Team Publish Second Children's Book

Mount Prospect natives Colleen Reding Mearn and Elizabeth Dix published their second children's book, "A to Z Toddler Poetry," with Bauer Books. Following the success of their first book, "A to Z Baby Poetry," the author and illustrator duo have continued their focus on publishing works that delight both caregivers and their little ones.

A to Z Toddler Poetry is a compilation of short poems, incorporating each letter of the alphabet and describing the joys (and surprises!) of parenting in the toddler years. The book has been published in a board book format so that their target audience of tots finds it indestructible.

Praise for the book includes:

"One again this book captures the essence of parenthood, and especially to a toddler! I love reading these poems to remind me of this fleeting tiring, and adorable stage of raising a tiny human," Claire O.

"And just when you thought you couldn't take the loss of one more bedtime battle, these words take on a new perspective of these fleeting days, and remind you of the sweetness in each moment of near insanity. This book is the perfect gift for those parents who are in the thick of toddlerhood," Mary Frances K.

Both Colleen and Elizabeth admitted that this book took longer to write and produce than their first book. "We encountered many firsts with this publication, deciding to take on publishing a board book format, leveraging Kickstarter to build community around the project, and managing all of the fulfillment in-house," Colleen said. "But the hardest aspect was trying to complete this book while juggling a career and a very busy toddler."

"A to Z Baby Poetry" was published on December 31, 2022 and is available at Amazon.com. You can learn more about Colleen's poetry on Instagram at @bauer_books and Ms. Dix at www.ESDolanDix.com.