Grayslake author presents children’s book about pets and discrimination
Randi Moxi, a children’s book author who writes stories about rescue dogs, is touring Chicago area schools with her book “A Pittie Pool Party” to teach children about bullying and discrimination.
The book, released in May, is about main character, Becca, and her new dog, Sister, who is a pit bull.
According to the summary, “Becca has to tell her newly rescued puppy Sister some hard truths about the way people view her breed. But her friends save the day by showing love to them both in a very special way!”
Moxi, who grew up in an animal shelter in West Virginia and now lives in Grayslake, was disturbed by the treatment of pit bulls when she moved to Chicago. She decided to shift her career from marketing and brand strategy to writing children’s stories advocating for pit bulls.
“It's a really beautiful story. It teaches kindness and inclusivity and not judging a book by its cover and judging any person or creature before knowing them as an individual can cause harm to them and us. I think that's really important for kids to know that,” Moxi said. “By making it an animal, they can see ‘well because she's that type of animal and the way people have treated me because I'm Indian, because I'm Black, because I'm special needs, because I'm different in some way or I'm something that people prejudge just like this puppy.’ I think that it just might make them feel a little better to know they're not alone.”
Moxi has presented to students of all ages, from preschool to high school, in Libertyville, Hoffman Estates, Vernon Hills, Crystal Lake, Chicago and Country Club Hills.
She also considers herself a motivational speaker and does talks on anti-bullying with children and teens across the Chicago area.
A portion of the book profits are going to animal rescue, a cause Moxi is passionate about due to her upbringing and as a current owner of five pit bulls. The book is based on one of her dogs.
“I've been exposed to all of the breeds in animal shelters and I'm meeting all these dogs that people are deeming unadoptable just because of the stress in the shelter, just because every dog needs a job, every dog needs a family,” Moxi said. “It's unfair to judge them because of the circumstances they're in. They don't know where their people went. It's really unfortunate. So I want every book that I write and every book that I write for kids to star a rescued pit bull type dog.”
Moxi’s second book, “Lucy’s Garden,” launches this March and is inspired by another one of her pit bulls.