'Mad Hatter' encourages kids to be themselves

Twenty years ago, Mary Jo Reinhart was dubbed "the mad hatter" by her high school algebra teacher, because she often would be seen wearing hats.

That title inspired the Lake Villa resident to write her first children's book, "Grinelda the Mad Hatter" about a young girl not afraid to stand out in a crowd.

"There are messages about how to be a girl. You're supposed to like pink and supposed to wear dresses. There are a lot of girls who are not like that," Reinhart said. "The whole message of the story is to be true to yourself and follow your own heart, which is what Grinelda does and what girls want as well."

Reinhart began writing about a young hat maker named Grinelda about six years ago while staying home with her daughters, Hana, 12 and Megan, 10.

While Grinelda's classmates fail to appreciate her talents, a teacher plans a school production of Cinderella and plans Grinelda as its costume designer to give her a chance to shine.

Three popular friends, cast as stepsisters, dislike anything different, and the question is will the classmates appreciate Grinelda's talents or stay away because she is different.

It is at dress rehearsal they realize the girls don't need to be the same and secretly go to Grinelda to find a way to be unique, Reinhart said. In the end, the teacher allows Grinelda to be herself, and the other kids get to know Grinelda better.

"It's helping the shy kids come out by building on kids' strengths and letting kids' strengths show in the classroom. The teacher can do a lot to build a community of acceptance," she said.

Four years after writing Grinelda's tale, Reinhart pushed through many rejection letters to see her first book be accepted by Gumboot Books. Since Gumboot Books is a small press, Reinhart was able to recommend illustrator Paula Nathan of Lincolnshire, a graphic artist she met through the Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

While raising her two children, Nathan enjoyed quilting and creating tapestries to illustrate classic fairy tales. She first used commercial prints but later began painting and decorating fabric herself, preferring the texture. Working as a graphic artist, she now combines fabric and computer graphics to create children's illustrations.

"If I tried to illustrate a book like that, just doing quilts for the whole thing, it would be another five years in the process," Nathan said.

Her illustrations have appeared in Highlight's High Five and Cricket's Click Magazine. "Grinelda the Mad Hatter" is Nathan's first book.

Nathan said Grinelda is unique and hopes kids may look at her as a role model to be happy within yourself.

Appearing in classrooms and bookstores to introduce the book, Reinhart and Nathan find children are getting behind Grinelda.

"There is a part of the book where girls call her hats stupid, ugly hats. A girl said, 'They are not ugly.' They were angry that these girls were not as nice to Grinelda as they should have been," Reinhart said.

Reinhart also was able to share the book with her former algebra teacher who inspired her. She learned his 12-year-old granddaughter quietly read it to herself. Then without any prompting, she read it to her 6-year-old brother.

"It was neat for me to picture my algebra teacher being able to say to his grandkids, "'I was part of the inspiration for this book,' " she said.

"Grinelda the Mad Hatter" can be purchased at independent bookstores, online at amazon.com or by calling Gumboot Books at (888) 803-4861.