Golden Retriever Summer, now a big dog, is the inspiration for Toby, of the childrens’ book series ‘A Puppy in Maine,’ by Maureen Lee and Jennifer Lee Cooley. The second book in the series, ‘Toby’s Winter Rescue,’ is now available. Courtesy Photo
The curious pup Toby, of the children’s book series “A Puppy in Maine, is off to a new adventure with “Toby’s Winter Rescue.”
It is the second in the series featuring the Golden Retriever puppy as lead character, and this time, Toby heads to Maine Highlands and a wildlife encounter.
The book, by Maine authors Maureen Lee and her daughter Jennifer Lee Cooley, was published this summer, just a few months after the March debut of “Toby’s Sea Storm Treasure.”
Maureen is a primary care physician in Biddeford. Jennifer is a teacher in RSU 21.
In the first book, Toby goes beach combing at Pemaquid Point the day after a huge storm.
This time, the pup is lakeside, and experiences his first snowfall when he encounters a baby moose in some peril.
Maureen said when she and her husband Woodrow moved to Maine many years ago, they visited Moosehead Lake, and she saw her first moose.
Maureen Lee and Jennifer Lee Cooley, authors of the childrens’ book series ‘A Puppy in Maine’ pose with their books and Summer, the inspiration for Toby, the intrepid puppy featured in the series. Courtesy Photo
“The moose came to the road to lick the road salt,” she said, noting how the large animal stood out against the snowy background. “We had time to cross country ski in the forests, and the snow muffled all the outside noises making the experience so serene and magical!”
Both writers enjoy exploring their home state with their families and Summer, Jennifer’s Golden Retriever, is the inspiration for the book series.
“We all had a wonderful time hiking, swimming, and playing in the Moosehead Lake area, before writing the newest book,” said Maureen. “I think the vacation and research, before writing the book and drawing the illustrations, is as fun as the actual completion of the book.”
With that in mind, the family recently returned from Machias Seal Island and touring the Downeast region of Maine, where the wind, waves, and land meet and are the summer habitat of the Atlantic Puffin. The sea bird will be featured in their next book of the series, “A Puppy in Maine.”
Assisting the mother-and-daughter team as they wrote, and Jennifer as she illustrated the books, were daughter-in-law Molly Lee, Woodrow Lee, and graphic designer Geraldine Aikman.
Maureen and Jennifer related that about 50 children with their parents came out for a book reading and the two authors assisted in the craft project that followed. “Every child was given a pin with Toby’s picture on it as a keepsake made by the Children’s Librarian Maria Richardson,” Jennifer said.
The hard cover children’s picture book, “Toby’s Winter Rescue” as well as “Toby’s Sea Storm Treasure,” are available at the website: www.apuppyinmaine.com, at Nonesuch Books in South Portland, and at Maine Women in the Arts shows Sept. 30 – Oct. 2 and Dec. 1-4 at the Masonic Hall in Kennebunkport. They are also available for reading at Kennebunk Free Library and the Louis T. Graves Memorial Library in Kennebunkport.
“I’m very happy how our second book came out and hope our readers will be, also,” said Jennifer, who edited the manuscript and completed the illustrations before she was married earlier this summer.
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