Clay Township board member and longtime Carmel resident Mary Eckard released a self-published book, “Two Friends at Play,” in January. Illustrated by Dinae McGuire of Indianapolis, the book follows the stories of two vegetables, Arty the Artichoke and Tato the Potato, as they navigate self-image, acceptance and friendship.
“At least 40 years ago, I started writing these stories. I still had children in school, and I wrote these stories because I just loved the idea of having vegetables noticed by children and loving them,” Eckard said.
In her books, she spotlights the unique qualities of each of the vegetables and how they benefit people.
Written for children ages 2 to 7, Eckard’s rhyming style – along with McGuire’s whimsical illustrations – allow the stories to flow easily from page to page.
The book is the first in a series Eckard calls “The VegSquad,” and two additional books, featuring Calvin the Carrot and Meggy the Mushroom, are available only at in-person events. These navigate the topics of careers and healthy eating. Future publications will feature Poddy the pea pod, Polly the pumpkin and Tommy the tomato.
“The stories are about making friends, being with their friends, and dreams. So, it’s just fun, bright and colorful,” McGuire said.
Eckard agrees.
“What we’ve done is to make vegetables friendly and give them stories,” Eckard said.
Eckard and McGuire will have copies of their books for sale at the local author fair from 1 to 4 p.m. Aug. 24 at the Carmel Clay Public Library Main Library, 425 E. Main St., in the community room.
Eckard and McGuire want to connect with local school districts to bring workshops featuring themes from the books into classrooms.
To book an event with Eckard and McGuire, contact them at [email protected].
“Two Friends at Play” is distributed by Book Baby publishers and available for purchase on Amazon.com.
