Fredericksburg Parent

www.FredericksburgParent.NET 7 The characters in Charlene Peterson's two books come alive with brightly-colored pictures and stories that are sure to be chil- dren's favorites. The books focus on characters that youngsters will instantly find interesting—they're all animals. The page-turners' char- acters are whimsical, with the sto- ries revolving around cows, ducks, horses, pigs and more. In her first book, "The Misadventures of Cowhead: Cowhead's Big Move," a calf that's the namesake of the book is forced to move to a new neighborhood and leave her friends behind. Sad, lonely, and afraid she won't meet any new friends, she discovers that making friends can be a challenge. It can also be a wonder- ful experience. Cowhead meets Dee Dee Duck, who becomes a best friend and teaches her about friendship and that it's okay to be different. Peterson's book, "A Day at the Park: Big Girls Can Do Anything," features Cowhead's discovery that she can do anything once she puts her mind to it. When Cowhead is excited to go to the park and try the new "big kids" slide, she becomes afraid when she sees it up close. She can't bring herself to tell Dee Dee Duck because she doesn't want to be made fun of. The wise Pappa Cow tells Cowhead she can do anything she puts her mind to. Peterson, of Fredericksburg, began writing in high school, but it was her daughter, Alice, who really got her started with it. "I wanted to memorialize Alice's antics, and the best way to do it was to write about her and put them in a kids' book," says Peterson. "That way, everyone could enjoy a little part of what I had come to love and enjoy about having such a fun, loveable, and overly dramatic child." Writing is one of Peterson's hobbies. When she's not trying to come up with a new story, she's in the kitchen thinking of new recipes to share with family and friends. "I'm currently pursuing my Ph.D., and creative writing allows me to escape the trials and tribulations of research," she says. The author is working on attaining her Ph.D. in organizational devel- opment and leadership with an emphasis in communications. Peterson is currently working on publishing "The Misadventures of Cowhead—A Snow Day" and "The Dark Secret of Kotie the Spider and Vinnie the Fearless Firefly." Both of Peterson's books can be purchased on Amazon. Pouches' Book Nook WRITTEN BY LENORA KRUK-MULLANAPHY Charlene Peterson

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