Children's Book Published in Honor of Late Writer

When Bob Dove read a children’s book with a universal message that happened to be written by his mother-in-law, he made a promise that he would personally have it published one day.

Even though that promise was filled after her death in 2002, “The Silly Little King” is now distributed in a way that children will have access to the book no matter their family’s income through a website called Magicblox.

“Magicblox is an amazing website and they publish children’s books online,” Dove of Forest Hills said. “There are tons of children’s books and you subscribe for $20 a year and have unlimited access to all of the books on the site and I thought that was a pretty exciting concept.”

Parents who cannot afford books can login, pay a small fee and read all of the books they want to their children – including the locally written tale, “The Silly Little King.”

“I just thought it was so universal in its appeal,” he said of the book. “It has one message, it’s focused and it’s cute.”

Published in 2010, the late Patricia Hanley of Forest Hills wrote the book about her son, Ross, more than 55 years ago. The story tells the tale of a young boy who is an especially picky eater, a topic many parents and children can relate to in the younger years. Eventually, he learns that eating a healthy meal is not only good for you – but also can be delicious.

In the book’s preface, Dove’s wife, Amy Hanley Dove, recalls the story being read to her in childhood.

“I was about six or seven years old when she showed me the story; each stanza was neatly typed on a piece of card stock and all were held together with brass bands,” she said in the book. “I read it over and over until I had it memorized and was very proud that my mother was able to write such a great story that rhymed.”

While her mother talked about having her own sister complete illustrations for the book, it never happened, Amy wrote.

“The book stayed in a drawer in mom’s house until she died and then came to my house in a box of her things,” she said.

Bob later discovered the book, took it to his co-worker, Kerry Lozano, and asked her to complete the pictures. After she agreed, the book was finally published.

“Mom would be happy to know that many children can now enjoy the story of this finicky eater and I am happy that her story can now be read, and maybe memorized, by other children,” Amy writes.

Dove said he enjoys the book and wants other to take away smiles from the story as well.

“I can picture in my mind a parent reading this to a child and eventually the child learning how to read it to themselves,” Dove said. “It’s silly and fun enough that a child would want to do that and I can picture them laughing.”

For more information or to purchase “The Silly Little King,” visit http://magicblox.com/.