Palos Park author gets assist from her kids

By Kelly White

Living in Palos Park, Lisa Herpy decided to take her parenting to paper with the help of her three young children.

Together, Herpy and her children, Jonathan, Jr., 7; Diana, 6; and Mia, 4, wrote and published, Brother and Sister: Summer Adventures, a book about two siblings enjoying all their favorite activities in one sunny, summer day.

“The writing of Brother and Sister: Summer Adventures was a truly collaborative project,” Herpy said. “My children thoroughly enjoyed creating scenarios for the characters and together we chose the best words to describe the scene. We chose the illustrations together and it was very exciting for them to describe what the characters should be wearing and then see it come to life in the book. The most enjoyable part for me was the time I spent with my children creating not only a wonderful book, but also beautiful memories.”

Published in August, it was one of Amplify Publishing Group’s most anticipated summer releases, according to Michelle Garcia, Marketing Manager for Amplify Publishing Group.

“Brother and Sister: Summer Adventures is a charming story that captures the blessings of sibling friendship and the boundless joy of family togetherness,” Garcia said. “It is inspired by the author’s own family.”

Some of the Herpys’ favorite activities include: creating and telling stories that have the power to transport and uplift, reading books that engage young minds to push the limits of their imaginations and exploring their Midwestern surroundings.

All of this shines through in the book itself, as the characters of Brother and Sister explore the great outdoors, spend intentional time outside in the sunshine, and experience life mindfully unplugged (from technology), which is a rarity in today’s world,” Garcia said. “We need stories like this now more than ever.”

This is Herpys’ first published book, and she said the idea for the storyline sparked right at home.

“The inspiration for our book came from my son, Jonathan,” Herpy said. “He woke me up one morning and began reciting a poem that is now the beginning of the book. We continued the poem and incorporated the writing into our homeschooling curriculum in 2020.”

The book, Herpy feels, will soon become a family favorite for its readers.

“The book is relatable to parents with young children in the summer because several activities are completed in one day,” Herpy said. “Children hop from one activity to the next, which is very similar to a real summer day in our house.”

Herpy attended Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana and studied communications. From there, she went on to attend Western Michigan University Law School, where she met her husband.

“Our inspiration for writing is our love of children’s stories,” Herpy said. “Reading to my children, especially before bed, is such a special time in our house. If we can bring the joy to one other family that other authors have brought to us, we will consider our book a success.”

Brother and Sister: Summer Adventures is available on Amazon and also at many major retailers including: Barnes and Noble, Target and Walmart.