Thanks to the inspiration of two sweet dogs, Barbara Seaver has written a children's picture book, "Homer & Virgil's Marvelous Adventures in Europe: Paris Edition." Filled with colorful, zippy illustrations by Zoe Larson, the story introduces kids to the City of Lights through canine eyes. Proceeds from the book will go to children's hospitals and community organizations.
The book's main characters, Homer and Virgil, are based on Seaver's King Charles Cavaliers. She and her husband, Robert, lived for years in Europe and got the dogs from an English breeder. Since the couple's home was in Italy, they drove all over the continent with the dogs in tow.
Seaver remembers, "We could not have taken them on a plane because they were just too big. So, they went with us everywhere we went."
During the COVID pandemic, Seaver reached out to Larson with her idea for the book, and it took off. She says, "I'm trying to provoke the interest in the children to travel, and I'm also trying to give children who may not have the opportunity to see the vision that there is another world out there."
Seaver's book is available on Amazon. She's signing copies at the 2023 Festival of Trees Breakfast with Santa on December 2 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Maceli's on New Hampshire. A coloring book version will be at a signing at Swanson's on December 5 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
