Staci Hauk always dreamed of writing a children’s book. Little did she realize that she had written her potential bestseller almost 20 years before she ever thought to publish it.
“I originally wrote the story in college as part of a creative writing project. The project was to write about an inanimate object and to have it represent something.”
At the time, Hauk explored the notion of friendship through pennies and a penny jar.
Her professor was impressed and told her to hold onto the paper—that she had an amazing story that had the potential to be big as a children’s book.
Busy at the time, she put the story away. Years later, when she was already married and a mom of two, she came across it in a drawer. She took it out and tweaked the story, reworking it and weaving in her kids.
But then, busy with the kids and life, she again tucked it back into a drawer.
It was a random post on a local Facebook group that ended up being the catalyst for bringing the manuscript back out of the drawer.
“[Rebecca Steward] posted something on Ocotillo Friends that she had just published a children’s book, and it sparked something in me,” Hauk explains. “So I thought, ‘I’m going to reach out to her and ask her how she made that happen.’”
As fate would have it, Hauk and Steward quickly realized that they lived in the same complex. They decided to meet up—and everything quickly fell into place.
Steward connected Hauk to the publisher she had worked with, and Hauk sent in the manuscript.
They loved it.
Though based on her original concept from 20 years ago, the final version of the story, now named Sawyer’s Two Cents and based on Hauk’s daughter, explores the notion of true friendship and self-worth through Sawyer’s penny jar, where a penny is added for each friend she makes. The story begs the question, “Are a few pennies (rather than many) the key to happiness?”
The characters, Sawyer and Garrett, are based off of Hauk’s children (of the same names), and both the story and illustrations weave personal references to them throughout—rooms that look like theirs, interests that match theirs, and characters that look just like them. The late family dog, Angus, is also featured in the book.
The story is set in and around Gilbert, so locals will easily recognize the illustrated setting.
While it is already catching on with readers and garnering a following, the book is also a hit with teachers due to the lesson it teaches. Hauk created a school and library kit, as well as a penny jar activity, to go along with the book, and is booking author visits (in-person or virtual) for the upcoming school year.
The publisher liked the story so much that they already committed to a three-book series. The next story, set to debut this fall or winter, features Garrett at the main character and talks about looking for the good in life. The third book, due out next spring, showcases Angus, and deals with the anguish of losing a pet.
“I [wrote Sawyer’s Two Cents] because it was a lifelong dream. I hope people like it and learn from it, and get something out of it. Navigating friendships is so hard, and I want kids to know that they should look for the friends that will always be there for them and not just surface level,” she says of her first book.
Steward will also illustrate her next books.
For more information, visit StaciHauk.com. Books can also be purchased at that website, or at Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com.