Maple Grove Elementary Student Releases Children’s Book
Photography Provided
Easton Lowe, a fifth-grade student at Maple Grove Elementary School, has authored a book titled “Puppy Takeover: Puppies Takeover School,” which was self-published through help from his father Shawn, and is now available through Amazon.
The adventure story is filled with irrepressible puppy energy and will likely warm the heart of anyone who loves dogs.
In the book, a band of puppies seem to get the better of good-natured police officers as they travel from one location to another throughout their town. Humorous situations ensue as the puppies run en masse to an amusement park and take over a bus. All ends well however, and the book has an ending that will make everyone smile.
Although Easton wrote the premise several years ago, the full story developed over a period of time. In the meantime, he became involved in a variety of activities that he continues to enjoy. Recently he was part of the Center Grove Junior Trojans football team that won the state championship in the 2020 season. For four years he has participated in travel baseball for Baseball Academics Midwest, and plays the positions of catcher and first baseman. He was thrilled to hit his first over-the-fence home run when he was 10 years old.
Academics and the arts also hold an interest for Easton. During the last three years he has been in the Extended Learning program at his school, and has developed an affinity for science and technology. After taking piano lessons for several years, he earned a spot in the Young Hoosier State Piano Competition and performed at the Indiana State Fair in 2019. However, his interest in writing and his initial tale of dogs getting into hilarious circumstances were not forgotten.
“I have loved dogs my entire life,” Easton says. “When I was about seven, I was a bit bored and I had loose paper lying around. I grabbed a pencil and started writing a story. About a year later, I showed it to my dad. I read it to him and he thought it was pretty cool, then he worked with me to make it longer and better.”
Shawn says he and Easton finished the story when Easton was about to turn 10.
“I thought about taking it to Kinko’s and just getting it printed out, but then I found an illustrator online and ended up self-publishing it through Amazon,” Shawn says.
The publishing process took many months, and when it was complete the book became available on Amazon, both as a paperback and for Kindle e-readers. The back cover contains a barcode, an International Standard Book Number and a blurb about Easton including his photo. Shawn presented the published book to his son on Christmas in 2019.
“When dad showed me the book, I was shocked,” Easton says. “I was thankful, excited and happy. It was such a surprise that he had made it a real thing. When I brought it to school, everyone asked a lot of questions. My teacher read it, and some kids wanted to know where they could get it.”
While Easton plans a follow-up book, he is enjoying his own puppy, Gracie. She is a Mountain Cur rescue with a brindle coat, and keeps him company as he works toward his future goal of becoming a robotic or electrical engineer.
When asked what advice he would give to a young, aspiring author, Easton recommends letting creativity flow freely.
“Don’t stop believing in yourself,” he says. “Just let your imagination run wild and suspend reality.”
“Puppy Takeover: Puppies Takeover School” is available for purchase on Amazon, in paperback and for Kindle e-readers. Easton welcomes comments and loves to communicate with readers of his book on social media, at facebook.com/puppytakeover.
