Hillary Harper, preschool director at Dublin St. Brigid of Kildare School, has written and published a children’s book called Thankful FUR You, a story about keeping the Thanksgiving holiday from being overshadowed by Christmas. 

Harper, who has worked in early childhood education for almost two decades, based the tale on her family pet Cannoli, an English cream golden retriever, who serves as the story’s main character.

“As a preschool director, my staff and I read picture books aloud to children every day,” Harper said. “In November 2022, we were discussing Thanksgiving books … and (realized) there are not a lot of options for Thanksgiving picture books.” 

Soon after, Harper was at home with Cannoli when the idea for Thankful FUR You came to her.

She and her St. Brigid staff created the storyline, which consists of Cannoli and his dog friends worrying that the inconveniences they cause their owners have resulted in the owners no longer being thankful for the dogs and thus cancelling Thanksgiving. The dogs resolve to be on their best behavior in hopes of reinstating the holiday.

“The book is a reminder of the importance of gratitude and thankfulness,” Harper said. “Through Cannoli’s journey, young readers learn about the value of appreciating the present moment and the relationships they have. (It) weaves together themes of friendship, togetherness and the joy of giving thanks.”

After assembling the storyline into a manuscript, Harper contacted Bear With Us Productions, a publishing company based in the United Kingdom, for the illustrations and production of Thankful FUR You. 

She chose Felipe Calv, an artist in Brazil, as the illustrator who created bright, friendly images to bring the story to life. “I really like his use of light when he paints,” Harper said.

To give Calv an idea of how she wanted the character of Cami, Cannoli’s owner in the story, to be portrayed, Harper sent photos of her youngest daughter, Margaret, now a seventh-grader at St. Brigid School. 

In the book, Cami appears as a sweet-looking, young girl with glasses. Cannoli’s character, like Harper’s real-life Cannoli, is depicted as a fluffy, ivory-colored canine, and just as Harper does in real life, Cami uses “my best boy” as her term of endearment for the dog throughout the book.

Because of how much she enjoyed creating Thankful FUR You, Harper started her own publishing company this year called Cannoli and Co. Books. The company’s goal, which can be found on its website, cannolicobooks.com, is to bring “engaging, timeless, and creative stories to children and adults alike.” 

Harper’s next step is to publish a Christmas activity book in December for ages 3-7. “It includes 72 educational and engaging activities,” she said. “It has things like I Spy for a road trip.”

Additionally, she will publish another children’s book, A Deep Breath for Me, in April. “It focuses on teaching self-regulation skills and calming techniques to children who are experiencing anxiety.” 

This time, Harper’s other dog, Mack, who struggles with anxiety, is the main character. “The book follows (Mack’s) journey of learning to cope with his uneasy feelings with the help of his new best friend, Gertie, the puggle (dog),” Harper said. 

“Children can learn breathing exercises, visualization techniques and other self-soothing activities that can be practiced in their daily lives.” She hopes the book can be a resource for parents and educators in caring for children and supporting their mental health.

Harper, a wife and mother of three teenage daughters, is an Ohio native, having grown up in a family where her mother was a teacher and her father worked for newspapers throughout his career. 

“He was a Statehouse reporter,” Harper said. Of her mother, who taught for 25 years, Harper recalled that as a child, she would go with her to work. She said she is proud to be “following in their footsteps.”

Harper has always been passionate about children’s education. In 2021, she was selected to serve on the Learning Standards Committee for the Ohio Department of Education’s Office of Early Learning and School Readiness. She helped to revise the language and literacy standards for early childhood, a St. Brigid newsletter said.

Harper plans to continue using her talents as a writer and educator for as long as she can to contribute to youth education. 

Thankful FUR You can be purchased through Amazon or Harper’s publishing company website, cannolicobooks.com.