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Ladner author’s first book teaches alphabet, life lessons

A love of children’s books and reading them to her own children and grandchildren prompted Gloria Sampson to write one of her own. Along with her husband Rick, the 40-year Ladner resident recently published Taige’s Mouse Tails of ABCs .
Gloria Sampson
Ladner’s Gloria Sampson has recently released her first children’s book.

A love of children’s books and reading them to her own children and grandchildren prompted Gloria Sampson to write one of her own.

Along with her husband Rick, the 40-year Ladner resident recently published Taige’s Mouse Tails of ABCs. The story is named after her granddaughter Taige.

Each mouse story is unique and covers one letter of the alphabet, emphasizing words that begin with that letter. The stories are fun and provide children with a life lesson. Every story is also enhanced by an illustration that depicts the characters and brings the story to life.

“I never thought I’d ever write and illustrate one of my own, but here I am,” said Sampson. “I started painting windows in the hospital where our young son Bobby had to stay for a while. It brightened a very drab children’s ward at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria with characters that the little children loved. Later I painted on bank and store windows as well as the Vancouver Airport.

“Then I went on to paint glass balls with little critters and sold them at local craft shows. My customers always told me that I should write a children’s book.”

Sampson admits she was flattered by the suggestion, but didn’t think she could.

“However, one day while taking a nap the story of Bobby Mouse with things falling around him that started with the letter ‘B’ was very vivid,” she recalled. “When I woke, I had to start writing right away. Everything just fell into place resulting in a mouse story, and an illustration for each letter of the alphabet. I hope this book will be loved by all the little ones.”

As a self-published author, it did take a while – five years, in fact – for Sampson to put pen to paper and get through the publishing process.

The book was finally released in January.

She said she has other ideas in the works and if this first book is well received, she wants to release more in the future.

“If people like this one, I have lots of ideas with this mouse,” she said.

Check out her website at www.taigesmousetails.com to learn more about the author and purchase the book.