Local Father-Daughter Duo Pen, Illustrate ‘Mother Nature's Apron’
newly published children’s book was a Shafer family effort
“Mother Nature had an apron. In its pockets were all the seasons.”
These are the opening lines of Ariel Shafer’s newly released children's book, Mother Nature’s Apron. And just as Mother Nature misplaces her apron in this book, Ariel’s original manuscript went missing for a few years, until her mom, local artist Barb Shafer, came across it in a drawer. Ari, as she is nicknamed, penned the story while on a short break from classes at the Chippewa Valley Technical College.
Ari had initially written the story for the pure joy of writing. As she shared in an interview, “The words just came tumbling out” of her head. Yet, found anew, her mom suggested publishing it – and that Ari’s dad – local artist, poet, and retired UW-Eau Claire art Professor Anders “Andy” Shafer – put pictures to her words. “The words had a rhythm of their own, so drawing was easy to do,” he said in an interview. Andy initially sketched a storyboard to run by his daughter for her approval and then finalized the sketches in Micron pen ink with watercolors.
Thus the daughter-dad collaboration came to life in a 25-page, soft-covered children’s book, which describes how Mother Nature, once she has looked everywhere for her apron and finds it in a most unexpected place, helps the farmers with rain during a dry patch of weather.
John Hildebrand, local author and retired UW-Eau Claire English professor, described the book’s opening lines as magical. “Ari’s matter-of-fact treatment of the mythical invites the reader to go along for the ride,” he wrote in an email.
Mother Nature's Apron, published by Eau Claire-based Inner Peace Press, is available locally at The Local Store (205 N. Dewey St., Eau Claire) and Moon Bees LLC in Banbury Place (930 Galloway St., #23, Eau Claire) for $14.99.
Visit Mother Nature’s Apron’s publisher website for more information or to purchase it online.
