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A seventh grader at Sierra Middle School took a language arts assignment to write a children’s story and used it to launch herself into the world of publishing, thanks to her imagination, her dog, Cooper, and some help from her mom.
Anelise Elmquist, 12, is author of “Cooper’s Tale: A COVID-19 Story from a Dog,” published earlier this year on Amazon. The book has already sold more than 100 copies.
“She wrote the story back in March when school first switched to online learning,” said Laura Elmquist, Anelise’s mom. “When I read it, I told her, ‘This is so cute! We should publish it!”
Elmquist said the process was fairly simple and required a copyright, which they acquired. Prior to the book, Anelise was running Art for the World, her own greeting card business featuring her original artwork.
“Greeting cards were something she started doing for friends and family a few years ago,” Elmquist said. “She enjoyed selling them at the Farmer’s Market downtown through the junior vendor’s booth, but the pandemic forced her to close up shop for a while.”
Elmquist said her daughter was naturally nervous about the threat of the virus. Staying home with her parents gave her more time with Cooper, the poodle-mix the Elmquists rescued a few years ago. Elmquist thinks Cooper is 12 or 13 years old.
“He’s a senior dog, and before the pandemic, he was very nervous all the time and would stay in his crate, where he felt safe,” Elmquist said. “When he noticed we were home a lot more than usual, he started coming around and has become an inseparable part of the family. That’s how Anelise’s got the idea for her book – if Cooper could find a silver lining in this crisis, we all can, and we can get through this together.”
Anelise originally created computer graphics for her book, but opted for more authentic, hand-drawn illustrations. Her mom said she captured Cooper perfectly.
Elmquist said her daughter has another five books in various stages of progress, and people are already asking for a sequel featuring Cooper.
“She actually wants to be a chemist,” Elmquist said about what her daughter wants to be when she grows up. “But writing will always be part of her. And I’m proud that she can share her stories and art in a positive way.”
