Anoka County Union Herald Article!
Mini Hero Drives New Children’s Book
by Patrick Slack, April 28, 2023
Anoka County Union Herald- ABC Newspapers- Hometown Source
https://www.hometownsource.com/abc_newspapers/community/coonrapids/mini-hero-drives-new-children-s-book/article_87186dba-e45a-11ed-8a1a-ab3986597e6a.html
To the store, to the shore, to anywhere and everywhere in between.
A young family on the move needs a trusted, reliable friend to get them from point A to point B.
Some turn to a minivan.
Others? A Megavan.
Such is the case in the new children’s book “The Megavan,” the debut publication for Coon Rapids native and Spring Lake Park graduate Mark Therrien.
The book follows the story of a van named Let’s — “Let’s go!” “Let’s stop!” “Let’s get there fast!” — who has a knack for transforming into whatever its family needs. From a race car when the story’s mother is in labor, to a dependable vacation vehicle as the story’s family grows to include three children and a dog, Let’s delivers.
“‘The Megavan’ was formed out of two real moments that I had in early 2022,” Therrien said. “The first was when I was in my garage loading something into the back of our minivan. While I was folding down seats and playing the will-it-or-won’t-it-fit game, I started thinking about all the things my busy family asks of this van, and how it just continually delivers. From safely bringing home our babies from the hospital, to moving houses, to packing sports equipment, to keeping us safe through the Minnesota snow, and even just providing a calming space for conversation, this 2011 Honda Odyssey has been a quiet constant in our lives, consistently giving us what we need.
“The second moment was me wondering one day about what our family would look like from a peripheral, side character view — from the eyes of someone who doesn’t see everything, but is just inside enough to know us well. I realized our minivan has driven us to so many of our big family moments and would serve as a great narrator for our story.”
The book is the first published for Therrien, who spent a year working from the initial idea to bringing the characters to life on the page.
“I’ve had an interest in writing since taking a creative writing class at Spring Lake Park High School,” Therrien said. “And, after reading hundreds of children’s books to my kids, I decided it would be fun to jump into this world. This book process has been so fun for me! Once I had the initial idea of the story, it was a blast using my imagination to come up with fun ways to spin it. I loved writing the story by thinking through the mind of a child and what they would enjoy seeing.
“It was very surreal, and something I never anticipated happening! It was very meaningful to me knowing that I could now be a part of helping kids enjoy reading.”
With many of a family’s most precious moments — and most active times — occurring with kids in early childhood, the book has stirred strong memories for young and old readers alike, helping make it a children’s book that appeals to all audiences.
“I think the story has a common theme of experiencing life’s moments together with those closest to you, so I hope everyone can take something away from reading it,” Therrien said. “I wrote based on my life parenting young kids, and I know families in the same stage are the ones that may most see themselves in the book, but the theme could easily translate to teams, friendships, grown families, or marriages as well. I am also partial to the contingent of guys that have traded in their sports car dreams for the glorious minivan dad life. Hopefully they and all the minivan moms can get a kick out of it.
“I have been blown away by the positive reception of the book. Fortunately, my three kids really like it, so it passed that initial test! I’ve received a lot of nice words and reviews from friends, fellow parents and bookstores, but my favorite reactions have been from kids when I read to elementary schools. They bring so much enthusiasm and joy that it makes me grateful that I decided to start this journey. I’ve had such great feedback at these readings that I started a ‘Quick Kid Quotes’ section on my website, with ‘Mega-Fire!,’ ‘Quadruplo amazing!’ and ‘Cool book, dude,’ being my favorites so far.”
“The Megavan” is available on Amazon and through ItascaBooks.com. For more information, visit www.marktherrien.com.
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