Kat Chew and Taylor Roszkos, both of whom graduated from La Cañada High School in 2009, recently debuted their first children’s book, “The Thing King.”
“The picture book follows a neighborly bird as he undertakes the challenge of cheering up a king who, despite having nearly every gizmo and gadget imaginable, finds himself unhappy,” according to a promotional statement. “With a Dr. Seuss-like rhythm and engaging illustrations that make children – and parents – laugh out loud, ‘The Thing King’ reminds readers that having everything doesn’t always lead to happiness.”
“I believe that happiness is often rooted in simple pleasures, like sunshine, and I wanted to share that message through a playful story that would resonate with young readers and parents alike,” said Chew. “This book has been an adventure for us from start to finish, and through it all, Taylor and I went from being acquaintances in high school to really good friends.”
Said Roszkos: “When Kat first approached me with this story, I knew it was something special. Friends come in all shapes and sizes and it was important from a visual standpoint to show that. Overall, this project was a lot of fun and I hope that readers will connect with the story and take it to heart.”
Chew received her bachelor of arts degree in anthropology from the University of Notre Dame in 2013. In 2014, she was awarded the Best Environmental Reporting award from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association for an article she wrote.
Roszkos is a story artist and illustrator who graduated from Chapman University with a bachelor’s degree in digital arts, having studied animation at the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, in 2013.
“The Thing King” is available for purchase as an e-book or paperback on Amazon. For further book inquiries or parent/teacher resources, email thethingkingbook@gmail.com or follow @the.thing.king on Instagram.
