Local mom and daughter pen and illustrate children's book

A dynamic duo has evolved from the mother/daughter team of Leta and Nia Taylor and Cochrane’s young readers are the benefactors of their collaboration.  

The Taylors have written and illustrated a children’s book entitled “Cochrane Is My Home”.  

The talented pair combine mom Leta’s professional abstract artist background, and 13-year-old daughter Nia’s artistic medium of watercolour to illustrate the book. Then they penned a book for kids around something they admire and love, Cochrane. 

Leta says part of her motivation was to find a way to do something special with her teenage daughter, “Nia is 13 and I wanted to do something special with Nia because she is at that stage where she takes snacks in her room and runs away. I just thought a way of bonding with Nia would be to maybe do a book. I’ve worked in childcare my whole life, so I thought a children’s book.” 

The idea grew with the fact that they had recently moved to Cochrane and as Leta explains, “So, we thought, what a great way to come into Cochrane and be able to have something to give you know, bring something to the community and so a dollar from each book actually goes to a local conservation effort.” 

Nia explains that the book sings the praises of Cochrane and all it has to offer, “It’s about how Cochrane is really pretty, and it has all sorts of things to offer, and it has great landscapes all around and we wanted to talk about how it’s such a beautiful place to live in.”  

Leta adds that it is also about nature, and it poses questions and provides a learning experience for young readers.

The response to the book has been very positive and it can be found at Found Bookstore. Leta and Nia did a reading at Culture Days at SLS Centre. They also did a reading and book signing at the Cochrane Public Library and they are also having people pop by their house to buy the book.  

Overall, the experience has been positive for the Taylors, Leta says, “It is really special.” 

You can listen to the full interview with Lauren Meister and Leta & Nia Taylor below.