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Asnong's whimsy makes new book worth treasuring

Don’t over think it. It’s easier said than done, especially when you’re writing for an audience that still drools on their books.

Don’t over think it.

It’s easier said than done, especially when you’re writing for an audience that still drools on their books.

For Canmore illustrator and author Jocey Asnong, over-thinking was a habit she had to break herself from in order to ink her latest children’s book Rocky Mountain ABCs.

Published by Rocky Mountain Books, the ABCs is the first of a set of children’s books Asnong has illustrated and written this year. The latter, Rocky Mountain 123s, is set to drop later this year.

The board-book is for an audience under two years old, which she said made it “really fun” to work on, as it was a departure from how she is used to creating with her previous three published works.

“I was definitely inspired by the landscape again,” she said. “But having to write a story in less than 200 words for an under two-year-old audience and make it all about the Rocky Mountains was a challenge.”

Asnong has written three books chronicling the travels of Nuptse and Lhotse – a pair of adventurous cats that travel and explore the world. So far, the feline duo have been to Nepal, the Rockies and Iceland.

Those books saw the author’s work shine with layers of detail and texture, but this time around she said it took a few tries to take the nuance down a notch and create an engaging narrative for a toddler.

“Once I got the hang of it, it was super fun,” Asnong said. “That is when I knew I found the right concept.”

Your average adult reader might not take the time, or have the opportunity, to delve into the pages of this early reader book, but for those with little ones, or little ones on the way, Rocky Mountain ABCs is a treasure.

Full of just the right amount of whimsy on each page, from the pair of bears kissing on Lake Louise to the carefully selected patterns for each letter cut-out, Rocky Mountain ABCs connects the youngest mountain dwellers to the landscape and wildlife that surrounds us.

A simple concept, each illustration is an homage to the mountains with iconic peaks like Rundle and Assiniboine illustrated for the not yet backcountry bound babies who will enjoy the book with their parents.

Rocky Mountain ABCs as an idea was brought to Asnong by Rocky Mountain Books, further solidifying a steady stream of whimsical tales from the prolific illustrator who calls Canmore home. It is a reality that still gives her “pinch me” moments.

“I can’t believe this is my life and I get to work with such a supportive publisher,” she said. “That is a cool feeling.”

There are, of course, more adventures in store for Nuptse and Lhotse, with a trip to Vancouver Island on the West Coast planned for Asnong this year to find inspirations for their next story.

Rocky Mountain ABCs is published by Rocky Mountain Books (rmbooks.com) and is available at Café Books in Canmore.


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