Author Megan Shaughnessy with her new children book.
Megan Shaughnessy remembers the day her son came home from kindergarten “embarrassed” to show his artwork with his family.
As she watched his confidence in his artwork dissipate, she thought back to her childhood. when her art teacher “selected students” to be in an advanced class. Shaughnessy was not chosen.
But she didn’t give up.
That day her son came home embarrassed, in April 2020, an idea was born. The idea developed into a book she has written, illustrated and now self-published, Orla and Otis Lost and Found.
She has sold over 100 copies so far. The book cost $16.99 and can be bought on her website.
Orla and Otis Lost and Found tells the story of a young girl (Orla) and her cat, Otis, “exploring and nurturing” their imagination. In this story, they have “something very important to show the reader” until Orla realizes it is “lost.”
Orla and Otis bring the reader along to go on a journey to find their imaginations. At the end of book, she provides questions to help parents unlock their child’s imagination.
Work process.
Shaughnessy, a 41-year-old mom and visual artist originally from New Jersey, lives in Hamden. Before moving to the area, she lived in Boston, the United Kingdom, and New York, studying photography and film, focusing on self-portraiture.
She grew up with three older brothers. Her father was a lawyer; her mother stayed at home to take care of her siblings and her. Shaughnessy works in development for the Arts Council of Greater New Haven.
Discussion questions in the book
After publishing this book, Shaughnessy is adding another book to the Orla and Otis series. She also hopes to start a program with the local library to get a program created for local libraries about” igniting and nurturing imaginations.”