PARMA, Ohio — A dozen years after publishing his first holiday children’s book, UH Parma Medical Center Nuclear Medicine Technologist Tony Marini recently released “Trotter the Thankful Turkey.”
“The turkey book came about because I thought it would be fun to develop a book that would go before Christmas, which obviously would be Thanksgiving,” said Westpark resident Marini, a Parma Heights native and 1982 graduate of Valley Forge High School.
“I wanted to develop a book that would allow children to read something fun on the holidays and to do some activities like make a fall trail mix and also color a feather and pass it around the Thanksgiving table.”
“Trotter the Thankful Turkey.” (Photo courtesy of Julie Gilliland)Photo courtesy of Julie Gilliland
The hardback illustrated book, featuring colorful pages and exquisite drawings created by illustrator Tom Paul Fox, revovles around a turkey named Trotter, who is as selfish and ungrateful as it gets.
On one Thanksgiving Day, a huge storm comes through town and humbles Trotter Turkey. Soon, the farm animals come together and help Trotter realize that he needs to be thankful.
There’s also a special downloadable song, which is similar to Marini’s first book, “Pennie, the Christmas Pickle.”
“The new book is really for 3 to 9-year-olds,” said Marini who admits writing children’s books is a good respite from the demands of his full-time profession.
“It allows me to actually see the fun part of life. You get to see how children react to something that you created, so it’s a creative outlet, but it also gives me the opportunity to know that maybe I’m touching someone’s life in a different way.”
“Trotter the Thankful Turkey” and“Pennie, the Christmas Pickle.” (John Benson/cleveland.com)John Benson/cleveland.com
Considering a certain Christmas pickle has appeared in LakewoodAlive’s Christmas parades, does that mean a gobbling Trotter will do the same?
“Yes, there is currently a costume being developed for Trotter the Thankful Turkey but it probably will not be done this year,” he said.
“I’m using a lady who has done costume designing for the Beck Center for the Arts.”
So far Marini has covered Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Does that mean perhaps for his next holiday children’s book project he’ll be writing about Valentine’s Day or Easter?
“Actually, I’m going to take from a Ukrainian tradition at Christmas, which is putting a spider on the Christmas tree,” he said.
“I’m actually developing that right now. The next book that will come out next year.”
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