Starved Rock is featured in Bloomington author’s children’s book

Bloomington resident Jillian Duchnowski is publishing “The Traveling Mermaids of Starved Rock,” a magical tale about mermaids who come to play in Starved Rock State Park’s waterfalls each spring.

The story for children ages 4 to 8 follows Cassidy, who discovers the mermaids in Ottawa Canyon as she’s worrying about starting at a new school in the fall. The mermaids help change her outlook about meeting new people, maintaining her old friendships, and doing her part to make other newcomers welcome.

The book is part social-emotional learning, part tribute to Starved Rock State Park, and part mermaid magic.

“Starved Rock has so much that sparks the imagination, like the plants and trees growing in the sandstone bluffs and the unusually shaped logs and rocks you find near the trails,” Duchnowski said. “It’s such a draw for visitors of so many nationalities, too. That really just got me thinking: What if humans weren’t the only creatures who enjoyed visiting the waterfalls? How would mermaids experience them?”

In addition to illustrations, the book also features a brief history of the park and photographs in spring as well as the deep freeze of winter.

“The Traveling Mermaids of Starved Rock” is the second book in the Cassidy’s Illinois Adventures series. The first, “The Lost Fairy of Allerton,” shows Cassidy learning how to overcome her boredom during a magical hike at Allerton Park and Retreat Center in Monticello. The book highlights many of the park’s iconic statues, including the Fu dogs and the Sun Singer. “The Lost Fairy of Allerton” is being re-released as a hardcover with a new design.

Duchnowski now is accepting preorders for “The Traveling Mermaids of Starved Rock” and the redesigned “The Lost Fairy of Allerton” at https://bit.ly/BackCassidy. More information about the project and Duchnowski can be found at Facebook.com/jillianduchwrites.