A Buckeye Valley High School student and her father recently released a book that aims to inspire and empower young girls.

Ella Rosario, a senior at Buckeye Valley who studies Digital Design half day at the Delaware Area Career Center, and her father, artist Jeremy Rosario, recently published “ABC’s of Encouragement for Girls,” a book filled with words of affirmation and inspiration.

Jeremy Rosario said they have been working on the book in some form for many years, and the initial idea came to them when he brought Ella to his job several years ago when he was creating commercial art for advertising. He said they heard a radio segment about mental health issues affecting young girls between the ages of 13-17 and thought about creating a book of positive words of encouragement.

“It’s alarming and sad to know this wave of (issues) is affecting young girls’ mental health,” Jeremy Rosario said. “(We created) an alphabet book with really simple words that are edifying and full of illustrations. The meaning for the words we left simple with the idea that any caregiver can expand that conversation.”

Jeremy Rosario said the book is a tool for parents and caregivers to connect with young children.

“Any mom or dad can share from their background and say, ‘Let me tell you about a time in life that I was really, really scared and here’s what I did,”’ he said. “Children remember that, so when difficulty comes in the teen years, we hope they are grounded with rich examples.”

Ella Rosario said she enjoyed working on the book with her father because she got to learn more about his perspective.

“I got to see a lot of my dad’s true point of view on life,” she said. “His perspective is so much different than mine, and I have that inside point of view (of being a teenager). (Writing the book together) showed me different points of view.”

Jeremy Rosario said they began to work on the book in earnest when he was laid off during the pandemic, and they worked on a page a day, including discussing what each word would be.

“We would go back and forth discussing what are going to be good, positive words of affirmation and encouragement,” Jeremy Rosario said. “Ella and I would do sketches (and ask), ‘Is that the best way to interpret that action?’ I would take the sketches and illustrate it (to) basically elevate the idea behind each word. (They are) really simple principles.”

Ella Rosario said she hopes readers connect with the words in the book.

“Growing up, I started realizing these simple words that people really need to hear, like ‘thankful,’” she said. “A lot of people these days forget about the simplicity of just being thankful for something.”

The book is available to order via email at [email protected], and Jeremy Rosario explained that because they are self-publishing the book, they are using it as “an edifying tool” and are signing each book and sending along a letter of encouragement.

“We’re excited. It’s kind of cool,” Jeremy Rosario said. “It’s a labor of love.”

Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903.