Principal and teacher collaborate on book about DeSales School

DeSales Catholic School Principal Karen Judge Rahill partnered with art teacher Kristen McCabe to create a children’s book about the exciting happenings in their school. As a twist, “Curious Critters Go to School” focuses on the woodland creatures that have broken into the Lockport facility, rather than the young students.

The critters outside of DeSales takes turns breaking into the school and exploring the different rooms. Obstacles stand in their way, and they’ll have to use their smarts and strengths to get home safe. The book is based on actual events.

“All of these critters have really been in our school at some point,” Rahill told her students during an assembly, where she read the book in Suessian rhyme. “Mrs. McCabe and I really did chase a bat out early one morning before anybody got to school, and the groundhog really did crash through a hole in the janitor’s closet.” A chipmunk snuck into the nurse’s office over the summer. The strangest story was of a racoon that stole pizza out of a refrigerator. “So, we really do have a lot of curious critters in our area that like to come and visit our school.”

The labor of love has been in the works for three years.

 “I’ve always loved literature. I’ve always wanted to write a story. I’ve never had the inspiration until working at DeSales and when the animals came to visit,” Rahill explained. “It didn’t take me too long to write the story. It took me a while to find the time to write the story. As a Catholic elementary school principal, I am super busy. I think I had the story in my head for a long time, so when I finally said, ‘OK, I’m going to sit down and write it,’ it didn’t actually take me too long.”

“We had fun together making it,” said McCabe, who added watercolor illustrations throughout the book. “I was so inspired by what (Rahill) wrote. I could see the story unveiling itself as I was reading the words. So, it was a pretty great experience to work with her on it.”

Some pictures in the book are very true to the school and recognizable to DeSales students.

“I’m always seen around school with a Diet Pepsi in my hand. So, if you look carefully you might see what could be a Diet Pepsi logo in one of the pictures,” Rahill said. Some of the student’s backpacks served as models for the illustrations. The human characters look like staff members. One student can even be seen in a DeSales uniform skirt. Another Easter egg – Reggie the Raccoon is named after Assistant Principal Regina Granchelli.

It is sure to preserve memories for the students for years to come.

“I think that’s a big part of this,” Rahill explained. “A big part of their connection to the school here, of their family here. At DeSales ‘Once a Knight, always a Knight’ is what we talk about here. Having this connection to the building and to this family of people here, I think, is very important.”

While the students did not take part in the creative process, they did serve as models, and the school’s name does appear in the story.

“I love that we have that permanent link to what really happened at DeSales with the picture books,” Rahill said.

Two other stories on the same critters are in the works. One sequel involves a skunk. And yes, they did have a skunk in the school.

The book will be available from Rosen Publishing’s Windmill imprint, focusing on picture books for elementary-age children.

It will be available this summer. A launch party is being planned at the school on July 30, where McCabe and Rahill will be on hand to sign the books.