Ludlow Resident Writes Children’s Book Proceeds to Benefit Unify Against Bullying
LUDLOW, MA — Kelly Partridge has always wanted to write a children’s book. Last month, after a year-long publishing process, that life-long goal came to fruition. Her first book, How Owls Become Wise, a story that focuses on bullying and self-correction, is now available for purchase online on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Walmart, with 10 percent of the book’s proceeds to benefit Unify Against Bullying.
Partridge is the founder of the philanthropic clothing boutique, Contribution Clothing, which empowers women and supports the community through monetary donations to western Massachusetts non-profit organizations.
Photo credit: Hillary Lynn Photography
“I have been working with Unify Against Bullying since the inception of Contribution Clothing and have participated in their annual Fashion Show for a few years now,” said Partridge. “Through that I have been able to witness first-hand the impact that they have made and love how they shine a light on the issue of bullying in our community.”
When she decided to write a book about bullying, Partridge knew she wanted to use it was a way to show her support for the Unify Against Bullying mission.
“My hope is that children not only get something from the story I wrote but can also get the support they need from Unify if they themselves are the victim of bullying,” she said.
The idea for the book came to her one day in March 2020, and she was easily able to develop the plot and her character, Olivia Owl.
“Bullying is a topic that everyone has experienced one time or another in their lives, and I really wanted to bring awareness to it,” Partridge said, adding that equally important is the knowledge that everyone makes mistakes and that it’s okay, as long as they learn and grow from them.
Her character, Olivia Owl is an homage to her grandmother, with whom she bonded over owls as a child. “My grandmother and I always shared a love for owls. It was our thing,” she said. “So when it came time to figure out who and what I wanted my characters to look like, it was a pretty easy decision.”
At the end of the book there are six "Talk About It" questions. Partridge said she included these because, “I really wanted the book to spark conversations between children and adults. I added the questions at the end to help guide that a little. My hope is that the book would be talked about and discussed, not just read as a bedtime story.”
Photo credit: Hillary Lynn Photography
To bring her story to life, the first-time author teamed up with illustrator Stephanie Hider, whom she met through a children’s book networking group.
“I was drawn to her initially for her work, but she was also able to hold my hand a little throughout the process, which is what I needed,” Partridge said. “It was so much fun to see how Stephanie pictured my characters when reading the story. She and I pretty much had the same vision, so I was thrilled with how the final product came out.”
Partridge said she understands how victims of bullying feel and she hopes that her book can help both those who have experienced bullying and those who have inflicted it.
“When I was in elementary and middle school, I was always bullied for my height,” said Partridge, who went on to say that being picked on for something outside of her control made her grow insecure and that it took her a long time to overcome that and “love that I am a tall woman.”
At the same time, though, Partridge said that she has also bullied people, knowing it was wrong, but that like the character in her story, she did it to fit in.
“We all fall victim to peer pressure. I feel that in most cases, that is where bullying stems from, which is why I wanted to address it in my book. It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks of you. You are your number one priority in life. If you are happy, then whatever anyone says doesn’t matter. Just continue to be kind.”
Come out and join Partridge at GOODWORKS Coffee House in Chicopee between 10am - 12pm on Saturday, May 15th for her first local author signing of the book. For more details you can join the Facebook event page here.
About Contribution Clothing
Contribution Clothing is a mission-driven online boutique with a focus on female empowerment and community support. Founded by Kelly Partridge and launched in 2019, Contribution Clothing provides a 15 percent quarterly net profit donation to nonprofit organizations that focus on empowering women and girls. Learn more at contributionclothing.com.
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