As we take some time this week to reflect on the past year and contemplate our new year’s resolutions, one tiny Spring Hill resident is having her new year’s resolution from 2022 come to fruition. This was a goal that involved writing, publishing, and illustrating a book, all at the age of eight years old!
Aleah Schultz, a third-grader at Notre Dame Catholic School, is the author of “Super Duper Dolphins!” This is a 24-page, vividly illustrated picture book that has scored a 5-star rating in reviews at Amazon.com. https://tinyurl.com/yreckzsf. Aleah shared, “I wrote it because I love dolphins, and I wanted to share that with the world!”
Proud father, Zach Schultz, said that it was around this time last year that Aleah first conceptualized her debut literary work in the form of a resolution. “Every New Year’s, each member of our family makes a new year’s resolution,” said Zach Schultz. “Hers was to write a book.”
Aleah credits second-grade teacher Ms. Buckner with fostering and encouraging her love of writing. She shared, “I love to write essays, articles, poetry, everything. I love writing and want to share it with the world.”
This artsy girl also loves to draw too! “I love to draw things, especially animals in the sea,” she said. Oh, and she has one other very important source of inspiration. “God and Jesus,” she affirmed.
Inspired by the dolphins she has seen at various Florida parks, Aleah has devoted the past year to the creation of her vivid tribute to some of nature’s most beautiful, whimsical creatures. “I worked on it every day,” she said about her book “Super Duper Dolphins!” “I wrote and edited every page, then pasted it into my artwork (on an Amazon publishing program). Then I’d do edits and adds.”
Aleah comes by her talent naturally, as dad Zach is himself the author of the book “Life Tips for My Daughter” https://tinyurl.com/bdtb7akm. When asked to rate each other’s books, both father and daughter gave the same reply, “100 stars.”
Once her work was completed and with the able assistance of assistant editor Dad, the completed work was published in paperback and Kindle on Amazon on Oct. 28. “My whole family loves the book,” she said. “And now, my best friend wants to write one.” As it happens, another person seems well pleased by the success of “Super Duper Dolphins!”
“I’m very happy,” Aleah says with a smile.
