A former community reporter uses Illinois landmarks as a backdrop for her children’s stories. The latest project includes a northern Illinois park with cliffs and waterfalls.
Jillian Duchnowski is now a children’s book author. Her latest project "The Traveling Mermaids of Starved Rock” is centered around Starved Rock State Park in Oglesby, Illinois. This park is known for its rock formations and waterfalls. She said she’s visited the park for over 10 years.
“You just see a lot of different people coming to Starved Rock,” she said. “So, I wanted to bring some of that flavor and that history and that interest into a children's story as well.”
Duchnowski used this landmark as an exploration point for her main character Cassidy. Cassidy was also the center of her first children’s book “Cassidy and the Lost Fairy of Allerton.” Robert Allerton Park is another Illinois landmark. It is in Monticello.
Duchnowski grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan but now lives in Bloomington, Illinois. She came to Illinois to attend the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for college and ended up staying. She’s lived and has done reporting in several cities across the state. She said one of the things she appreciated as a journalist was that she got to learn about different landmarks and the rich histories of those places.
She said when she thought about writing a children’s book, she wanted to show how special those places are and use their influence on the characters. One way she does this is by creating magical creatures who are in the parks. These fairytale characters help Cassidy solve her problems.
“You know, kind of like as adults, we may find that the people or things who can help us are people that we might encounter in our daily lives or everyday spaces,” she explained. “You know, Cassidy does that too but with a hint of magic.”
Duchnowski uses real park scenarios in both of her books. If someone reads her first book, they could go to Allerton, see the statues and walk the same path that Cassidy walked.
“So for example, with Starved Rock, even though, on the surface, it's a children's story about a little girl who finds mermaids who travel to Starved Rock, whenever the waterfalls are flowing,” she said.
Duchnowski said her stories are a way to encourage children to get out and use their imagination. She thinks the books would be great for groups to read together and possibly take a field trip to one of the places or a similar place and incorporate their own magic.
She said it is rewarding to speak to people who’ve read the book.
“To have a kid come up and talk to me about how, you know, they went to Allerton and they couldn't find the fairy, but that's okay. Because they know the fairies really only come out at night.”
Duchnowski wants to continue this book series. Next, she plans to take readers to the Southern part of the state.
“I would love to write a story about trolls at Garden of the Gods in Southern Illinois. I have not had the pleasure of visiting Garden of the Gods yet,” she said. “But I am enthralled by some of the pictures and just how different the terrain and the scenery.”
Duchnowski wants her books to inspire field trips and other outings that allow the children to explore their imaginations together. Duchnowki said her books are not only about different places, but they also are used as a tool to teach children lessons. Mermaids, fairies, and waterfalls just happen to be the fun parts.
