Birch Bay author publishes children’s book, ‘Pet Store Santa’

Birch Bay author and illustrator Jo Hudson’s book, “Pet Store Santa,” is on bookshelves for the holiday season.

The 26-page book is loosely based on the rhyme scheme of “The Night Before Christmas” as Santa Claus encounters pets for a pet store picture day. Through words and visuals, Hudson illustrates the pets’ personalities in the story.

“I hear things and they sound funny to me,” she said. “Some of the books just make me laugh and I love to laugh. I figure if it makes me smile, it can make someone else smile. If it doesn’t make me smile, then heck with it.”

Hudson’s husband, Tom, inspired the book from his time volunteering as Santa at pet and feed stores, bringing holiday spirit to everything from St. Bernards to alligators.

Hudson said her love for children’s books formed reading books to classmates at the back of the school bus, but she wasn’t able to hone her passion until retiring as general manager of Hardware Sales in Bellingham.

“I’d think of something that would be a good story idea and would write them on scraps of paper,” Hudson said. “I had this jar that was full of scraps of paper. When I retired, I started picking which ones I wanted to write stories about.”

Hudson will determine if an idea has enough substance to become a book, and if it doesn’t, she may opt for it to become a poem. She’ll then create a 32-page storyboard, draw the characters and determine if the book would be entertaining enough to read more than once.

“Pet Store Santa” was Hudson’s third book, which she published independently in July, and was followed by her fourth book about a bear’s birthday party called, “Big the Bear and Friends.”

“I just want people to have fun. Reading can be fun,” Hudson said. “Kids love pets and kids love Santa.”

“Pet Store Santa” is sold at Village Books in Fairhaven and on Amazon.