GUELPH – Twelve-year-old Blake Scherer has released with his first book, Midge Goes Crackers, with the help of his grandfather Dennis Scherer.
It is the fourth book published from Yellow Moon Mouse Children’s Campaign, a fundraiser created by Dennis in support of SickKids and fighting childhood cancer.
The fundraiser began after Dennis’ other grandson, Blake’s brother Logan, was diagnosed with leukemia in July 2018. Logan is a five-year survivor and is now cancer free.
“Our world changed,” said Dennis. “We were spending a lot of time at McMaster, and through [Logan’s] journey, several charities stepped up [to help].”
He added, “Through this whole period of time, seeing what people did for us, and seeing how many families are struggling out there going through the same thing that we went through, I decided to start doing fundraisers.”
Unfortunately, during the COVID-19 pandemic Dennis and his wife Joy were no longer able to host their usual fundraisers. This is when Yellow Moon Mouse began.
When the boys were younger, Dennis would often read them stories. He told the Advertiser his grandsons would want him to make up his own story, and he loved doing it.
Dennis would log these stories later on the computer – wanting to give them to the boys one day as a booklet.
Eventually, Dennis made some calls after Logan wanted his favourite story The Shadow and the Candle put into a book, and Yellow Moon Mouse was born.
The name originates from the first story shared by Dennis with his grandsons, and it is a book they are now working on.
“We started doing the books in the fall of 2020,” said Dennis. “And in just the first year, from October until May, we raised $3,000 for charity. Then the next year it was $4,000. Last year we raised $5,000.
“It just started escalating.”
Midge Goes Crackers
The latest book, written by Blake, is called Midge Goes Crackers and is based on Blake and Logan’s dog, Midge, which they rescued a few years ago.
The first book in the “Midge series” is called Midge Finds Her Forever Home.
Dennis said after that book came out, “I get an email from Blake about two months later, and he says ‘Pop, I just wrote a story.’”
Blake’s story is the second book about Midge. It was inspired by the time the dog lost its squirrel toy after the family went away.
In the book, the family keeps replacing the toy squirrel as it keeps disappearing. The book ends with the family solving the mystery of the disappearing toys and they learn a valuable lesson.
“This book is teaching kids, ask before you take something. Don’t take it if it doesn’t belong to you,” said Dennis. “We’re trying to send a message in all the stories.”
On Oct. 28, Blake will host a book signing to promote his new book from 10am until noon at the Craft Show and Vendor Market at Lakeside Church (7654 Conservation Rd. in Guelph/Eramosa).
To purchase a book or for more information about the Yellow Moon Mouse children’s Campaign, visit facebook.com.
