FERGUS – A former St. Joseph’s Catholic School student is now a published author.
Lindsay Tarrington, 20, attended elementary school in Fergus and then went to St. James Catholic High School. It was there that she wrote Don’t Forget to Feed the Fish.
The children’s book tells the story of the animals in the pet store after the owner forgets to feed them before he leaves for the night.
“I’ve always really liked animals so then … I thought about zoos or pet stores or pets at home and then I decided to go with a pet store because I thought it was a bunch of different animals in one location,” she told students while she did a reading at St. Joseph’s on May 6.
Tarrington helped kick off Catholic Education Week at the school, which runs until May 10.
School principal Todd Goodwin said he hoped students would enjoy listening to Tarrington read her book.
“One of our own graduates from this school and from our school system has written a book and had it published and I think that that gives them hopes,” Goodwin said. “Those that might be interested down the road.
“I know they’re only young right now but … you know what? Our dreams aren’t impossible. This is someone who’s 20 years old and published a book.”
Tarrington wrote Don’t Forget to Feed the Fish two years ago for a Grade 12 writer’s craft assignment. She gave the story to her mom who then took it to David Medhurst, without Tarrington knowing.
Her mom had Medhurst illustrate the book and had it published through his company Story Time Books. Tarrington received the book as a present this Christmas.
The book is available for sale on Amazon at https://amzn.to/2VL1i73.
“It’s exciting to see any of our students come back and say hi,” said Teresa Sims, the science and arts teacher as well as the primary planning teacher. Sims knew Tarrington as she went through St. Joseph’s.
“Just seeing this, Lindsay … she was your quiet, unassuming girl and yet she did this and to watch her sit here and read it like that,” Sims said. “We’re proud of all our kids, but this is a very proud moment.”
Tarrington recently graduated from Niagara College in journalism.
While she wasn’t thinking about writing children’s books, after the success of Don’t Forget to Feed the Fish she’s considering writing another book. She is also interested in travel writing.
