Once upon a time there was the Huble Homestead/Giscome Portage Society and they partnered with a lovely and talented local artist, June Swanky Parker, to create books for little children aged three to eight.
Mr. Huble Builds A House finds Mr. Huble in need of a bigger house as his family grows. The book is based on a true story of 1912 about the house that has stood on the banks of the Fraser River for the last hundred years.
Mrs. Huble Grows A Garden finds the Huble family hard at work throughout 1913 to make sure they have enough food to last the winter.
"The society had this idea for so many years but they were thinking more of a full-size, adult-oriented, history book and I thought a kid's book would be a lot easier," said Krystal Leason, programs manager at Huble Homestead.
"Someone on the board suggested we get June Swanky Parker to illustrate the books because she does such beautiful watercolours and we've known her for years."
Mr. Huble Builds A House was ready for the centennial of Huble House last year. It's no accident that the book is set in 1912, and published 100 years later.
Mrs. Huble Grows A Garden is set in 1913 with that same centennial theme in mind, publishing it 100 years later.
Next up in 2014 is Mr. Seebach and the New Store and it will be all about what types of things people were buying and doing at the store in 1914 when the new store was built, Leason added.
"We're going to have a series of books," said Leason.
"I don't know what it takes to get a series but we're working on the third right now."
The books are 24 pages and self-published. It's not a fundraiser.
"It's just about the kids taking that bit of history home with them and enjoying the books," said Leason.
Keep your eye out for an animal in every picture Swanky Parker painted. She knows children love animals and thought it was important to add some small creatures to each page.
Mrs. Huble Grows A Garden and Mr. Huble Builds A House are available for $10 at Huble Homestead's General Store, at Books & Co., or contact Huble Homestead's Prince George office at 250-564-7033.
