Two local residents—former Olympian Libby Ludlow and ski instructor Nathan Jarvis—have teamed up to create a book that aims to introduce children to skiing.
They are also looking for funds to launch the book.
Libby, a former Alpine competitor, talked about what inspired her to write a book called “A-B-Skis’
“My memories, growing up skiing are just so fond, and I remember the ski mountain being just this most vast amazing playground. I can’t wait to share that playground with my son Leo. He’s almost two years old and having something that I can use to start the conversation about skiing with him off the hill. To set some expectations, and honestly just get him super excited to go out and ski. It was partially for that but partially because I’m just so passionate about skiing as a sport and want the next generation to fall in love with skiing as much as I do.”
As the title suggests, the book is teaching kids their A-B-C’s with an emphasis on the ski lifestyle.
“S is for ski for instance, Y is for Yard Sale, W is for whoop-de-doos, E is for edges, lots of different life lessons, N is for never give up, H is for Hot chocolate. So some skiing culture that goes along with the whole picture.”
To create the book, she teamed up with Nathan Jarvis, who is not only a ski instructor but an internationally renowned illustrator with a career of nearly 40 years. Jarvis said he was attracted to the project because kids are filled with fun and they embrace the new.
“Libby has skiing deep, deep into her bones and I do too. So rather than being an academic exploration about so this is what skiing is, and maybe you use some words or terms that don’t really connect with kids. This is a ski book by skiers for skiers who have the joy and the fun in their blood.” Jarvis explained that his full-time job is an artist. “My full-time job all year round I’m doing books for clients around the world and around the country. I primarily do a lot of children’s products. I also own a separate business that does art for children’s areas when they first arrive, hospitals and ski schools and dental areas. Yeah, I am an artist first and foremost, but I live, and I wait for winter. I love winter.”
They are launching a Kickstarter campaign this week.
“Nathan is a busy guy and in the process of finishing the illustrations. So, what this Kickstarter will do is collect the orders that we need to make a big print run. Get it printed in Asia and deliver these amazing books to the hands of the ski world in a little bit less than a year. So, it’s a little bit of a wait but with ski season right around the corner I hope people are thinking about skiing and getting super excited and thinking about ways that they can pass along that passion for skiing to the next generation of kids.”
Libby said they need to raise at least $7,500 to finance an order of 1,000 books.
She said that self-publishing is a route that she prefers.
“I so wanted to own the process from start to finish. With the connections I have in the ski industry I’m confident that I’ll be able to distribute it widely. I hope that ski areas will pick it up and put it in their ski shops and gift shops. Ultimately, I’m an entrepreneur at heart I founded a nonprofit I have experience with this kind of thing and I honestly love the process. For me this is a passion project but it’s one that is something to have tangible versus my nonprofit is service.”
Libby Ludlow and illustrator Nathan Jarvis. Libby said that the retail price for the book will likely be $25, and $20 if ordered on Kickstarter. You can find the project here.
