The book is a dream come true for a new author inspired by the hurdles Bangor’s first black Labrador K9 officer overcame in training.
BANGOR, Maine — School is just around the corner, and for many kids, there may be some worries about what the new year may bring. However, a new illustrated children’s book, which follows an energetic young pup, offers some advice.
The first installment of the “Adventures of K9 Jesi” titled “Jesi’s First Day of School” follows 5-month-old black Labrador pup Jesi as she starts her K9 training.
The self-published work is a lifelong dream come true for first-time author Jessica Libby. She has wanted to write a book since the sixth grade, but hadn’t found her story until her police officer husband came back from his first day of K9 school with Jesi.
“He came home and he told me this: ‘Oh, all the dogs down there are great big German Shepherds and Malinois, and I just have this tiny ball of fur,” Libby said.
Her husband, Bangor Police Department K9 Officer Lucas Libby, says his wife began asking him more and more questions about his work.
“‘Then what did she do? Like, how did she do this? How did the dog react? Like how did the other dogs do?'” Lucas said. “I was like, ‘Alright, what are you scheming over there?'”
Jessica finally let her idea loose; she wanted to write a book.
“I think it can relate to kids going through the first day of school and being a little nervous about how they look, maybe they’re different than the other kids. And they can build that confidence just like Jesi did,” Jessica said, recalling her response.
Jessica says for two years she honed the book to the perfect story, incorporating the other K9s in the Bangor Police Department. However, once she brought in an illustrator, she says the book came to life.
For both husband and wife, their favorite page shows Lucas and Jesi at training as the K9 gains her confidence thanks to her handler.
“She would always look at the other dogs and lean into me. And I would pet her head and say, ‘You’ve got this girl,’” said Lucas, petting Jesi as he talks. “[Then] she’s good to go. She just knows.”
Lucas, Jesi, and Jessica greeted fans and signed copies of the book on Sunday, and one of the visitors was Bob Welch, former Bangor deputy police chief and K9 handler.
“It was exciting,” Welch said. “It was the best time of my career with the dog.”
Jessica says what makes her more excited than the success of her first book is the question she gets from her readers, “Is there going to be a second one?”
“Jesi’s First Day of School” is for sale on Amazon, and fans can hear Jessica read the book aloud on September 23 at Penquis’ Fireside Stories event.
She is also working on doing in-class readings of her book once the school year begins. More information can be found on her Facebook page.
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