Scarborough Author Writes Children’s Book About The TTC

Author Barbara Ferreira takes children on a ride in her new storybook Ride The Rocket

Barbara Ferreira (Left) giving Karen Stintz (Right) a personal copy of her children's storybook Riding The Rocket. 

Scarborough author Barbara Ferreira wrote a children’s storybook that shows how the Toronto transit system can be a magical ride through a child’s eyes.

Her book, Riding the Rocket, features a little boy named Sean and his father who are taking the TTC to get back home. The story has illustrations by Katherine Bader, which allows the reader to see what she calls the real magic of the TTC.

“I added in what kids are really fascinated with,” about riding on the transit system, Ferreira said. “In the illustrations you’ll see tons of diversity, tons of colour and tons of detail.”

Originally, Ferreira was hoping to partner with the TTC when she released the book, but instead of working together, they gave her a different answer.

“They said because we love the idea we’re going to give you the permission to use images,” she said. “They gave me legal permission to use their images and logo within my book. That was pretty much how they supported me.”

Ferreira spoke about how hard it is to get published unless you’re already an established author. That didn’t stop her from achieving this goal, as she decided to take the matters into her own hands.

“I thought that this was a big enough dream for me that it was worth publishing myself,” she said. “I also wanted it to be a Canadian company that would do it. I did my research and I found a company in Richmond Hill that published it for me.”

Not only is Ferreira an author, she is also a mother of two little girls.

“My daughter, she’s two and she absolutely loves the book,” Ferreira said. “When we’re outside she’ll say, ‘Oh Mommy there’s the bus from your book!’ She can really relate to it but my other daughter is too young to read yet.”

The book has another great outcome. People that have moved out of the city to other countries have been requesting the book because they would like their own children to read about their hometown.

Another book might be in the works for the Scarborough author. She is hoping it will be released in a year or two.

“I know the topic already but I cannot give it away,” she said. “But I can tell you that it will be Toronto-related.”

Riding The Rocket sells for $8 and is available online at http://www.ridingtherocket.ca

About this article

By: Bernard Toney
Copy editor: Whitney Reyes
Posted: Oct 3 2013 10:12 am
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Filed under: Arts & Life Profiles
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