TOOELE COUNTY, Utah — A Utah couple is keeping the memories of their pets alive while also promoting literacy. Cindy and Tim Romero created a series of children's books called “Skip Thomas Adventures.”
“There is nothing like the love of a dog or an animal,” Cindy said. The books honor Skip Thomas, the couple’s first dog who they rescued as a puppy. “He was a little Black Lab. He wasn't wanted,” Tim said. “Skip was a runner. He is still running in heaven.”
Skip Thomas passed away in 2009 and several years later, Cindy started writing stories about the good times they shared. “They are personal stories. They are true stories,” she said. “I can take one of my pictures from any of my dogs and I'll look at it and say – remember when that happened.”
Cindy makes the books come alive with words, while Tim brings the words to life with his illustrations. “To see him swim [in the illustrations], we love it. And Abby was his real girlfriend. Just the things Skip Thomas did,” Tim answered when describing his artwork.
So far, the Romeros have published four books, and more are in the works. They also include their other dogs and neighborhood pets as characters in the stories.
They hope the stories teach children about the importance of animal rescue and adoption. “That's the reason I do them,” Cindy said. “I want them to know there is a story behind every dog.”
She also hopes the books inspire children to read. “It takes you places,” she said. “When you are reading, it takes you to another world.”
“It gets them away from the tv,” Tim added. “You can smell a book. You grab a book here and it's real.” Cindy and Tim support various animal rescue causes.
These books allow them to share their passions for dogs, literacy, and art while immortalizing Skip Thomas's memory. “I want to keep his spirit alive is what we do this for,” Cindy said. “I don't want to forget anything about him.”
To learn more about Skip Thomas Adventures click here.
