What inspired author Cassie Shelley to write books for young cottagers

2 weeks ago

12 2 minutes read

What inspired author Cassie Shelley to write books for young cottagers — IMG 5082 scaled.jpeg

Cassie Shelley is a Cambridge, Ont.-based author who wrote the series Going to the Cottage wherein she introduces young readers to cottaging. With two editions of the book currently available (Going to the Cottage, and Going to the Cottage: Fall Edition), and more seasonal installments in the works, these books are great for anyone who has a little cottager in their life. Here’s what Cassie Shelley had to say about how she got her start and her love of going to the cottage.

Can you tell me about the inspiration behind your book Going to the Cottage?

“Last year, I was on maternity leave. My husband and I had just bought a trailer the year before, and I wanted to educate [my daughter] on what it’s like to go camping. I bought a book about camping. As we were reading, I wondered if there were any books about going to the cottage because that’s something that my family did my entire life and something we continue to do. I was checking online and couldn’t find anything on the topic for educating a young reader, and I thought, “Maybe I can create this book myself!” I sat down and just started brainstorming some ideas, and the book took off from there.”

What age group are your books aimed at?

“My books are aimed at readers between the ages of five and nine. I started reading my books to my daughter when she was 18 months old, and she was quickly starting to understand the concepts—she now knows what a campfire is, which is super cool! Children are like little sponges, so truthfully my books can be enjoyed at any age. My books can be read with family members, guardians, grandparents, and teachers.”

You mentioned spending time at a family cottage growing up, can you tell me more about that?

“My family cottage was on Buckhorn Lake, Ont. We had that cottage for about 25 years. I cherish those memories a lot, and it’s been very special to continue those cottage traditions with our own little family. At the back of each of my books, I put childhood photos of me and my family at the cottage. I really wanted this book and this series to make people feel like they were at the cottage and give families the opportunity to reminisce and connect with each other and continue to make memories together. In hearing back from my readers, being told that they value the book because it makes them remember their special times with their own families at the cottage, I have reflected on how generational the love of cottaging is within families. The cottage is such a special place for so many people.”

Can you share some of the cottaging topics you touch on in your books?

“I’m planning on writing a series—one book for each season, which has been a cool process because there are a lot of different things that you can do at the cottage in each season. From having a campfire to going for an ice cream cone, or raking up a big pile of leaves in the fall, I touch on a lot of cottaging topics in the books. As I continue to write this series, I will be highlighting special cottage activities for each season. Each season at the cottage can bring something special, and I’m looking forward to capturing that in my books.”