Juanita Stovall decided while she was expecting her son, now 1, that she was going to move forward and get her first children’s book written.
And Stovall, the HR director and lead water clerk for the city of Columbia, found inspiration from adventures she and her cousin had growing up.
“I would think about those times when we would go out in the woods, and we were in so much harm’s way but we didn’t realize it. We should have listened to our parents because we were terrible,” she said with a laugh. “It was really God’s grace that kept us from getting harmed.”
Her book, “Foxy Fox Finds Grace,” follows that theme. A little fox wants to go and play by the stream, but his mom and dad both let him know that he can’t go because it’s about to get dark and will be dangerous. He doesn’t listen, and problems ensue.
“I want kids to understand that they need to listen to their parents,” Stovall said. “Their parents aren’t telling them things because they don’t want them to do it. They want them to be safe. And it’s also God’s voice that’s going to be telling them what to do along the way as well.”
Stovall wrote the story, and she had an art student from Texas do the illustrations. The book is self-published, and Stovall said it’s intended for children from ages 5 to 11 or 12.
She held a book signing March 2 at the Flower Shop on Church Street, and the book is available for sale there.
It is part one of a three-part series, and the subsequent books will focus on joy and love. Stovall said she’s working on getting illustrations done for them now.
She is a member of John the Baptist Church on Lumberton Road, where the Rev. Calvin Newsome Sr. is pastor. She said that’s home and she loves it there, leading its social media efforts and working with the youth department.
Stovall is an alumna of Jackson State University and a member of the current Marion County Development Partnership leadership class that will graduate in April. She also serves as a chamber ambassador.
Pictured Above: Juanita Stovall is seen at a book signing March 2 at the Flower Shop on Church Street. The children’s book, “Foxy Fox Finds Grace,” covers themes of obeying your parents and God’s grace guiding you.
