Penelope's Adventures: The Story Behind the Children's Travel Book Series
Some stories start with a big idea. This one started with a ten week old puppy who fit in the palm of my hand and had no idea what the world had in store for her.
Her name was Penelope.
I adopted her from a rescue organization, the runt of her litter, tiny and shy and not entirely sure she trusted the world yet. The first thing I noticed were her ears. Enormous, upright, completely out of proportion to her tiny little body, and absolutely perfect. I knew the moment I saw her that she was mine.
She took her time warming up, and honestly, I respected that about her. She was never the kind of dog who would climb into your lap or demand to be held. Her affection was quieter than that. She would scoot as close to you as physically possible on the couch, or press herself up against your back in bed, just enough to be touching. That was her way of saying “I love you.”
She was patient in ways that still amaze me. Over the years, I fostered other dogs, and Penelope loved some and tolerated others. Overall, she simply accepted each new houseguest, kept her composure, and carried on. She loved a car ride once she figured out it wasn’t a trip to the vet. She loved peanut butter, cheese, and turkey, in that order of enthusiasm. She loved making sure everything and everyone was exactly where they were supposed to be.
She traveled with me every year to Mississippi to visit family and friends in the summer and at Christmas. She was, in every sense of the word, my companion.
Where the idea came from
I had traveled to many destinations over the years, mostly with friends and family. In 2013, I took my first solo trip to Peru. I started in the Sacred Valley, exploring the markets and ruins of Pisac, before settling into Cusco for a week of volunteering and an immersive Spanish class. I stayed in a house with other volunteers, each of us with our own space, and we would often go to lunch together or explore the city between shifts. When the week wrapped up, a few of us set out together to Lake Titicaca and Machu Picchu. It was the perfect introduction to solo travel; independent enough to feel like my own adventure and connected enough to never feel alone.
Peru was where my own sense of independence as a traveler began. It was the first place where I realized I could navigate the world entirely on my own. It felt like the perfect place for Penelope’s story to begin, too.
What Penelope's Adventures is
This series is for the children who want to know what the world looks like beyond their backyard. It is for the parents and teachers who believe that curiosity is one of the greatest gifts you can give a child. And it’s for every child who has ever imagined exploring the world with their beloved pet beside them.
Penelope leads the way. Each story introduces young readers to real destinations, local traditions, foods, landscapes, and everyday moments through Penelope’s eyes.
Peru was her first adventure. And there are so many more places left to explore.
Follow along as Penelope’s world grows, one adventure at a time.