To help kids take part in America’s 250th birthday celebrations, Little Libbie & Torchie Tour the U.S.A. has debuted as a children’s book to help teach kids about historic landmarks and iconic destinations across the United States.
Jose Sepulveda, vice president of retail at Evelyn Hill, illustrated and self-published Little Libbie & Torchie alongside his daughter, Bianca M. Sepulveda, who authored the book. The colorful children’s book features Little Libbie & Torchie as two best friends touring the United States from East to West, experiencing cities, landmarks, monuments and national parks. The characters visit New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Seattle and other popular destinations.
“It’s a really great book to interest any child on the beauty and wonders of the USA,” says Jose Sepulveda. “I feel the book is perfect to help celebrate America’s anniversary.”
As a vice president of retail for Evelyn Hill, Sepulveda oversees retail operations at several iconic destinations, including the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and Fort McHenry. He says he developed the Little Libbie and Torchie characters several years ago as a way to teach young kids about the Statue of Liberty.
“The concept of a book was more of an ‘aha’ moment after my daughter Bianca saw some of my drawings and suggested it would make a great children’s book,” he explains.
Sepulveda and his daughter spent time developing the story, drawing inspiration from places they had visited over the years.
“We both felt it was important to not only highlight landmarks that are well-known like the Empire State Building and Mount Rushmore but also highlight some alternate and magnificent places to visit like Fort McHenry, Carlsbad Caverns and Millennium Park,” Sepulveda says.
The book was published in April, with plans to hit shelves at Evelyn Hill stores in May. Sepulveda says the book is also available for wholesale and could be a great timeless children’s book for other destination retailers. He says any retailers interested in purchasing the book for wholesale should contact him directly at js_concepts@outlook.com.
“This will be a great item to offer as we get ready to celebrate America’s 250 anniversary,” he says. “So far, everyone who has purchased the book has really resonated with it. We were especially delighted to learn that a teacher used the book in the classroom and created a lesson plan around it. I thought that was really special.”
He adds that he hopes Little Libbie and Torchie can continue their travels around the U.S. — and maybe the world — in future books.
