A trip to the park and a chance encounter with a nine-year-old boy became the inspiration for Canyon Lake resident Brittani Skoglund Arentz publishing a children’s book.
In December 2020, a time when the world seemed to have shut down, Arentz took her children, two-year-old Atreyu and three-month-old Rowan, to Sierra Park. It was there that Arentz met a nine-year-old boy named Shane, who would later become one of the two main characters in her book.
“The older kids at the park were not paying attention to my son,” Arentz explained. “At some point, my son noticed Shane on the swings, alone, and decided he needed to play with him. Atreyu marched over, took Shane by the hand, and asked him to play. Shane jumped right into action and began playing and showing my son attention. After nearly a year of not being able to interact with other kids because of all the quarantines and park closures, the interaction with Shane meant so much to my son. It made my heart happy. Shane did not need to show my son any attention, let alone the care and kindness he showed.”
As Arentz prepared to leave the park, she noticed that Shane had left without her having the opportunity to thank him.
Arentz could not stop thinking about the heartfelt moment and the kindness Shane had shown toward her son. She set out on a mission to locate him. “We wanted to thank him and bring him a Christmas gift,” she said.
Through a Facebook post, Arentz was able to locate Shane’s parents. That led to a visit to Shane’s home, where she was able to thank him in person.
One month later, Arentz built up the courage to explore the idea of writing a children’s book. “With everything going on related to the pandemic, the encounter at the park was such a heartfelt experience for my son that I just knew I had to write the story about it,” Arentz said.
Arentz put her story on paper and, in February 2021, submitted it to a publisher. A copy of her published book, “A Christmas Friend,” arrived in the mail in mid-December, one year after her son met Shane in the park. “Seeing my book for the first time was overwhelming,” Arentz said. “I was filled with pride and joy.”
“A Christmas Friend” tells the true story of a friendship found in uncertain times. Shane was the first person to receive a copy of the book.
Arnetz acknowledged Shane in her book. It reads, “A big special thank you to little Shane Van Ginkel, the inspiration behind this true story. And to Sarah and Shane Van Ginkel for raising such an awesome son.”
Arentz dedicated her book to her children, who “inspire her to be more every day,” and to her husband, Erik, for “always having her back without questions.”
“A Christmas Friend” is sold on online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
