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Parkmoor Principal Publishes Children’s Book About Possibilities
January 20, 2021 -- To honor her late father, Parkmoor principal Charmaine Campbell has published a book to encourage others to believe anything is possible with imagination. Titled “Sherman Lee’s Possibilities,” Ms. Campbell first wrote the book to help her family through the grief and mourning period.
“On December 13, 2012, my father, Sherman Lee Campbell, was murdered in Canton, Ohio,” said Campbell. “He left our family too soon, and we were all so sad. The book was a way to help my family heal and focus on the positive contributions of my father.”
“Sherman Lee’s Possibilities” begins when young Sherman hits a baseball into the neighbor’s yard, and it lands right next to the doghouse. Sherman’s adventure continues as he imagines he is a pilot, lion tamer, track star, swimmer, five-star chef, and loving father.
“My dad flew planes in the Air Force,” said Campbell. “The other adventures are included in the book to show children and their families that anything is possible with imagination. It can be something as simple as sharing a meal with a parent and imagining you are a famous chef. Child-like imagination can inspire all of us no matter the age.”
Campbell published the book on Amazon last month. The exact date was no accident. “I chose December 13 because that is the day we lost my dad, but it’s also grandma’s birthday. My dad’s mom was also born on that day, the day her son was killed.”
The Parkmoor principal said her grandmother’s reaction when she first saw the book was priceless. “She cried,” said Campbell. “She reads Sherman Lee’s Possibilities every day. It’s her way of feeling close to her son. The book is a keepsake for her heart. The illustrator really captured my dad’s spirit, and the physical comparison is uncanny.”
Campbell wants the book to be interactive as well inspirational and motivational. “It’s an action book, and there are three pages where children can color,” said Campbell. “It’s a peek-a-boo book where you can ask the child to imagine what happens next. When you turn the page, you find out as the story unfolds.”
Campbell said she has already been asked about a sequel. “I don’t know about that,” Campbell said, chuckling. “This is a book for families. A book to help children and their families talk about our daily activities and the future. A book to help families have those conversations about activities, dreams, the future, and all the possibilities.”
Here is the link to Charmaine Campbell’s book, “Sherman Lee’s Possibilities.”