By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – For anyone searching for that last minute gift, books are a great way to fill the void in the stocking while filling a child’s head with knowledge at the same time.

This is especially true of younger children, who will often listen to the same story countless times and will treasure the special time spent with their parents for a lifetime.

Luckily, the local area has been blessed with an abundance of talent, so parents can enrich the lives of their children and support local artisans at the same time.

One of the latest local books to hit the shelves is “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Bugs” by Johnette Downing. Downing is a New Orleans-based children’s author an entertainer. She performed at St. John the Baptist Parish public libraries this summer as part of the annual summer reading program.

With her latest book, Downing takes the familiar tale of the old lady who swallowed a fly and adds her own twist.

The uniquely illustrated book has a few things going for it. Children will enjoy both the singsong quality and the funny ending. It is sure to be a crowd-pleaser for months to come.

For children who are a little bit older, New Orleans-based Dianne de Las Casas presents “The Gigantic Sweet Potato.” The tale is sure to please any child with an interest in gardening or cooking as it tells its tale of an elderly lady who grows a massive sweet potato. The book even lets the little ones know how to grow their own sweet potatoes and also tells them a little bit about that staple crop of their home state.

For parents seeking a story with a holiday theme, Lafayette-based Nolan “Joey” Pellerin has crafted the tale “The Legend of Peli Claus: Savior of Christmas.” The story is sure to strike a chord with children in south Louisiana as it brings together many elements that will be well-known to them including the hero, who just happens to be the state bird of Louisiana. In the tale, based on bedtime stories Pellerin told his own child, Peli Claus saves Christmas when a hurricane cuts of the children of Acadiana, rendering their houses unreachable and their letters to Santa undeliverable. Pellerin even leaves the book open to a sequel, so prepare to see more of Peli Claus in the future.

So whatever a child’s interest, there’s sure to be a book out there to bring a smile to his or her face not just on Christmas morning but for many months to come.