Willard High School teacher writes children's book with third-grade daughter on snow days

Willard High School teacher Zachariah Rippee has written and illustrated children’s books before. He was the sole mind behind “The Crocogatabumbadile Colors the World” and the “Elijah” series but for his most recent project, Rippee took on a partner: his 8-year-old daughter, Linkyn.

“He was doodling on his Chromebook and then I came upstairs to see what he was doing,” the Willard third-grader said. “We started talking and our ideas came together, so we made a book.”

“Gordon & the Ghostfish: The Art of Introductions,” which credits both Rippee and his daughter as authors, is available now on Amazon. It follows Gordon, an imaginary goldfish who is a master in the art of introductions. He guides the narrator, Fancyvoice McTalkypants, through the trials of meeting new friends under an imaginary sea.

“Goldfish don’t inhabit the ocean, but they inhabit an imaginary ocean,” Rippee said.

"It was 100% a collaborative effort": The creative process for “Gordon & the Ghostfish”

Rippee, who lives in Billings but teaches art and English in Willard’s SUCCESS alternative school program, has always liked to doodle. On a recent snow day, he found one of his old sketches: a drawing of a goldfish and a ghostly-looking fish. Linkyn saw the drawing and had a few ideas for a story.

Looking over her father’s shoulder, she offered some suggestions: What if the goldfish was named Gordon? What if Gordon was a clown? What if he was a pro at making balloon animals and introducing himself to others? What would happen if he met the Ghostfish?

“We talked back and forth and I realized that our banter was guiding the story,” Rippee said. “She’s very witty and has a great sense of humor. It was 100% a collaborative effort.”

Make no mistake: Linkyn is a skilled children’s book editor. She recalls critiquing one of her father’s drawings, in which Gordon’s smile wasn’t quite right. It needed to be more obvious that Gordon was faking a smile because he was nervous.

“That doesn’t fit,” she told her father. So Gordon went back to the drawing board.

“I don’t mean I created it and she watched,” Rippee wrote to the News-Leader. “I mean, we discussed, brainstormed, and created the entire book together.”

Meet Gordon, the friendliest goldfish in the imaginary sea

“Gordon & the Ghostfish” has no moral, lesson or underlying meaning, and that is on purpose. As an educator, Rippee says he always thought stories needed a lesson. But for his first collaboration with his daughter, he wanted to create a book that was just for laughs.

“Out of all the books I’ve written, this is the only story that is purely for enjoyment,” Rippee said.

In Linkyn’s editorial debut, the Rippees embrace the idea of an exuberant little fish in a made-up ocean. Gordon loves to introduce himself and talk about his hobbies: dressing up as a clown and making balloon animals. He exhibits big emotions, often cracking jokes and doing tricks for his new friends.

But then, Gordon meets a Ghostfish. The Ghostfish’s emotions aren’t so easy to read, and that makes Gordon nervous. He screams and scurries away, hiding behind seaweed and disguising himself. Eventually, Gordon comes around and shares his clown hobby with the Ghostfish. But there’s a problem: Ghostfish are afraid of clowns.

“The Ghostfish is probably one of the most funniest characters in this story,” Linkyn said.

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Engaging with our kids: A book designed to read together

“Gordon & the Ghostfish” is not a book for your child to read on their own. They could, and they would laugh, but the story’s banter is best suited for two voices. It directly reflects Rippee’s banter with his daughter when they created the story.

“It’s designed to be shared with a teacher and their students or parents and their kids,” he said.

Rippee added that the process of collaborating with his daughter on a book removed the pressure to do everything right. He was reminded that children are just little versions of adults, and their contributions carry the same weight. Listening to them will make us better.

“Even though I’m 32 years older than her, in this moment, our ideas have the same value,” he said. “And they built on each other to create something even better.”

Linkyn’s favorite part of writing a book was the extra time with her father. She says she might want be an author when she grows up, but she’s still deciding: hairstylist and painter are also on the table. But as long as her readers get a smile out of “Gordon & the Ghostfish,” she’ll be happy.

“If I have a smile, and people my age pick up that book and read it, they’re probably gonna smile,” she said. “And everybody in the house, or in the classroom or in a school is going to probably smile. That’s what I like.”

“Gordon & the Ghostfish: The Art of Introductions” by Zachariah and Linkyn Rippee is available now on Amazon.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Willard High School teacher writes children's book with daughter