The mystery of history: Author brings history to life for young readers
Greene author pens second book in \\\'Adventures of Charlie\\\' series
“The Adventures of Charlie” series continues with a second book written and published by Natalie Eddy of Mount Morris, “The Adventures of Charlie: The Mason-Dixon Line,” available on Amazon.com.
Readers first meet the main character Charlie, named as a tribute to Eddy’s grandson, in “The Adventures of Charlie: Thunder,” when Charlie learns about what causes storms.
In this new, 38-page paperback book, we catch up with Charlie, a third-grader, who is now struggling to write a book report about the Mason-Dixon Line for school.
“I decided to weave local history and landmarks around here into a children’s adventure book to try to make it more relatable for young readers and to hopefully make it fun,” Natalie said.
Looking for inspiration for his report, Charlie takes his dog, Jenny, and visits the nearby Mason-Dixon Historical Park where he meets his friend McDoogle, a colorful Scottish bird with the ability to travel through time.
McDoogle, Charlie and Jenny journey into the past and along the way, they encounter the founders of the Mason-Dixon line, Charles Mason, an astronomer, and Jeremiah Dixon, a surveyor.
The two historical figures are credited with drawing the line, which served as the border between Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia and later became an important boundary between slave and free territory during the American Civil War.
Charlie witnesses the challenges of surveying the famous boundary and learns about the people and events that shaped its history.
“These were real people who did really incredible things,” Natalie said. “Sometimes kids think that history is just dates in a textbook. But I thought with an adventure story associated with it, they might understand more that it was real people.”
The family collaboration continues as well. Geared toward children ages 4 to 12, the 38-page paperback was designed by Eddy’s daughter-in-law, Heather Eddy, who is the mother of the book’s namesake.
As with the first book, Heather used an AI program to create the characters, keeping them consistent for the second book and others that might follow.
A pharmacist, Heather said she’s enjoyed using her technical and creative side. “I like being creative, so I thought this was a good outlet and a good way to have a hobby and help Natalie. So it all worked out.”
Natalie agreed. “It’s been great working closely with her and just teaming up to bring a shared creative vision for the book. My husband and my sons also gave me ideas along the way.”
And Charlie? “He’s just turned 2, so I don’t think he’s quite grasped it yet, but I think it’ll be a great keepsake, a family heirloom,” Heather said.
As for more adventures, Natalie said she’s been working on a lot of different plot lines and different adventures for him.
“I think Charlie’s adventures are far from over,” said Natalie.
Heather hopes so as well. She’s expecting a baby girl in October.
Natalie Eddy is a retired adjunct professor at West Virginia University and a current professor at Southern New Hampshire University. She built a distinguished career as a magazine writer for international environmental publications, was a public relations specialist and editor at WVU and a reporter at the Uniontown Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ.