A children’s book, entitled “ABC is for Catalina Island” has been gaining some traction at local stores, much to the delight of the author, who grew up taking family trips to the island. Katie Carter Elia grew up in Pasadena and made her first trip to Catalina at the age of two, with her parents. Their trips became an annual event, coming over every August.
They would come to relax and play in the waters off the island and along the way made friends with many locals. The family continued their trips up through Katie’s adulthood.
“Our family’s decades-long Catalina tradition is such a pivotal part of our lives; we have met so many now-loved ones on the sands of Main Beach and rocks of Lovers Cove,” Katie said.
With many relatives in the South Bend, Indiana area, Katie wound up going to Notre Dame University, where she earned a degree in English. She was also married at the campus and some island friends made the trip to attend the wedding, Katie said.
A few summer’s ago, Katie and her husband Mario joined her parents on another trip back to the island and they brought along their 18-month old daughter for her first trip to the place she spent some many childhood days.
“It was a dream come true to see another generation fall in love with the island that has meant so much to us,” Katie said.
While on the island she kept an eye out for a children’s book about the island, but did not come across any. So, she decided to write one herself. She wrote a manuscript of the story, but had no drawing experience A friend had sent her a children’s book about Hawaii, with some beautiful illustrations of that island.
Katie took a chance and reached out to the illustrator – a woman named Alvina Kwong. She didn’t have much money to offer for her services but decided to see if they could work something out.
“I wasn’t too hopeful but, after exchanging a few emails, we learned of many shared connections, including her own engagement on Catalina Island,” Katie said.
Their shared love of Catalina was a catalyst for a partnership on the book and in 2024, ABC is for Catalina Island, was self-published. Katie brought some copies to surprise her mom that year and she also showed a few around town. Catalina Kids, the Catalina Island Museum and Island Threadz agreed to put some on their shelves for sale and the book has had buyers, with the stores ordering more, she said.
Much of the satisfaction for Katie has been connecting with buyers around the country who share her and Alvina’s love of Catalina Island. The book is also available on her website, abcisforcatalinaisland.com.
