Bangor, Maine, Teacher Publishes First Children’s Book

From the classroom to the bookshelf!

Rachel Ortiz, is a teacher at John Bapst Memorial High School, who has just had her first kids book published, "The Adventures of Pip Quilliam: A Prickly Kind Of Brave"

Five years of writing in notebooks, jotting down ideas, rewriting & tweaking little details have all led to this moment, that all started 6 years ago, with a simple walk through the woods with her son, when they stumbled upon a baby porcupine.

As the mother of a son with profound autism, Rachel has spent years seeing the world through a slightly different lens. Raising her son has taught her so much about acceptance, individuality, and the importance of recognizing that everyone has a place in this world

What's the book about?

Pip Quilliam, is a young porcupine with a big smile and a kind heart. There’s just one problem: His quills make the other animals in the Maine woods a little nervous!

No matter how friendly Pip tries to be, the fawns, raccoons, and other creatures keep their distance. Just when he starts to think he’ll always be alone, he meets Tommy Tortuga, a cheerful wood turtle who isn't afraid to be his friend.

As the two explore the woods together, the other animals begin to see Pip differently. And when danger strikes, Pip’s quills and courage might just save the day!

The Adventures of Pip Quilliam: A Prickly Kind Of Brave: is a charming Maine woodland adventure about friendship, kindness, and embracing what makes us all different. It’s an important reminder that everyone deserves a chance to belong.

The book is published by Christian Faith Publishing, Inc., and is available for purchase on Amazon for Kindle, for $9.99, hardcover for $39.95, and paperback, for $29.95

It can also be found at Google Play, I-Tunes, and Barnes & Noble.

We love seeing local talent shine! Pickup a copy of Rachel's book for your kiddos.