Children’s Author Stops at Buckeye West
ADENA- Children’s author Abbey Duplaga made her return to Buckeye West Elementary on March 19 to share her latest work and inspire young students with her continuous theme of self-improvement.
Duplaga, of St. Clairsville, published the latest in her “Ambitious Abbey” series, “Ambitious Abbey’s Race Against
Time,” this past year. The book, which is her seventh publication since 2018, follows young Abbey as she prepares to perform as the lead in a play. Duplaga read the tale to students in grades PreK-5, sharing how young Abbey auditions but does not receive the main role but gets a second chance when the part becomes available once again. With only three weeks to practice, she schedules time to learn her lines and get ready for opening night.
“I’m excited to be back,” Duplaga said, adding that she had last visited the school two years ago. “I wrote a series called ‘Ambitious Abbey,’ and the word ambitious means ‘determined to do something.’”
She explained that each book focused on a specific character trait, including ambition, being a leader, not giving up, being organized, life balance, and time management. Her other tales include “Ambitious Abbey Takes the Lead,” “Ambitious Abbey Tries Again,” “Ambitious Abbey Gets Organized,” and “Ambitious Abbey and the Balancing Act,” in addition to “Ambitious Abbey Bakes,” a cookbook which contains 15 recipes. Duplaga said her next tale, “Ambitious Abbey Tells the Truth,” should be available in the fall and notes the importance of honesty.
Duplaga quizzed the kids on portions of the book and also answered questions from the audience. She pointed out that the spine of each book represents a color of the rainbow and depicts the order of the stories, while the final books will be pink, white, and gold.
The last in the series is expected to be published in 2029. She told the students that she includes family members and incidents which occurred during her childhood, which is known as the realistic fiction genre. “The stories I write are about something that happens and it includes a conflict and a resolution,” she added. “It’s easier to write about things you experience. That’s where these stories come from.”
A former accountant, she said she took a leap of faith and began writing, and now she spends two to four hours crafting her stories while working with illustrators over a five-month period to add the art. Duplaga completes one story a year because she enjoys reading them at schools, and her future plans are to develop a 10-episode animated show and doll. Meanwhile, “Ambitious Abbey Gets Organized” has earned an International Impact Award which will be given this summer.
Duplaga had copies of her books for purchase and autographed them for the students. She said she loves teaching people through her stories and it was thrilling to know people appreciated her work.
“I’m really excited. It’s really cool to have an idea in my head and write it, then see someone read it. It’s really
rewarding.”