For most college seniors, the last year of undergraduate studies is defined by presentations, exams, and—at long last—commencement. St. Louis native Olivia Polk marked her final semesters at Williams College with another important milestone: the completion of the first draft of her children’s book, Millie the Magical Stone Skipper.
The book hit shelves on June 14, and was published by Bird Upstairs Books. Polk began conceptualizing the story in 2017 while finishing her degrees in English and political science.
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“It was a really fun and rewarding project to work on,” Polk says. “It was a busy semester, but having a creative project I was passionate about gave me energy in all aspects of life as a student.”
Millie the Magical Stone Skipper is a modern story loosely based on the classic Brothers Grimm tale “The Four Skillful Brothers.” Set in the Teton Valley, Polk’s retelling follows its young protagonist, Millie, as she embarks on a journey to discover her purpose and save her three brothers. The book explores themes of selfhood, empowerment, and helping others—concepts that Polk hopes will resonate with any young reader.
Along with the tale’s enchanting prose, its fantastical setting is brought to life through a series of illustrations by freelance artist Vanya Liang. Polk and Liang were connected by Bird Upstairs Books and worked together throughout the later stages of the project’s production.
“[Liang] has actually never been to Teton Valley, but I think she perfectly captured the landscape and the mountains in her illustrations,” Polk says. “Going back and forth with her was an incredibly rewarding part of the process.”
The story’s plot may be set against Idaho’s rugged slopes, but it’s also an ode to St. Louis. Polk credits her early education at Community School and Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School for fostering her enduring interest in language.
“I’ve always felt at home in the mountains, but St. Louis is where I really developed,” Polk says. “It’s where I was born and raised, and it’s where I first fell in love with reading and writing.”
Likewise, Polk’s main goal with Millie the Magical Stone Skipper is to encourage her readers to discover their own passions and “do what makes them happiest.”
“I hope that [young readers] come away with a desire to live an authentic and purposeful lifestyle and to do what they love,” Polk says. “For me, that’s building a life around reading and writing and pursuing it with all you’ve got.”
Millie the Magical Stone Skipper is now available for purchase at a number of local bookstores or through most literature e-retailers, including Amazon. Readers can catch Polk at The Novel Neighbor on September 10 for a story time and book signing.
