For Tigard author Lori Ries, writing books is child's play

By Elena Boryczka

The Times, Jan 18, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (1 Reader comment)

For Tigard author Lori Ries, writing books is more than just about bringing characters to life- it’s also about helping children learn to read.

JAIME VALDEZ / THE TIMES

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Like most little boys, Sam and Petey love to play.

The two brothers do most everything together, including pretending to be superheroes, tinkering with toys and building forts. They also work hard to help one another.

While these two may seem to be the kind of children you could meet any time of any day, the thing that makes Sam and Petey different is they live only on the pages of picture books and do not actually exist.

Lori Ries, a Tigard stay-at-home mother of three, is the one responsible for the two lovable boys. She has also dreamed up a handful of other characters that bring her collection of children’s books to life (her fourth title, “Fix It, Sam,” is scheduled to be released from Charlesbridge Publishing on Feb. 1).

As a huge literacy advocate, Ries said she is excited at the chance to introduce children to the world of reading and is hopeful that her books can help instill the love of words that she herself feels.

“I want (children) to learn that reading is fun,” Ries said. “I don’t just think about my kids anymore, I think about kids everywhere. Books embrace children, and I like that.”

Growing up, Ries said she always loved to read. Her favorite books when she was young were Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House on the Prairie,” and she later fell in love with classics such as “David Copperfield” and “Jane Eyre” (the latter is her all-time favorite book).

She also enjoyed writing throughout her life, penning her first book at the young age of 10. “Jo-Jo the Raccoon” was written for Ries’ mother, who was constantly delighting her daughter with tales of the pet raccoon her family had when she was young. In high school, one of Ries’ teachers encouraged her to develop her talent, and it was only after she had children of her own that she finally was able to explore that side of herself.

“I think that having kids, being around kids, being a stay-at-home mom let me know kids,” Ries said. “Being a mom, watching kids crawl around on the floor . . . It takes you back to your childhood.”

The opportunity really took flight when Ries was given the chance to attend both the Institute of Children’s Literature and the Chautauqua Writer’s Workshop. It was at Chautauqua that she met with publishers, mentors and readers who all educated her on the world of being an author; it was also at a lake nearby that Ries stumbled across the inspiration for her first book, “Super Sam!”

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