Irreplaceable: Sibling Bond Cherished in New Book Released by Local Author
Deidra Bowling-Meade
The Ashland Beacon
“There is no love like the love for a brother. There is no love like the love from a brother.”
Astrid Alauda
The power of sibling relationships is extraordinary and something to always cherish. Ashland local Mary Lowe has published her first children’s book, which describes the sibling bond shared between her son and daughter. The book titled That’s What Brothers Are For!, takes readers on an adventure to the library where Kyesha learns just how fun the library can be with her big brother.
Lowe has had this story on her heart for 14 years and finally made her dream a reality by publishing it this month. The book was written in memory of her son Eric “Beans” Stevens, who was 16 years old when he passed away from cardiac arrest on February 8, 2009. Lowe wishes to keep the memory of her son alive and capture that irreplaceable bond between the siblings through this story.
Lowe reminisced, “Eric was smart, funny, kind, athletic, and most of all loved his baby sister, Kyesha, who was only five years old when he passed. Eric was on the swim team, the wrestling team, an honor roll student, as well as an avid reader. He was so excited to have a little sister that he even took a babysitting course at KDMC, so that he could become certified in babysitting and CPR to help take care of his sister. He was the first male to take that babysitting course. Eric also used to volunteer a lot of his time at the Boyd County Library and would take his sister with him so that she could participate in the activities as well. That library was a special place for him and his sister, and they spent a lot of time there creating wonderful memories.”
Lowe continued by describing the importance of writing this book, “I wrote my children’s book based on a true story about Eric taking his little sister to the library, so she could find her very own book to read. I remember them coming home and sharing their library adventure with me, both of them laughing and grinning from ear to ear. It was important for me to share their story not only in memory of my son, but also to show the positive influence an older sibling can have with their younger sibling despite the age difference.”
Lowe’s daughter, Kyesha Johnson, loved how the book captured her time with her brother. Johnson shared, “An older brother is the best thing a little girl can have. Trips to the pool, the movies, and the library are memories you never forget. It’s having a built in best friend, someone you can always run to when things go wrong. Someone that will pick you up, dust your knees off, and put a smile right back on your face. This book means the world to me, and I know it does to my brother. I hope everyone can read it and see how special the bond is between siblings. It is truly something that can never be replaced.”
Lowe’s husband, Zeno, created the illustrations for this book. Zeno praised Mary for her work on this project as well as being a person he admires. Zeno declared, “She is a very passionate person. She’s driven, and she loves people. At first I thought that her unwavering commitment and dedication only extended to her titles of mother and wife, and then I realized they extended to every aspect of her life. It’s in everything that she does. Her attitude and mentality was the same when she worked a traditional job as a case manager caring for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and remained consistent when she left her 9 to 5 and started her own personal care home, and it remained the same with her creating her book. That’s What Brothers Are For! is really a labor of love and passion. She spent countless hours formatting it and getting it just right and it’s in honor of her son.”
Lowe is ready to make a difference through her writing. She is even volunteering to come visit local school libraries to read her book to the students. Lowe commented, “I feel it’s important for children to experience what it’s like to visit a library and to see for themselves how fun it is to look at all the books and even find some that they will enjoy reading. I have always read to all of my children because my mother did the same with me. I have always told my children that ‘knowledge is power.’ Reading is important to me because I feel it enriches a child’s vocabulary and stimulates critical thinking. Through books, children can explore new worlds, cultures, and ideas, while also learning about empathy and understanding. Reading also instills a lifelong love for learning, empowering personal growth and self-improvement, as well as empowering children to thrive and connect with the world around them.”
Lowe plans on writing many more books in the near future. She is working on starting a children’s book series called Beans and Kyesha’s Adventures, which highlights them going to different places. Her current book, That’s What Brothers Are For, is available for purchase on Amazon, either by paperback or ebook. Locally, she will be having a book signing at Conquest Books on Holt St. in Ashland, KY and will have books available for purchase at this event as well. You can watch for that announcement and others on Mary Lowe’s author page on Facebook or Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/marylowebooks/. Schools should also reach out to Lowe if they want to participate in an author visit to the school. These are wonderful opportunities you don’t want to miss.