About Us

COUSIN TO COUSIN
 American cousin turns Lithuanian Cousin’s photos into children’s books.
 The photos of the endangered Red Squirrel have lent themselves to children’s stories.
 This enables children worldwide to learn about the Red Squirrel and Lithuania.

 Grayce Lynn Lily introduces Cousin Jonas’s photography in children’s books available in both Kindle and Print form.

 About the author: educator Phi Delta Kappa and recipient of National Reading Association grant to supplement elementary reading library. Turning books into taped versions for students whose first language was not English.The tapes and books were lent out as a package to help the students hear and see the words as well as involve family.

The photos taken over the years by the cousin who lives in Lithuania seemed perfect to show off the country of our ancestors and the endangered Eurasian Red Squirrel. The photos readily lend themselves to written text as the personality of the red squirrel shines through.

There are many supporting photos of Vilnius to add to the enjoyment and educational value of the books.

 We hope you will feel the same way.

 THE WHY

 I had spent years trying to find my Lithuanian family heritage, but kept hitting a stonewall. Spellings… I still don’t have all the info on my grandfather, but boy do I have a bunch on my grandmother. Thanks to this cousin that I found in 2009, he has found relatives back to the early 1700’s for us a fifth great grandfather.

 That’s the good news, the bad news, this cousin and his wife lost their long term jobs they are like all of us in the US over age and sketchily employable. We’re too expensive, too old, over qualified, (an oxymoron of epic porportion),etc., the usual. They have found other positions, lower pay, longer hours, but positions. In the old days, my Polish grandmother used to send packages of items to Poland to her family, so they could sell them, during the communist era. That is not something feasible now-a-days. Instead we have Amazon. So, I took his photos and turned them into watercolors and children’s books of Lithuania and put them up on Amazon.

They don’t know, as I have just gotten this brainstorm and done it. I don’t want to get their hopes up, but I hope that I can get some extra money from sales of these books to help them out.

 There is a lot of history in Lithuania, Vilnius is a UNESCO Heritage City well known for its architecture styles. The Eurasian Red Squirrel is an endangered species in Lithuania and dwindling in other areas of the UK and Europe. And the Red Squirrel is adorable!