Muskrats are furry, nocturnal, and, now, the stars of a new children’s book. “Melba Muskrat’s Big Heart” was written and illustrated by two Kenai Peninsula residents, including a recent high school graduate.
The book follows the adventures of Melba Muskrat, who’s snatched by predator Edgar Eagle when she least expects it. Melba is eventually saved, and Edgar later feels sorry for his actions. The hero-villain tale aims to teach children about forgiveness and understanding.
“I wrote this book actually probably 25 years ago, and then I just stuck it in another book someplace,” said Carolyn Johnson-Snowder, the book’s author. She says she’s always been the storyteller of her family, and has thought about publishing a book for a long time.
“I was going through it one day, and I saw it, and I thought, ‘Well, that isn't bad. Maybe I should do something with that,” Johnson-Snowder said.
The book was just a manuscript in the beginning. It lacked illustrations, so she brought on Raven Griffiths Smith, a family friend. Griffiths Smith is a 2025 Soldotna High School graduate who was heavily involved in the school’s art program.
Both are members of The Art Gaggle, a group of female artists who meet weekly to paint. Johnson-Snowder says she knew she wanted her Art Gaggle colleague to illustrate
“I handed her a line out of the book, and she just whipped a picture out in like two minutes, and I knew immediately that she was the person to illustrate this book,” Johnson-Snowder said.
Griffiths Smith says she’s been drawing for as long as she can remember. Birds are one of her favorite subjects. And in “Melba Muskrat’s Big Heart,” there are a lot of them.
It’s the first book Griffiths Smith has ever illustrated. She says she was nervous after it was published, but overcame the jitters after getting positive feedback from the central peninsula.
“Overall, I was really excited to be able to have people to see my art, because I just want people to see my art, so the world could just be more creative and get inspired,” Griffiths Smith said.
The book is also a first for Johnson-Snowder. Her writing career began after her mother died. She says it was her mom’s dying wish for her to write a book.
Johnson-Snowder says her favorite part of the publishing process was watching Griffiths Smith illustrate.
“Every Thursday when she would come to our art group and she would start working. It was just so much fun to just watch her, because she can paint and talk and do everything all at once. She doesn't have to work at it at all,” Johnson-Snowder said.
The duo say they want to publish more children’s books in the future. They say the process is a labor of love and understanding, something Melba Muskrat knows a lot about.
“Melba Muskrat’s Big Heart” is for sale at the Kenai Art Center.
