Bartlesville High School Senior Publishes Children's Book In Honor Of Late Mother

A Bartlesville teenager who has been through more than most kids his age have, just published his first children's book. 

It's an accomplishment Caden Carr hopes will honor his mother. 

The book “The Non-Stopping Hopping Kangaroo” was published in December, and has already sold more than 100 copies. Carr is a Bartlesville High School student who takes college classes at RSU. He decided not to wait to go after his dreams.  

"I want kids to take away that life is about having fun and it's too short to worry about, kind of, the silly things,” he said. 

Quincey Turner, a recent Bartlesville grad and artist, is the illustrator. 

"It was one of the hardest things I've ever done,” she said. “Lots and lots of sketches, things that didn't turn out, re-sketch, re-draw." 

Carr said he knows Quincey through a mutual friend, and hired her. The two of them spent months working to get the book ready for print. 

Caden will be signing copies of the book at the bookstore “Moxie on Second” in Bartlesville on Saturday the 25th from 10:30 a.m. -12:30. 

"I'm definitely excited for it and if it's something that people want to see and meet me, than, I mean, that's awesome,” Carr said. “I love to meet everyone and do what I can to just even brighten their day." 

But he wrote this book for bigger reasons than that. 

"After she died I kind of promised that I would carry on her legacy,” Carr said. 

The 17-year-old is emancipated. His mom, Chrissy, died last January. 

"She was a single mom, you know, raising four kids. So she made a lot of sacrifices for us. I didn't want that to be all for nothing,” Carr said. “So I decided that I wanted to make her proud and so this is the first step." 

While the message of the book is about having fun, Carr hopes people will be inspired by his story, to take on life's challenges.