Author donates copies of new kids’ book to Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital

Acting together as a team, children’s book author Jeanine Deas, formerly of Windham and Oliver & Friends Bookshop owner Renee Cunningham have donated 10 free copies of Deas’ new children’s book, “ABC Ducks of Deering Oaks Park,” to MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Portland.

Children's author Jeanine Deas, formerly of Windham, has
donated 10 free copies of her new children's book 'ABC
Ducks of Deering Oaks Park' to MaineHealth Barbara
Bush Children's Hospital in Portland. 
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

The children’s hospital is a 15-minute walk from Deering Oaks Park and its much-beloved ducks and Victorian-style duck house.

According to Sharon Granville, the John D. Bancroft, M.D. Child Life Program Manager at Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, the young readers often love a particular book so much they want to take it home with them, which is perfectly fine for the hospital.

“I’m passionate about children and children’s literature, so it delights me to have ‘ABC Ducks’ shared with the children at Barbara Bush Hospital,” said Deas, who collaborated on the popular picture book with Maine illustrator Andrew Bourassa, another former Windham resident.

Oliver & Friends Bookshop owner Renee Cunningham of Waterville agrees.

“Providing copies of this lovely picture book to the children at Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital was a true community collaboration, and I'm so proud to have been a part of it,” Cunningham said.

Funds needed for the purchase and shipping of copies of “ABC Ducks of Deering Oaks Park” to Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Portland were quickly raised by a half-dozen small-donation donors: friends, family members, and fellow church members of Jeanine’s Deas.

Jeanine (Belanger) Deas is a graduate of Windham High School and Andrew Bourassa lived in Windham from 2020 to 2024 as a Kennebec Valley Community Action Program, a coach with HomeStart, and a volunteer at the Maine State Correctional Institute.

Featuring whimsical, rib-tickling illustrations drawn by Bourassa, "ABC Ducks of Deering Oaks Park" has already been hailed by long-time Dish magazine book reviewer Rachel Gladstone as “a charming book for kiddos who get to learn their ABCs with help from their fine-feathered friends.”

It’s a playful alphabet book set in one of Portland, Maine’s most beloved green spaces. From waddling and quacking to splashing and zigzagging, 26 lively ducks introduce young readers to the alphabet through simple actions and engaging scenes.

Designed for pre-K through grade 3, this charming early reader supports letter recognition, vocabulary building, and early reading skills. Set around the real Deering Oaks Pond, the book also gently celebrates curiosity, individuality, and community.

With expressive illustrations and a warm sense of place, ABC Ducks of Deering Oaks Park is perfect for shared reading at home, classroom use, and young readers just beginning their reading journey.

The book is available through 12WillowsPress and supports letter recognition, vocabulary building, and early reading skills.

For more details about the “ABC Ducks of Deering Oaks Park” book, visit https://12willowspress.com/home/books/abc-ducks/ <