Aj's Easter Surprise

Book excerpt: THIS BOOK CAME ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO WHEN I WOULD MAKE UP STORIES ABOUT MY ONE YEAR OLD SON, AJ, WHILE I TRIED TO GET HIM TO SLEEP. HE LOVED TO HEAR HIS NAME IN THE STORIES AND HE WOULD GET SO EXCITED WHEN HE DID SOMETHING GOOD IN THE STORIES I TOLD HIM. AS AJ GOT OLDER, I BEGAN TO USE OUR EVERYDAY LIFE IN THESE STORIES. I TRIED TO LEAD HIM INTO THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON HOW TO HELP PEOPLE EVEN THOUGH WE DID NOT KNOW THEM OR HOW TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT SO NICE TO US. WHEN I WOULD HEAR ABOUT A TRAGIC STORY OF A CHILD WHO WAS TAKEN FROM A MALL OR HIT BY A CAR OR LOST AT A CROWDED ATTRACTION, I WOULD INSERT AJ S NAME WHILE TELLING HIM THE STORY TO HELP HIM UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO LISTEN TO ME WHEN I SAY NOT TO WONDER OFF WHILE IN A STORE OR GO OFF WITH A STRANGER. OF COURSE THESE STORIES WOULD END WITH A GOOD OUTCOME BUT DURING THE STORIES, I COULD SEE HIS WORRY. THIS LET ME KNOW THAT HE WAS GETTING THE MESSAGE. BUT NOT EVERY STORY WAS A LESSON. I HAD TO MAKE UP STORIES ON A NIGHTLY BASIS. SO, I HAVE LOTS OF STORIES TO TELL. I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS ONE. THIS STORY IS ONE OF HIS FAVORITES."