From AirVenture to Becoming the Author of an Aviation Children's Book

by Sean Hobbs

When Merici, the author of ‘My Little Eagle: Theo Learns to Fly’, first attended AirVenture in 2010, she never imagined that years later she would be the author of an aviation-inspired children’s book. Born and raised on the Caribbean island of St Lucia, Merici loved reading as a child. She was always fascinated by the fairytales and Caribbean folktales that her mother and grandmother told her. These interests helped her develop a love for creating and writing stories.

Merici moved to the U.S. to pursue a bachelor’s degree. During her first year of college, she met her future husband Sean, who was also from the Caribbean. They first attended AirVenture together in 2010 while living in Wisconsin. They were both blown away by the experience; so much so that Sean obtained his pilot’s license the following year. To celebrate obtaining his private pilot license, Sean took Merici on her first flight in a Cessna 172 to a fly-in restaurant for dinner. They both refer to that date as the most expensive dinner they’ve ever had. The AirVenture experience and her first flight in a Cessna really sparked Merici’s interest in aviation, and she has been fascinated with aviation ever since.

My Little Eagle: Theo Learns to Fly, is Merici’s first book. It is an aviation-inspired rhyming story about a little eagle named Theo who could not fly because his wings were too short. As a result of his disability, Theo’s dream of flying seemed impossible. However, Theo soon realized there was another way to make his dream come true. The story is meant to entertain and inspire children of all ages to dream and believe in themselves. The story is filled with lessons about self-reliance, facing fears, overcoming challenges and disabilities, and achieving goals. It is also meant to spark a child’s interest in airplanes and aviation, and inspire the next generation of pilots.

Merici currently lives in Minnesota with her husband Sean and their two sons. Merici was inspired by her husband and sons to write the book. Her six-year-old son constantly asked her to create stories, and Sean has always encouraged her to write and publish some of these stories. She wrote this book hoping to inspire her sons and other children to follow their dreams and to help them realize that sometimes you have to get a little creative to make your dream come true. Merici and Sean frequently attend air shows, including AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and the local Twin Cities Girls in Aviation Day Celebration.

To learn more about Merici’s book, and to obtain your very own copy of ‘My Little Eagle: Theo Learns to Fly’, visit Sean and Merici’s online store: www.hobbsflyer.com.