MUSTANG, Okla. –
A young student from Mustang has collaborated with her father to publish a children’s book, bringing a family concept that had been in development for 15 years to fruition.
The book, “Charlie’s Backyard Adventures,” features illustrations by 6-year-old Charlie Rogers and was written by her father, Justin Rogers. The project originated 15 years ago, when the Rogers family sought to create a story based on one of their dogs, who was full of energy and curiosity.
“My wife and I had a shorky (Shih Tzu and a Yorkshire Terrier mix), who the book is dedicated to,” Rogers said. “He was just full of energy, and he was crazy, so we wanted to write a book about him. We kept saying we should, but we never did. Fast forward 15 years later, with Charlie and our three crazy animals, we decided to make it happen.”
Charlie, who created the illustrations under her father’s guidance, said the book has already been shared at school, where classmates expressed interest in writing their own stories.
“They said, ‘Oh, that’s so cool, I want to write a book someday,” Charlie said.
The story incorporates the family’s ties to Oklahoma, but Justin said the project has also strengthened the bond between father and daughter, providing opportunities for extended time together during the book’s development.
“We’ve gotten to spend a lot of time together,” Justin said. “It took a long time to put it together. As you know, six-year-old attention spans aren’t the best, so it took a while to illustrate it, but I’ve just been spending time with her.”
The Rogers family said they are already planning a follow-up book, with an anticipated release expected before Christmas 2026.
“Charlie’s Backyard Adventures” is available for purchase on Amazon.
