The plot ‘chickens’ | Lakestone resident, son publish children’s book inspired by real rooster

Never in a million years did Louise Hidalgo think that her neighbor’s mean rooster would someday play a major part in her future and her career as an author.

But that’s exactly what happened.

Hidalgo — a former teacher at Granbury Middle School, who is now 92 years young — felt inspired one day to write a children’s story about that mean rooster named Roscoe who just wanted to be the boss.

“Roscoe was a real live rooster who lived next door to me,” she explained. “They had bought him as a little chick for Easter, and it grew and grew. It was the meanest darn rooster, but he actually did all the exploits in this book.”

Although Hidalgo wrote the story several years ago, it wasn’t until recently that she felt the desire to have the book published.

“I thought, ‘If I want to see my name on a book in print, I better hurry since I'm 92,’” she said, with a chuckle.

To assist with her goal, she asked her son, Casey Hidalgo, to illustrate the book and help bring the story to life.

“I started developing Roscoe and getting influences from other roosters and all kinds of stuff all over the place, and we came up with a character,” Casey explained. “From that character, we illustrated everything in the book.”

Casey, who has been drawing “ever since he can remember,” said it has been “such a fun experience” being able to work with his mom on publishing her first book.

"It has been an incredible journey. I would have never guessed that I could have done something like that, but just through trial and error we got it published,” he said.

Containing approximately 15 illustrated photos, the middle school chapter book titled, “Roscoe The Rascally Rooster: I’m The Boss,” takes readers on a remarkable adventure with Roscoe as he finds his way through many wild and crazy experiences.

“I think the neatest thing about this whole story is the rooster,” Casey said. “Roosters can get really mean; they're just brutal, but it's told from the rooster's perspective. He doesn't think a lot about humans, other than it's his job to make sure that they do what they're supposed to, but it’s such a fun read. The characters just come to life.”

The book, published on Feb. 21 on Amazon, also contains large print to make reading easier for all kinds of readers.

“It's a nice big print so grandparents can read it to their grandchildren,” Louise said.

In conjunction with the chapter book, Casey also published a coloring book titled “Coloring Book Color Roscoe: Inspiration farm animal adventure, coloring book for children and adults” which contains black and white illustrations of Roscoe and his adventures.

“From the illustrations in the book, I created a coloring book of all the illustrations, plus a few more so people can color pictures,” he explained. “The coloring book is one of my favorite things. I sit around and catch myself coloring. I've got one that I use actually to color on a regular basis.”

On Friday, April 7 at 1 p.m., Louise and Casey will be on hand for their book signing at Lakestone Terrace Senior Living Library.

During the book signing, Casey said he will choose a picture in the coloring book, make multiple copies, and then host a coloring contest, where the winner will receive a signed copy of both the chapter book and the coloring book.

“We're also having the owners of Roscoe come up during the signing,” Louise said. “She's excited. She went and bought 11 coloring books and three paperback books the other day, and she read them to three elderly friends. One of them is a teacher who has macular degeneration in her 90s, and the teacher said, ‘I would've given anything to have that book when I was teaching.’”

Casey and Louise’s next adventure together will be publishing another one of Louise’s books that she wrote in the past.

“I've written actually three books,” she said. “The next one is a science fiction book for middle school.”

Louise said this next book’s story takes place on another planet where after teenagers turn 16, they no longer walk — they fly.

"My sister-in-law and I were on a 14-hour car trip, and when one wasn't driving, the other one was writing and talking, and that's how we came up with this one,” she said.

“We still have to do the artwork on it, but most of the characters are done,” Casey said. "I did those 20 years ago — or 30, it's been a long time — but since then my perspective has changed on how things ought to look, so a lot of changes will have to be made and a few more drawings. I may do another coloring book in between that; nothing related to that (book), but we will do (a coloring book) for this one as well.”

Casey also recently published a medical book called “My Medical Record Logbook,” where individuals can keep track of their shot records, prescriptions, vital signs, doctor’s appointments and any questions they may have for their doctor.

“Since I was so sick last year, I had to keep very close track of my vital signs, and so I had to keep good records,” he explained. “Every time I went to the doctor, they would ask me the same questions. ‘What prescriptions are you on?’ What medicines are you taking?’ ‘Do you have any side effects?’ So, I made this book.”

"My Medical Record Logbook” has enough log space for two years’ worth of medical records.

“You can just hand the doctor the book,” he said. “The doctors really freak out. They think it's so handy.”

It’s now been a month since “Roscoe The Rascally Rooster” was published, but Louise said, “it still hasn’t sunk in yet,” that she is now a published author, but that “it feels good.”

“You only got one life,” Casey said. “We can either live it or not. We get to choose how much we do.”

"Roscoe The Rascally Rooster: I’m The Boss,” is available to purchase in hardback, paperback and eBook on Amazon. “Coloring Book Color Roscoe: Inspiration farm animal adventure, coloring book for children and adults” is also available in paperback on Amazon.