“Watermelon Man” ‘sequel’ features lucky bug Wally

August 2016 saw the culmination of a more-than-five-year project for Phil Campbell Elementary School teacher Kelly Champion with the publication of “Watermelon Man,” the picture book she created in collaboration with illustrator Jessica Peppers. Just one year later, the duo is announcing a spin-off picture book featuring a secondary character from “Watermelon Man”: Wally, who now features in his own story, “Wally, The Lucky Bug.”

Champion and Peppers connected when the latter came on as an art teacher at PCES and began working together on “Watermelon Man.” Champion asked Peppers, who now teaches in Lauderdale County, to create a cricket for the first book.

As Peppers was completing the artwork, the picture was on display in her kitchen, and her son, Colt, named the cricket Wally.

It was then that the lucky bug became destined to be a beloved main character in his own right.

“This book is how he helps to grow his own enormous watermelon,” Champion said. In publicity for the book, Champion said through Wally’s story, “every child will discover that yes, they can, no matter how big the task – or watermelon.”

Wally was conceived last year, but his story finally came together in spring 2017. At the Reader Riot, a Florence book festival that had its inaugural year this year in March, Peppers and Champion set up to promote “Watermelon Man” – and ultimately wound up finishing the concept and text for “Wally, The Lucky Bug,” building on an outline Champion had completed.

The new book will be available for sale ($10) at a booth at the Watermelon Festival this weekend, and both books can also be ordered from Amazon. Both books, along with supplemental lesson plans for teachers, will soon be available at teacherspayteachers.com.

“We want to be able to inspire children everywhere, and even adults, through this book that dreams can be realized,” Champion said.