A forest trail near Grosse Isle has inspired a new children’s book encouraging families to slow down and rediscover imagination.
Corey King’s new children’s book Something Must Be Done, inspired by a forest trail near Grosse Isle, encourages families to embrace imagination and rediscover a sense of whimsy. The locally written and illustrated book officially launched May 5 and is recommended for readers ages five to nine
Local author Corey King recently released Something Must Be Done, drawing on walks through a wooded trail near his home and the realization that adult seriousness can overshadow childhood whimsy.
“There’s a small forest trail near our home in Grosse Isle that I love walking through,” King said. “It felt like a tiny escape into nature.”
That perspective shifted when someone began decorating trees along the trail with faces — something King initially resisted.
“I wanted that space to stay untouched,” he said. “But seeing how my rigid thinking was changing my kids’ perspective, I realized we were losing an opportunity for whimsy and imagination.”
The decorated trees have since become “family friends,” he said, and that shift from frustration to wonder is central to the story.
The book officially launches provincially May 5, but it has already been circulating locally for months. King’s partner, Dee King — who grew up in St. Clements — edited the book and helped coordinate a soft launch in Grosse Isle ahead of Christmas, with nearly 100 copies distributed through Grosse Isle, Stonewall, Rosser and Warren.
“The title satirically frames adult frustration,” King said. “Parents carry a lot of responsibilities and stress, and that often clashes with the slower, more playful pace of children.”
In the story, adults repeat “something must be done,” while children lean into imagination and playful rebellion.
“Without spoiling the ending, the real ‘something’ that gets done isn’t what the adults expect,” he said. “It ends up being an internal shift.”
Recommended for ages five to nine, the book is designed to engage both children and adults, with humour for younger readers and deeper themes for older audiences.
Set in the fictional town of Big Island, the story follows siblings who spark a movement to protect imagination and wild spaces. It is illustrated by Winnipeg artist Christian Amiel Miranda.
The project carries strong Manitoba roots — written in Grosse Isle, edited by Dee King and printed locally — and is being released as a physical-only book through independent outlets.
King said sharing the book with local children has been the most rewarding part of the process.
“That creates a sense of connection I’ve missed with many of my other creative projects,” he said.
Copies of Something Must Be Done will be available starting May 5 at Chapters Polo Festival and Indigo Kenaston Common, as well as online at zenfri.ca/publishing. King can also be reached at corey@zenfri.com.
Library readings in Stonewall and Teulon have already taken place, with additional school visits scheduled in May at Argyle and R.W. Bobby Bend. King said he is eager to continue visiting schools and libraries across the Interlake, offering readings at no cost and donating a copy of the book to each location.
