Mallette Pagano shows off her progress on one of her illustrations she is creating for an upcoming children’s story, “Wiggly Waggly Worm.” She and author Doug Pearson (left) have been working on the book since early spring. (Leader photo/TED YOAKUM)

One of the fondest childhood memories Doug Pearson can recall is about his mother reading him story of a tiny earthworm, entitled “The Wiggly Waggly Worm.”

While the then five-year old child loved the story’s themes of loyalty, honesty and diligence, what really endeared him to it was its author — his father, Donald. The airman with the U.S. Air Force wrote that and another story for his children while stationed at Goose Bay in Canada, typing his tales on a typewriter and mailing them back home.

“I remember that my mom would always read it to me, and when I got older, I folded it up and put it in a scrapbook,” Pearson said.

Nearly 50 years later, in 2004, as his father’s health started to deteriorate, Pearson dug up the old box the story was tucked away in, hoping to share the same enjoyment he gained from the journey of the friendly earthworm with man who wrote it.

Sadly, his father passed away before he received the opportunity to do so.

After reading the story during his father’s funeral, Pearson decided he wanted share it with another audience: everyone.

“It’s more of a sentimental family project that I wanted to do, but I wanted to have it published,” he said.

After 10 years, the local man is finally on the cusp of accomplishing of this goal.

Last summer, the student advocate with Dowagiac Union High School worked out a deal to have the story printed by Mirror Publishing, based out of Milwaukee. Pearson is currently working with children’s book illustrator and Southwestern Michigan College alumna Mallette Pagano to bring the tale of “Wiggly Waggly Worm” to life, who is creating the 12 pictures for the storybook.

The two have been collaborating on the project since March. So far, the artist, a resident of Bridgman, has finished drawing and colorizing two pictures for the story, using illustration software and digital drawing tablet on her computer.

“What’s amazing to me is how she has done all this work with just my words, my descriptions alone,” Pearson said. “She’s captured the images that were in my mind perfectly.”

The illustrations have been the most significant work on the story in the 10 years since the educator and retired airman set out to publish it. Pearson is no stranger to the writing world, self-publishing a wellness book in 2011, “The 10-20-30 Life Wellness Plan.”

He made very little changes to his father’s original manuscript, writing a wraparound story based on the real life circumstances surrounding it in his initial drafts, he said. However, Pearson decided to remove that portion of the story at his publisher’s suggestion to create a shorter, more concise tale.

Earlier this year, Pearson was connected with Pagano through a friend. Pagano, who received her associate’s degree in graphic design in 2005 from SMC, has spent the last several years drawing for children writers, with her works being featured in four published books.

After meeting Pearson, Pagano was instantly charmed by his father’s story. She was also excited for the challenge it presented, as she had never created artwork for a book featuring a cast entirely comprised of animals, she said.

“I wanted to give a 1950s feel to the illustrations,” she said. “I was crossing my finders when I first sent my sketches to [Pearson], hoping he would like them.”

The author was more than pleased by her choice in art direction, he said. Her drawings have also been well received by his family and publisher, he added.

“They really capture the era the story was originally written in,” he said.

Pagano is looking to finish coloring the last 10 illustrations by the end of summer. From there, the publishing company will spend approximately three months putting the book together for release. The pair hopes to see the finished product on bookshelves by year’s end.

“I think this is a good story to tell to children of all ages, in any generation,” Pagano said.