Maia Haag was on maternity leave with her first child. But she never stopped working.
As a gift, she'd received a personalized baby book for her newborn son. Though it was special to see his name on its pages, Haag, who had been an English major in college, and her graphic designer husband, Allan Haag, knew they could create something even better.
So she spent the next three months strolling around Bde Maka Ska, then known as Lake Calhoun, with her baby, coming up with story ideas and writing a business plan. She never went back to her job in marketing at General Mills.
"For a child, seeing their name and even photo throughout the story brings the book alive and makes it all about them," said Haag, who lives in Deephaven. "Having the book be personalized encourages reading and really makes that child want to enjoy the story over and over each evening."
Twenty years on, Haag is the author of 40 titles under her publishing company, I See Me, that can be personalized for any child. And now, any dog.
In an effort to promote both child literacy and animal rescue, Haag's latest book, with illustrator Susan Batori, "If My Dog Could Talk," integrates the family pooch into the story.
"It occurred to me that pets are just as much children in the family as the actual children, so I wanted to celebrate that bond that happens between the pet and the family," Haag said.
A portion of the proceeds from each sale goes to a different animal rescue organization around the country each month. So far, Haag has raised thousands of dollars.
