Debut kids’ book from locally-raised author is a heartfelt exploration of family separation

By Zach Hagadone
Reader Staff

Kids’ books can be for entertaining, learning and explaining hard topics — and often all three. My House in the Sky, published in 2025 by Jeff Tedd Bock, is entertaining with its whimsical, softly rendered illustrations; instructive with crisp, clear writing perfect for grade-school readers; and most deft at exploring the difficult concept of growing up in a separated family.

“The ‘house in the sky’ came from imagining where my daughter lived emotionally while growing up between two homes,” Bock told the Reader. “She was always positive about having two houses and two rooms, but part of me liked to think she also had a place that was truly hers — a magical combination of the best of both worlds.”

The narrator throughout the book, illustrated by South Africa-based artist Althea Botha, is a young girl who describes both her mother’s and father’s houses, while explaining the days she spends at each and the activities that happen there. Meanwhile, her “house in the sky” is an imaginative third place that she inhabits, filled with all the features and elements that evoke her happiest feelings and memories.

Bock grew up in Sandpoint — where his parents, Ed and Jeanne still live — and graduated from Sandpoint High School in 1992, where he and his brother played soccer with their dad as the coach. My House in the Sky is dedicated to Lili Dot — Bock’s daughter, Lilianna Dorothy — who grew up in Los Angeles, though “Sandpoint is very much her second home,” he said. “She visits every summer and has her own deep connection to this place.”

“Finishing the book took two years, but in reality, the journey was much longer,” Bock added. “I started writing it when Lili was very young and published it near her 18th birthday. In a way, the book grew up with her.”

Remembering the inception of My House in the Sky, Bock referred to the co-parenting schedule of rotating weekdays and alternating weekends, and how that affected his daughter.

“I remember feeling guilty about how often she had to transition back and forth, and it comforted me to imagine her spending those in-between moments in this peaceful ‘house in the sky,’” he said. “The book grew out of that feeling — a place where she was always safe, always centered and always loved.”

Bock said he’s always been drawn to storytelling, earning a master’s in screenwriting and even making a film in Sandpoint called Losing Julia Finch, based on a short story by fellow SHS grad Keith Lee Morris.

He said that while “self-publishing was an incredible journey with a steep learning curve,” he hopes to work with a traditional publisher for future works. “I discovered the writing was the easy part — designing, marketing and actually getting the book into the world were much tougher,” he added.

Despite being “literally oceans away,” working with Botha as the illustrator wasn’t one of those tough things. Bock found Botha through a Facebook group for children’s book writers and illustrators, and, “Her watercolor-based artwork immediately struck me — warm, glowing pieces that felt like childhood memories. One illustration of a campfire stopped me in my tracks. She has this rare ability to capture emotion inside an image.”

As for advice to other writers looking to get their projects in print, Bock emphasized joining a writing or publishing group.

“There’s so much great information available now — unprecedented access to creators, publishing experts, illustrators and step-by-step guidance,” he said. “The only thing that can stop you is your bandwidth.”

The other critical component is being open to letting a book develop as it will.

“I vividly remember cracking the heart of the story one spring afternoon in 2023, sitting under my blossoming orange tree, with tears welling up,” Bock said. “Stories arrive when they’re ready. And while I’m not saying you have to sit under an orange tree for magic to happen… it certainly doesn’t hurt.”

For more information and to buy My House in the Sky, go to myhouseinthesky.com.