ELMSDALE: A Grade 12 student at Hants East Rural High (HERH) School is turning creativity into a message of inclusion with the release of her first self-written and illustrated children’s book.
Erin Nicholson, of Elmsdale, recently published Darcy and Dash, a story centred on diversity, acceptance, and understanding differences, an idea she said is deeply personal.
Speaking during an interview Thursday afternoon inside Cup of Soul Cafe, Nicholson said the inspiration behind the book came from her own experiences and what she has observed around her.
“Diversity is a really big topic for me—an important topic for me—from things I’ve witnessed in the media and in my own personal life,” she said.
Rather than presenting the message in a direct or heavy-handed way, Nicholson aimed to weave it naturally into a story that children could connect with.
“I really wanted to find a way to show that to children… not just pushing it in their face, but kind of having this underlying message,” Nicholson explained.
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That idea took shape through a familiar and relatable lens—pets.
Darcy and Dash follows a young girl who has a specific idea of what her “perfect” pet should be. When she gets a dog, Dash, who is completely different from what she expected, she struggles at first, trying to change him instead of accepting him.
Over time, that relationship with Dash evolves into a story about embracing differences.
“She kind of has to figure out how to adapt and how to accept these differences… it ends up playing out as a really beautiful story between the two,” Nicholson said.
The project, which began as a small side idea, took roughly two years to complete, balancing school, a part-time job and other responsibilities along the way.
“It was definitely a very hard process… at first it seemed very daunting,” she said, crediting teachers and peers for helping her bring the book to life.
For Nicholson, art has always been a way to express herself, making the finished book especially meaningful.
“Arts is a really important thing to me… being able to express things that are important to me through art is such a great feeling,” she said.
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Beyond telling a story, Nicholson hopes Darcy and Dash leaves a lasting impression on young readers—not just about acceptance, but about creativity and possibility.
“I hope that people get something from it… and are inspired to make their own creative projects,” she said.
She also wants to show other young people that age shouldn’t be a barrier to achieving something meaningful.
“Age is not a limiting factor to what you’re able to do… if you put your mind to something, you can see it through,” Nicholson said.
With copies available online and hopes of getting the book into schools, Nicholson’s debut effort is already making an impact—one that begins with a simple story and carries a powerful message about accepting others for who they are.
