A family story unfolds

"Those are humbling moments," he observes, "because what's being displayed is your adult ego, your desire to control it, for what purpose? Because you don't want to embarrass yourself? Is that what this is really all about? To have those feelings and to have to admit to them and work through them, that was good work. And in the end the kid does something that is wonderful. Not always, but generally."

Another part of the challenge for Galligan and his wife, who served as supervisors and motivators, was making sure everybody had a meaningful role to play that each person was happy with and not overwhelmed by.

Joe, the older boy, wanted to do all the art for the book, but wound up welcoming the help of his little brother and his mother. Sam, in fact, contributed a picture - of Norma Jean Lima Bean -that became one of his dad's favorite illustrations.

Three people working on art for the same project resulted in an unusual mix of drawing styles, uncommon in a children's book.

Nevertheless, once Galligan's publisher heard about the book in a roundabout way at an event that both were attending and asked to take a look, the publisher felt the charming work merited the wider audience that publication would bring.

The Naganuma-Galligan family was thrilled, naturally. But having the book they spent so much time on published (it will soon be available through a national bookstore chain) was never the point.

From the start, the idea was to create a simple photocopied holiday gift for friends and relatives.

The decision by James Street Press to publish the book came as a pleasant surprise and was "just the cream on top" to what Galligan sees as the real rewards.

"The project has shown us that spending time this way is a good thing," he observes. "It was really intense in a lot of ways, but it established a new level of confidence and communication among us."

In particular, he sees three main benefits for any family that undertakes a time-spanning group activity, be it growing a garden, cooking, raising animals, or any kind of literary or artistic endeavor. He identifies them as learning and practicing the creative process, learning and practicing the art of teamwork, and learning and practicing the habit of finishing.

The experience of creating "Oh Brother," which will be available in March, was so enjoyable that the family has jumped into a far more ambitious second book, "Cows in the Campground," based on camping in Wisconsin dairy country.

In drawing the same cow 84 different times, Joe certainly demonstrated his newfound stick-to-itiveness. Now he and his father are also working on a chapter book. Neither the second nor third book is slated for publication - not yet, at least.

Having a family-produced book published, Galligan admits, is a doubled-edged sword. In one way, it's a learning experience that can deepen a young person's literacy, sensitivity to audience, and overall communication skills. It also enhances family togetherness. On the other hand, it "creates a little more pressure."

Galligan says his younger son loves the attention "Oh Brother" has brought to the family, but his older boy, while pleased with the book's professional acceptance, has struggled a bit with the publicity surrounding its pending release.

For families who might try to follow his family's example, Galligan cautions: "I wouldn't encourage anybody to go into this with the goal of getting published."

The real goal, he says, should be to spend time together as a family, doing something mutually enjoyable.

"It represents your family in the most profound kind of way," Galligan explains. "It represents your time, your energy, your creativity, your love for one another. It feels really good to give it to somebody."

• There are several options for families who would like to see the book they write "in print." One is to take the pages to a copy store and have color copies made. Another, which can be quite expensive, is to have the book self-published. (Do an Internet search on "self-publishing" and always check any company with the Better Business Bureau.) If you'd like to seek a professional publisher for your book, someone at your local public library will be able to tell you how to submit a book to a publisher.

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