Children’s book author, Billy Baldwin ’79, doesn’t like to read or write. He’s never enjoyed it, and likely never will, as it is often frustrating and difficult for him. Baldwin is dyslexic and it is a lifelong challenge he’s met since his first reading lesson in grade school. “Though it may sound strange coming from a children’s author…I dislike reading and writing,” Baldwin shared. “But I love storytelling.”
For Baldwin, this love for storytelling triumphs over his aversion to reading and writing. Each time he lifts his pencil to storyboard a new idea, Baldwin refuses to be held back by his dyslexia. “I’ll never get the grammar or the sentence structure right, but the stories are there,” Baldwin said. “And that’s all that matters.”
Telling stories has been one of Baldwin’s specialties for decades, and it all started with cookies. Several years ago, Baldwin left the commercial real estate industry to start a cookie company with his brother. The company was Cookie Island, and it produced much more than delicious baked goods. As the company expanded, Baldwin began to build a world around Cookie Island, developing dynamic characters and stories. This, he explains, is when his storytelling truly blossomed. “Cookie Island wasn’t just a bakery. It was a whole world.” Baldwin shared.
The stories of Cookie Island propelled Baldwin into the world of children’s books—but not too far from the world of cookies. In 2017, Baldwin published three picture books, the second of which features—you guessed it—a cookie! The Cookie That Saved Christmas is a heartwarming story about Christmas magic and family traditions. And it’s just one of Baldwin’s many works with an important message. “The most rewarding part of being an author has to be the reaction on people’s faces,” Baldwin shared. “When they hear the message of the story and I get to see how it captivates and moves them—there’s nothing like it.” It’s especially rewarding for Baldwin, as the process of writing a book is not an easy one for him. “If my stories can help a child realize that it’s okay to be different, it’s worth all of the frustration that went into writing it.”
On Sunday, December 17, the Trinity-Pawling community welcomed Baldwin to campus for a special holiday reading of The Cookie That Saved Christmas, followed by an evening of cookie decorating and Christmas cheer. Baldwin enjoyed returning to Trinity-Pawling—the very place where he learned how to overcome the challenges of his dyslexia. “T-P gave me the chance to realize that I had potential to grow and have a purpose,” Baldwin said. “The School was a community where I felt safe. Ted and Carol Kneeland, specifically, gave me the tools I needed to work through my reading and writing struggles. T-P gave me a foundation. And I couldn’t have done any of this without it.”