The Shepherd's Story author spreads hope during challenging Christmas season

News provided by

Dec 09, 2020, 16:44 ET

CHICAGO, Dec. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Happy Days producer, Jimmy Dunne is spreading Christmas cheer this challenging holiday season with the release of his first children's book, The Shepherd's Story (published by Loyola Press), a musical novella, and Christmas donations to families struggling due to the pandemic.

The Shepherd's Story by Jimmy Dunne; illustrated by Ivan Kravets

The Shepherd's Story offers a fresh perspective on the Christmas story, letting readers experience the story through the eyes of a young shepherd boy who is searching for meaning in life. Together with the shepherd, readers connect the birth of Christ with their own human experience, learning that one child—a single person—has the possibility of making an extraordinary difference in the world.

"This is a very, very fragile time we're all living in," said Dunne in his recent interview with Story Monsters Ink. "I hope The Shepherd's Story is an expression of hope that will resonate in people's hearts, not only at Christmas, but throughout the year."

Dunne, having an impressive musical background, wrote a song version of the children's book, which was performed and recorded by nine talented freshmen at Los Angeles County School of the Arts. The song allows families and parishes to reflect on the message of the story while also singing along with the characters in the book.

This being a particularly challenging year for many families due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dunne was inspired to find a way to offer The Shepherd's Story and its message of hope to underserved families. Dunne reached out and asked people in financially stable positions to make a Christmas donation, allowing publisher Loyola Press to provide copies of The Shepherd's Story to families in parishes and schools across the nation.

One of the biggest success stories of this effort is the donation of nearly 2,000 books to underserved families in the Boston area by former resident Steve Robinson. Growing up he was particularly affected by the efforts of Fr. Richard "Doc" Conroy and his outreach in some of toughest areas in and around Boston.

To purchase copies of The Shepherd's Story and to listen to the song version, you can visit https://www.shepherdsstory.com/.

About Jimmy Dunne
Jimmy Dunne is a modern-day Renaissance man who successfully crisscrosses the worlds of art and business. As a songwriter, his songs have been on 28,000,000 records worldwide with dozens of gold and platinum records (including Whitney Houston, Kenny Rogers, Anne Murray, Take 6); along with scores, songs, and themes in over 1,500 television episodes and many hit movies (Pretty Woman, Fame, Olympic Games). Screenwriting and producer credits include Paramount Pictures' hit series, Happy Days. He's the founder of Inspire (a celebrated music & branding firm), a piano recording artist on 40+ records, the commissioner of USA Bocce, and now a book author.

About Loyola Press
An apostolate of the USA Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus, Loyola Press embraces the Jesuit passion for helping people find God in all things. We continue the Jesuit tradition of excellence and service by providing inspiring faith-filled content for children and adults and by being people for others.

Follow Loyola Press on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and YouTube.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Shepherd's Story

By Jimmy Dunne; illustrated by Ivan Kravets

Loyola Press/ $19.99/ Hardcover/ ISBN: 978-08294-4890-0

Available Now

SOURCE Loyola Press