Santa Monica Pier Historian, Daughter Co-Write Children's Book

SANTA MONICA, CA — Santa Monica's Pier Historian James Harris and his 10-year-old daughter Stella wrote a new children's book that brings Pacific Park's mighty Sea Dragon to life. There will be an event at the Pacific Pier to celebrate the book, called "Stella Rose and the Sea Dragon," on Thursday, May 23.

Pacific Park will be giving away free rides on the Sea Dragon, a swinging wooden ship ride, for anyone who buys a copy of the book at the release event. "Stella Rose and the Sea Dragon" will be on sale at Pier Gear on the Santa Monica Pier.

The children’s book is about a young girl named Stella Rose and how she gathered the courage to finally ride a “big kid” ride at the Santa Monica Pier while befriending a green Sea Dragon, modeled after Pacific Park's Sea Dragon ride, the press release said.

"Stella and I conceived of this story over several bedtime discussions about how she could build up the courage to ride the Sea Dragon ride at Santa Monica Pier’s Pacific Park amusement park," Harris wrote in the book. "For a long time she had considered the Wave Jumper (speed boats) to be her favorite, but she always had her eye on the ominous dragon, wondering and wishing. When she was eight years old, she finally gathered the nerve to confront and ride the Sea Dragon, and it has been her favorite ride ever since!”

For additional information and hours of operation, call 310-260-8744 or visit www.pacpark.com.