Ilene Dudek, Nutley Author, Releases New Children's Book

NUTLEY, NJ — Nutley children's book author Ilene Dudek has a new addition to the "Little Ant" series. According to Dudek, "Little Ant Hears a Noise" is the second book in her children’s series featuring a lovable ant and his wild adventures.

In this next story, the ant faces his fear of nighttime noises. From banging pipes to rainy weather, he quickly discovers the power of his imagination to turn those scary noises into the music of his dreams, Dudek said.

Dudek, a Nutley mother, wrote the latest book as a way to ease her children’s fears.

“When my sons, Matthew, age 9, and Alex, age 4, hear a noise at night, their imaginations run wild," Dudek said. "I thought, 'If you can imagine something scary, then why not imagine something beautiful?'”

Ilene said that she tries to use colorful images, easy-to-read words and a lighthearted story to address a common childhood problem.

The little ant was first introduced in June 2017 with the release of her book, "Little Ant on the Go." A humorous story of mishap and adventure, this breakout book was well-received by the local community. It is currently available at the Nutley Public Library, has been shared with several day care facilities and was featured on Spotlight New Jersey - News 12.

According to a news release, Dudek is a new author who comes from the advertising industry. She enjoyed many years as a copywriter, but when the opportunity presented itself to change her path, she took the chance to follow her dreams. Dudek now "writes from the heart," drawing on inspiration from her children and her own life experiences. She hand-illustrates the images in her books and creates the copy to go alongside them.

"Little Ant Hears a Noise" can be found at www.littleantstories.com.

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