Michael Klaus Schmidt, of Villa Park, wrote and illustrated "The Adventures of the Salamander" books to help his home-schooled children read. The character idea has its roots in his childhood, though.
Michael Klaus Schmidt, of Villa Park, shows the original pencil sketches for his Slippy the Salamander books to two of his four children, Adam, 9, and Aisha, 3, on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012. Schmidt drew them in pencil, scanned them and colored them in PhotoShop. Staff photo by Bill Ackerman
Michael Klaus Schmidt, of Villa Park, shows the original pencil sketches for his Slippy the Salamander books to two of his four children, Adam, 9, and Aisha, 3, on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012. Schmidt drew them in pencil, scanned them and colored them in PhotoShop. Staff photo by Bill Ackerman