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Portola Valley resident Rochelle Perucca celebrated her children’s book “Feather Finds Love” at a launch party at The Sequoias Portola Valley on Oct. 6. Perucca and her guinea pig Silly were joined by children, friends and Sequoias residents in her launch of the book.
“Feather Finds Love” is a tale of a blind baby guinea pig named Feather who gets adopted by a blind girl named Abby as the two find each other through their senses. Perucca’s book highlights the power of love between guinea pigs and humans.
“It’s about sharing love,” said Perucca. “Guinea pigs are easily frightened. They require a lot of love to overcome the fear response.”
At 81 years old, Perucca has experienced life as a park ranger at Rocky Mountain National Park, a college professor at the College of San Mateo and Columbia College in Sonora, a therapist, a sign language instructor and now a children’s book author.
Perucca has been a guinea pig owner for 40 years and is known as “guinea pigs grandma.”
As a small pet, guinea pigs were a perfect companion for Perucca who was wheelchair bound for seven years while recovering from a rock climbing accident. Over years of caring for guinea pigs, she began to understand “their nervous system and how they work on a very intimate level,” Perucca said during her launch party.
Looking to start a different career, she looked at her guinea pig Feather and was inspired to write a book about something she loved. Feather died prior to the publication of her book. For the story, Perucca brought in her experience volunteering in Berkeley with the deaf and blind community when she was in her early 20s.
“The book was a real labor of love,” said Perucca.
“Feather Finds Love” took seven years to complete. She worked with Indonesian illustrator Koen Setyawan for three years during the COVID-19 pandemic to finish the project. Perucca said she also got a lot of help from The Sequoias community.
The book was published in December 2023 and during this time Perucca was diagnosed with a 4-inch mass in her pancreas and became ill. Now she’s feeling better and is able to celebrate the launch of her book.
During the launch party, she said her book was endorsed by Alice Turner, Director of Community and Corporate Relations of the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Perucca announced she will be donating 20% of proceeds from book sales to the organization.
“If we spend time and give love, the reward is amazing,” Perucca said. She hopes to do presentations at bookstores to continue to share the message about love.
Learn more about Perucca and her book on rochelleperucca.com.
“Feather Finds Love” is also available to borrow from the San Mateo County Libraries locations in Belmont, San Carlos, Foster City and Millbrae.
