Has Allison Ant wandered too far from the colony? Is she lost? All the adult ants of the Bakers' Patio Colony are worried. But Allison is OK. She's perfectly comfortable being alone. I'm With Me is the latest in Ron Kinscherf's Bakers Patio Series . The book is a very simple story of the independence of a child. Kinscherf picked Allison Ant as the primary characters as he wanted to portray that even girls can have an independent streak and be comfortable by themselves. All of the adults in the colony freak out that little Allison is by herself but she continues to tell everyone, that is not by herself, "I'm with me!" Eventually, the Queen visits Allison and discovers that Allison is just waiting for a friend. Suddenly, Allison points to the east and alerts the Queen that her friend is arriving. Her friend is the sun! And makes her feel all warm inside. "She doesn't need anyone to build her faith in herself, her knowledge, or keep her company. She is enough—mistress of her tiny personal universe. I've come away empowered to live according to my own intuition, knowledge and faith in myself.." Chosen by the National Endowment of the Arts for a Library's Little Big Read, I'm With Me is a great story for little girls of all ages. Allison Ant couldn't be cuter and the illustrations pop off the page, particularly the final spread when her friend arrives, the morning sun! Ron Kinscherf quit a 30 year career in IT Consulting with absolutely no idea for future employment. His daughter-in-law suggested he write children's books based on the creative way he plays with his grandchildren. Not really taking the suggestion seriously, he got an idea and wrote a story. He got another idea... and another. He shared the stories with some local Quincy, Illinois authors who really liked the product. Long story, short... a business was born.Kinscherf's style is for both the child and reader... understanding that the more the adult likes the book, the more likely it will get read again and again. His sense for dialogue and humor is interwoven throughout his works.Kinscherf has a BA in Communications and worked in talk radio before starting his IT Consulting career. He is a member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame for Outstanding Achievement in Play-by-Play. He is married for over 35 years with two children and four grandchildren.