Local Authors Seek to Inspire, Fight Epilepsy with Children's Book

The Evanston-Skokie writing team was inspired to finish their book by the story of a 4-year-old boy who died of epilepsy while they were writing it. Now they're donating part of the book's sales to a foundation set up in his name.

The story of how Chip Gilbertson and Gina Restivo came to write a children’s book together starts with a date. The two, both single parents, met through Match.com in 2008. While there was no long-term romance in store for them as a couple, they became close friends. And they learned that they had each thought about writing a children’s book since they were young. They decided to collaborate. Three years later, the two published their first book, Fly Danny, Fly, which received a Mom’s Choice Award last month. The book, about a boy and his (possibly) imaginary flying pig, seeks to inspire creativity in its readers. It also supports a nonprofit foundation set up in honor of a 4-year-old boy, who was Restivo’s neighbor, and died from Sudden …

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