New Children’s Book ‘Unalii’s Unexpected Adventure’ Coming Soon

Celebrate Bays Mountain Park’s 50th Anniversary by bringing a story of the park home with you. BMP is proud to announce that its first-ever children’s book, Unalii’s Unexpected Adventure, is coming soon.

In this book, a very curious wolf pup, Unalii (oo-NAH-lee-EE), takes an unexpected adventure through the place he calls home, Bays Mountain Park. Along the way, he meets other animals who also live at the park, and he learns interesting facts from them. Unalii hopes that after you read this book, your curiosity will guide you to take your own adventure and explore everything Bays Mountain Park has to offer.

Unalii’s Unexpected Adventure is an 11” x 8.5” hardcover book packed with educational facts, full-color photography, and a glossary of terms. Recommended for primary school-aged children, this story showcases the natural beauty, ecology, and history of the largest city-owned park in Tennessee and will be enjoyed for years to come.

This project was coordinated by Susan Lodal, chair of the Education Subcommittee for the BMP Celebration Committee. A former longtime member of the Kingsport BOE, Lodal helped shaped this book as an introduction to children and families visiting BMP.

“I knew we had an exceptional resource within our city park located on Bays Mountain,” Lodal said, “but through this project, I’ve come to appreciate the historical significance and beauty of this unique and magnificent place even more.”

The book features photographs by local photographer and dedicated BMP volunteer Jay Huron. Huron and one of the book’s authors, Julie Nutter, volunteered as “wolf puppy parents” when the book’s titular wolf, Unalii, came to the park with his siblings in 2014.

Nutter, an ETSU student and park volunteer, co-wrote Unalii’s Unexpected Adventure with Lize Bailey, who teaches first grade at Rock Springs Elementary School. Rock Springs Principal Alesia Dinsmore and retired Kingsport City Schools Librarian Wanda Kerns round out the team responsible for crafting this book.

“We look forward to holding the finished product in our hands and sharing the story of Unalii with young people,” Lodal said.

Unalii’s Unexpected Adventure is sponsored by Ballad Health Niswonger Children’s Network. All proceeds will benefit upcoming park projects, including upgrades to the wolf habitat and construction of the Fox Den natural play space. Pre-orders will begin starting August 8 through baysmountain.com/merch for $15 per copy, and books will be available in November.