The University of Kansas

Nephrology prof adds children's book to vita

Jared James Grantham, distinguished professor of nephrology and director of the Kidney Institute at KU Medical Center, has published multiple medical articles and books during his tenure.

Now he has added another type of publication to his resume: children’s books.
Ashley and the Mooncorn People, published by Leathers Publishing in Leawood, revolves around Grantham’s first grandchild, Ashley Houchin, as the main character.

“It was just written for the family,” Grantham said. “I didn’t intend for it to be published.”
In the book, Ashley stumbles upon an old Mason jar that holds two friends, Tork and Marie, who have been shrunken to doll-size by a spell that was cast upon them.

Ashley tries to help her secret friends regain their natural size. While the premise may seem farfetched, Grantham said he did not have to concoct a single idea.

“Every word in the book is true,” he said.

Grantham wrote his first book, Homer, a Poor Man’s Dog, as a child in southwest Kansas. At 14, he contracted polio and decided to study medicine while spending time in the hospital.

Authoring children’s books has been a welcomed change to his occupational work.
“Doctors deal with pain,” Grantham said. “It’s not every day that you get to deal with happy things.”

Another book featuring all of his grandchildren, Ashley and the Dollmaker, already is in production.