Those dreams, however, were snuffed out when the young girl, Michele ‘Luna’ Jackson, was murdered in September 2024 at the park and on the swingset that she visited daily.

The stories of Jackson’s joy on that swing have now been turned into a children’ s book thanks to Brown, an Eagle Grove resident.

“After her tragic passing, I was deeply affected, and a few days later felt compelled to just start writing,” said Brown. “I have always found a sort of peace in getting my thoughts down on paper and this was no exception. I sat down and quickly poured out the poem that would ultimately become the text of the book. ”

Brown also began painting the cover for the book titled “Swing, Luna, Swing.”

“I wanted to memorialize a piece of Michele in a meaningful way that could be shared with the world,” said Brown. “Knowing how much she loved spending time at the library, I know she would love it being through a book.”

Brown, who had never written a book before, said she felt the story came easily, though the illustrations to the book were more difficult.

“I have never completed an art project of this magnitude before,” said Brown. “Creating a consistent theme and character, and just trying to portray my words in a visual way that was eye appealing to others was not an easy task for me.”

“Swing, Luna, Swing” is now available from Amazon with all proceeds going directly to Jackson’s family.

“For those that did know Michele, I hope this book can bring a sense of comfort and peace,” said Brown. “It rewrites her narrative to be more joyful with Luna choosing to happily swing up in the sky.”

Prior to publishing the book, Brown spoke with Jackson’s family to receive their blessing and permission to share the story.

“It was important to me to be respectful while honoring Michele’s memory,” said Brown. “The family was very positive about the book and it means a lot to them.”