Jim Carter is a retired mechanical engineer with decades of experience creating, reviewing, learning, and interpreting ideas across multiple mediums - all with the help of a trusty pencil. A father of two, he lives in Wisconsin with his wife, Toni and pug, Rocky, where he enjoys cycling outdoors.

When an idea is born, only a special pencil can help it grow.

For author Jim Carter, keeping a treasured pencil in his desk always allowed him to express his thoughts. And while working with second grade students, he was inspired to put pencil to paper once again and create a children's storybook to encourage children to do the same.

In This Pencil, readers are given a boost of confidence from a surprising source - a special pencil. Unlike an average pencil, this pencil believes in its holder, but on its own, it can do no good. It needs collaboration, and only a brave individual will do. Will it be you? Inspiring courage, self-assurance, and imagination, this pencil is just the beginning of a lifetime of creative expression.