A special part of the annual Christmas Walk in Geneva has now become the focus of a children’s book.
In the fall, St. Charles resident and author Suzanna Palmer released “Jingle Hands,” based on Bob’s Candy Cane Parade, a traditional part of the Christmas Walk festivities.
The parade was begun in 2010 by the late Bob Untiedt, who was the owner of Graham’s Chocolates in downtown Geneva.
Using the elements of the actual parade as well as those working at Graham’s, Palmer has woven a story that she says is much better, in some ways, “than the fantasy and make-believe that fills most children’s tales.”
“Most children’s books are fictional and magical and filled with wonder. I think kids deserve to read real stories,” Palmer, 59, said shortly after this year’s Candy Cane Parade concluded earlier this month. “Everything that I wrote about in the book is true except the candy cane, which is magical, but that can be true in life, right?”
The story itself centers around a boy named Harvey who Palmer said “is excited for the Christmas Walk and all he wants is that one candy cane once a year.”
“There are elves in the story and when they go to light the tree just as people do in the real parade, the special candy cane goes missing and then it’s a bit comical as to how they get it back and a decision that Harvey has to make to save Christmas,” Palmer said.
A native of Sydney, Australia, Palmer only recently became an author, penning her first self-published book, “Moxy, Who Do You Want To Be?” That story is based in St. Charles where she and her husband Marlon live today.
“I’ve always had a passion for writing, and the children’s book came about as I couldn’t find a gift book for my Australian friends,” she said. “I looked for a book specifically on St. Charles and there was nothing – there were local authors but nothing about foxes, the river or St. Charles, so I wrote one.”
The “Moxy” book was first published in August of 2024.
Palmer said her life’s work up to this point has included secretarial duties and “then becoming a florist where I had a gift basket business for 10 years in Australia.”
“That’s how I learned my business acumen and when we moved to the States, I got into real estate where I now do property management and flipping houses,” Palmer said.
The 32-page illustrated book “Jingle Hands,” she said, was written between November 2024 and January 2025.
The book includes direct references and illustrations tied to Untiedt’s daughter, Jayni Wunderlich of Elburn, now the CEO of Graham’s Chocolates, who said that she and her mother Beckie Untiedt of Huntley were approached this year after the story was written but before it was published.
“She approached us for permission probably in late spring or early summer this year,” Wunderlich said of Palmer. “She asked if she could use our shop and likenesses and the relationship with our family. Her husband worked for us a bit – he did home things, like a handy man. She knew our family and loved our dad and she loved our candy cane pull.”
The book’s central character, Harvey, is named after Untiedt’s grandfather while Wunderlich herself is also in the story.
“I’m Harmony the Elf in the book and I organize the candy cane pull. My parents were very musical so naming me Harmony made sense,” Wunderlich said. “My dad’s father – my grandfather’s name was Harvey – and we have a caramel apple called the Harvey Graham Apple.
“My three children and mom are depicted in the book twice – the backs of their heads looking into the shop and then later towards the end there is a picture of my mom with my three kids in front of a tree ornament that says ‘Bon Jovi’ which was my dad’s phrase as he was leaving some place.”
Palmer reflected on the ornament and other items in the book which she said reflect little hidden secrets of their own.
“Something I learned from doing this second book was the amount of little messages I could hide in a book. Something I was able to do based around family,” she said “There are lots of little things written or found in an illustration that have meaning, but the general public might not know those things about Bob (Untiedt) and his family. There’s more significance than some might realize.”
Officials at the Geneva History Museum say that Palmer’s book will have a place in their archives along with other books that have been penned by locals.
“Next year is going to be the 50th anniversary of Geneva’s Christmas Walk and it’s such a celebrated tradition – people come from all over the place,” said Terry Emma, director at the museum. “I think it’s deemed worthy to be preserved in the archives here. We do that with any local authors that write about our town. We save a copy of their book.”
Jerry Miller of Geneva said he bought four copies of the book for his grandchildren.
“I think having one our institutions in town preserved in a children’s book, I couldn’t be happier,” he said. “This memorializes what those of us who live in Geneva thoroughly appreciate and enjoy. We found out about the book after going to a presentation at the history museum about the traditions of Geneva Christmas, so we bought them out.”
Palmer admits she’s been touched over and over by the Graham’s holiday tradition and wanted to give it a bigger audience.
“After migrating from Australia, I found that life here was very different and I feel like this is my second life,” Palmer said. “The Christmas Walk – witnessing what happens in that street and what happens outside of Graham’s is culturally different from anything I’ve known in Australia.
“It resonated with me as something magical and watching the people and watching what happens, it stuck with me,” Palmer added. “I think the nicest complement I’ve received are from the kids impressed by meeting an author and wanting to read more. I liked being able to capture a real story.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.