Culture and Lifestyle Activities and Entertainment Books Erin Napier Reveals the Subtle Tribute to Daughter Helen in Her New Children's Book The Lantern House is available now. By Meghan Overdeep Meghan Overdeep Meghan Overdeep has more than a decade of writing and editing experience for top publications. Her expertise extends from weddings and animals to every pop culture moment in between. She has been scouring the Internet for the buzziest Southern news since joining the team in 2017. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on January 20, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Manny Carabel/Getty Images Erin Napier's new children's book apparently includes a subtle nod to her daughter, Helen. The Home Town star teamed up with friend and artist Adam Trest to write and illustrate The Lantern House, which finally hit shelves last week. The heartwarming story is told from the perspective of an old house as it watches its occupants grow, love, learn, grieve, and move away over the years—each leaving their mark on the home. The narrative was inspired in part by Erin and Ben's own home, a 1925 craftsman in Laurel, Mississippi. "The reality about our houses is, they go on after we've left them, and imagine if houses could talk, what would they tell us about the things that they've seen. That's fascinating to me," Erin said in a recent interview with People. "Something I think about a lot is that the house I'm sitting in right now will outlive me. Isn't that crazy?" 01 of 01 The Lantern House The Lantern House Amazon At one point in the book, the dark and empty house dreams about what future caretakers it might have, including "a trapeze artist." Erin told People that that potential resident was inspired by none other than her four-year-old daughter, Helen. "The trapeze artist's house is Helen's. If she could do anything, this house would look like a circus tent and she would be the star trapeze artist," she said of her oldest daughter. The gardener's house on the same page was inspired Adam's family. "Our homes, when loved and cared for, become part of our families. They shelter and hold us through our best and worst moments, and they live on beyond us. We are just chapters in the book of a house's life," Erin said in a statement. "I wanted to write a book for our daughters Helen and Mae that tells the story of home, in a way that's about so much more than aesthetics. To be at home is to be with family, even as a family's seasons of life are everchanging." The Lantern House is available for purchase now. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit