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As a nanny and babysitter over the years, Marin native Paige Luisa Ogden has loved finding ways to help others and connect to children, teaching them lessons about empathy and finding the beauty and magic in everyday life. But when she began nannying for 4-year-old Mazzy and her dads, “Dada” and “Papa,” a few years ago, she had no idea what a life-changing experience it would be. Just three months into her stint working with the family, Dada unexpectedly died.

“When I moved down to Los Angeles, I was working in music and also doing some cooking things. I quit every other thing I was doing in Los Angeles and was like, ‘I’m just going to raise her full-time with you, Papa.’ And I did just that,” says Ogden, who worked with them for three years.



These experiences were the impetus of her children’s book on grief, “Butterflies for Dada,” a story about finding symbols of love even after a loved one has died, that came out last month. Featuring illustrations by Aura Lewis, the book was recently highlighted as one of People magazine’s “Picks for the Best LGBTQ+ Kids Books for Pride Month.” Although the book may be geared toward children, there’s something everyone can take from it, the 2009 Tamalpais High School alumna says.

Nowadays, Ogden still lives in Southern California and works in real estate — with more children’s books on the horizon. Q What was it like navigating topics of death and grief with Mazzy? A She was 4 when Dada died, and it’s.

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