Theresa Rother shows off her latest book "Fish for Dinner." Photo courtesy of Theresa Saechao Rother

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - The most important thing that makes up any town is its people. The variety of histories and personal challenges that people have lived through and have grown from build a rich and diverse community. West Sacramento is no exception. This series is to highlight people in West Sacramento that create the fabric of our town.

Theresa Saechao Rother lives in West Sacramento with her husband and three children. Theresa was born in Thailand, where she lived until she was seven years old. Education is not as readily available in Thailand as it is in America and many people teach their children through story-telling. Theresa and her two sisters heard many stories from Theresa’s father as they grew up.

Theresa and Josh Rother display their book "Three sisters and a Black Snake" at an ACC event. Photo courtesy of Theresa Saechao Rother

When Theresa was 7 years old, her family moved to South Sacramento. Her parents opened a popular Thai restaurant in downtown Sacramento. Theresa started school at Newcomers Elementary School, a school designed to help immigrant children adapt to their new home. Theresa went through school in Oak Park, eventually going to Sac State, while working at her parents’ restaurant.

As an adult, Theresa worked and became a member of the Asian Chamber of Commerce, was featured in the Sacramento Business Journal and was very active in business throughout Sacramento. However, Theresa’s dream was always to be an author. She wanted to write children’s books. She wanted to tell some of the stories that her father had told her over the years.

In 2012 she met her husband Josh Rother, who happened to be an artist. The two shared a love for creating. Theresa and Josh got married and began their family. Eight years ago, they moved that family to West Sacramento. Then COVID hit. Like many people, Theresa found herself unable to work. She decided that this was the perfect time to follow her dream and write a children’s book.

Theresa wrote Three Sisters and the Black Snake. This was based on a story that her father told them when they were small. The Characters in the book even carry the names of family members. The story has an Asian setting and is basically about how good things happen to those that deserve them. Theresa’s husband Josh did the illustrations for Theresa’s books.

Theresa’s second book is called Fish for Dinner. It also includes touches of the lu Mien culture. “In the old days,” Theresa said, “living in the countryside as villagers/farmers, which was how my parents grew up. The less fortunate (poor) ate less meat and ate more fish due to what they can afford to eat. Even when it comes to eating fish, when you invite your guests over for a meal, you hope they don’t eat the bottom side of the fish, only the top side, so you can save the bottom side of the fish for your own family/children to eat after. But when the guest ‘flips the fish’ over to eat the bottom, you worry that there is no more fish left for your family. The joke in the story is children are watching the guests closely eat the fish, when they spot the ‘fish has been flipped’ they shout out loud which should have been kept quiet so it’s not embarrassing in front of the guests.” At the end of the story is a Thai recipe for cooking Baked Striped Bass

Theresa plans to continue to write diverse children’s books. Theresa’s books can be found at Barnes & Nobles, at Target’s online store and on Amazon Books, or you can email her at [email protected]. Hopefully, West Sacramento will support a local author and show your children to follow their dreams by showing them how Theresa is following hers.