Tillie and P-Trap the Plumber

When Tillie brushes her teeth, the bathroom sink won't drain. Instead, the sink overflows and water goes all over the floor. Tillie's smart, so she quickly turns off the faucet and calls for Gramma.

After they mop up the water, Gramma calls P-Trap the plumber, who comes over as fast as he can. Tillie's fascinated as she watches P-Trap work. Noticing this, the friendly plumber lets her help unclog the sink, talking her through the process and letting her use his tools. He even tells her how he got his unusual name.

When the job's finished, Tillie thinks she'd like to be a plumber one day. She discovers many of the plumbers P-Trap works with are women.

Written to inspire young girls to consider nontraditional careers in plumbing and construction, Tillie and P-Trap the Plumber shows children how rewarding learning a trade can be—and how important too. Tillie and Gramma needed P-Trap to unclog the sink, but if it clogs again, now Gramma can just call Tillie. She can fix it herself, thanks to P-Trap.

Building HVAC engineer Patrick Foley spent twenty years in human resources specializing in the Americans with Disability Act (ADA).

Foley holds a bachelor's degree in history from Seattle University. The father of three grown children and a three-time grandfather, Foley resides in Indianola, Washington. His four-year-old granddaughter inspired the story of Tillie and P-Trap the Plumber when she helped him unclog a bathroom sink.

Artist/illustrator Julia Chamness is a Northwest native. She answered her artistic calling early on in kindergarten. Chamness resides in Stanwood, Washington.

She does customized painting for children's rooms and play areas and specialty faux painting for homes or offices.