About Jack & Choonia
About Jack & Choonia
Jack & Choonia: Road Safety is an interactive children's storybook that teaches kids ages 5–11 real road safety habits through story, play, and adventure. Set on the streets of Toronto, it follows Jack the dog, Choonia the cat, and their girl through 9 chapters of real-life situations every child will face.
“We are happy to create this book as a team that believes stories like this can truly change the way children and parents think — and make roads safer.”
The Authors
Daria Leheida
Daria is a mother, writer, and family blogger who focuses on personal brand development and the creation of family-centred projects. In her life, she experienced two motor vehicle accidents — one in childhood and one as a mother. These experiences deeply shaped her understanding of the importance of safety and care.
Through travelling with children across different cities and countries, Daria brought her personal experience into the project Jack & Choonia, so that through play and positive storytelling, children can learn essential safety ruleswherever they may be.
Instagram: @family_in_toronto
Inga Tkachenko Ramage
Inga is a speaker, mother, and writer with many years of experience supporting people affected by road traffic accidents. Since 2009, she has been guiding individuals through their recovery after accidents, drawing not only on her professional expertise but also on her own lived experience as a road accident survivor.
She is a co-owner of medical centres specialising in motor vehicle collisions and a co-founder of a nonprofit organisation dedicated to accident prevention and improving road safety. Her professional and personal journey became the foundation for the Jack & Choonia project, created to help parents build awareness while teaching children the importance of safety through simple and kind stories.
Instagram: @inga_tkachenko_ramage
The Story Behind the Book
This book is dedicated to everyone whose life has been touched, changed, or forever impacted by a road collision. To those who once said: “If I had a book like this in my childhood… maybe that day would have turned out differently.” And to those who wished this awareness had come sooner to others.
Thank you to our children — Reya, Yeva, Lev, Ben, and Ellie — for their genuine interest in road safety and for becoming the heart of this story.
Special gratitude to our husbands — Georgy and Duncan — for supporting every idea and for helping us turn our dreams into reality. And to Svetlana Efimenko for her tremendous contribution — this book was printed largely thanks to her efforts.
INGA EDUCATES
A portion of the proceeds from every book sale is directed toward supporting educational road safety initiatives through INGA EDUCATES — a nonprofit dedicated to accident prevention and improving road safety across Canada.
Every time you remind someone to buckle up, wear a helmet, or look both ways — you pass the torch of safety forward. Being a volunteer is not only about signing up. It is about keeping safety in your mind and kindness in your heart — wherever you go.
Book Details
- Authors: Daria Leheida and Inga Tkachenko Ramage
- Illustrator: Yekaterina Borovskaya
- Publisher: Jack and Choonia Inc.
- ISBN: 978-1-069-66365-8
- Age: 5+ (read-together 5–8, independent reading 8–11)
- Format: Hardcover storybook + interactive activities + sticker sheet
- Price: $29.99 CAD / $24.99 US / £19.99 UK
- Website: jackandchoonia.com
- Social: @jackandchoonia on Instagram and Facebook