It doesn’t matter how advanced our technology becomes and how many hand-held devices kids have at their fingertips, nothing replaces a Lovey — those physical, huggable, comforting stuffed animals and dolls that children have adored for generations.

Betsy Devany of Ledyard, a mother and grandmother, still remembers her own childhood Lovey. And she’s met “hundreds of rag-tag, thoroughly charming Loveys” during the decade she’s worked at the Toy Soldier in Old Mistick Village.

These fond memories and experiences have resulted in the publication of Davany’s first children’s book, “Lucy’s Lovey.”

The book’s protagonist is Lucy, a little girl with 17 doll babies, but her favorite Lovey is Smelly Baby, which she takes everywhere and subsequently becomes more and more dirty and smelly. But that’s one of the things Lucy loves most about her.

A crisis occurs when Smelly Baby accidentally falls out the car window and is lost, and all the devastated Lucy is left with is one of her Lovey’s arms. But (spoiler alert) no worries, Smelly Baby is found and returned and even Lucy’s sister Ivy, who can’t stand Smelly Baby, is relieved.

Devany says the original inspiration for the book was her “Little Bear” who smelled like grape jelly and apple juice and flew out of a taxicab window when she was 4 years old.

“I wasn’t airing him out as Lucy was doing with Smelly Baby,” Devany recalls. “I was letting him enjoy the breeze, as if he were a dog with its head out the window, tongue flapping.”

But she says it was working at the toy store and meeting all these dilapidated Loveys that the children walked in with that really got the ball rolling for her to write this book.

“One little boy came in clutching an elephant trunk in his hand. I asked him about it and he said the dog had destroyed most of what was once a stuffed elephant toy and all he had left was the trunk.

“Another little girl would have these lengthy dolly conversations with me — they were hysterical,” Devany says. “She had very serious dolly parties where she designed all the dolly snacks. The day that inspired me to start writing this story, she had come in and wasn’t in the best of moods. She had just had a dolly party, and now I’m fascinated and asked her what was wrong. All she said was, ‘Dolly drama,’ and added, ‘Big Baby came to the party.’ I wanted to know who is Big Baby, what happened?”

It was about five years ago when Devany, attempting to cook Thanksgiving dinner, got an idea. The name Lucy came to her for the book’s main character and she could see the little girl overseeing a vast number of dolls — 17 to be exact.

“I don’t do well in the kitchen and I was trying to dice potatoes when I abandoned the kitchen and started typing the manuscript,” Devany says, “and I was fired from cooking Thanksgiving dinner — my daughters took over.” 

Journey to publication

Devany was born in Flushing, New York, and during her childhood she also lived in New Jersey, Virginia and Texas.

“I had a very creative family,” she says. “My mother had a little TV show, my father was a published author, and all of us were in theater, sang and danced.”

Devany started writing 20 years ago while in the middle of a divorce that inspired a story titled “If Daddy Were a Dinosaur.” She sent it to an agent who, she says, loved her writing but didn’t think divorce was prevalent enough at that time to publish a children’s book about it. The agent did tell her to keep sending her manuscripts.

Meanwhile, Devany started designing appliquéd clothing and bibs for children and was busy taking care of her own two daughters.

Years later, when Devany’s agent sent the book out to Christy Ottaviano Books — an imprint of Henry Holt and Company — it turned out that Ottaviano had come to Devany’s craft shows and purchased her products for her children.

“She immediately connected with the book,” Devany says, “and then realized I was the person she had bought clothes from so many years earlier!”

Devany is thrilled with the illustrations by Christopher Denise of Barrington, Rhode Island, who has illustrated more than 20 children’s books, including two of the books in Brian Jacques’s acclaimed “Redwall” series.

“The publisher asked me to look at Christopher’s portfolio and I loved it. It’s the expression in all the characters’ faces and the love Lucy has for this doll that his illustrations (capture). He really put the spotlight on Lucy’s determination, loyalty to her smelly doll and her resiliency.”

The book’s publication is bittersweet for Devany, whose husband, John MacLeod, died in June after being diagnosed with ALS only six months earlier.

“He and my father kept pushing me to write children’s books and I just kept dragging my heels,” Devany says. “My father died five years ago. Neither of them saw the book published, but they’re with me in spirit.

“This book is also a celebration of life,” she adds, “and learning to go on after we lose something much larger than a childhood Lovey.”

Devany is looking forward to her book launch at Bank Square Books (see sidebar on page C1).

“It’s a privilege writing for these kids,” she says. “I can’t wait to get down on the floor and talk with them and meet their Loveys, which are such vital transitional toys in a child’s life.”

Davany also invites kids and adults to share their childhood Lovey stories. Use #WhosYourLovey on social media or contact her through her website, http://betsydevany.com.

“Lucy’s Lovey” (ages 3-7) by Betsy Devany, illustrated by Christopher Denise (Christy Ottaviano Books-Henry Holt and Co.), is $17.99, hardcover.

Booksigning event

What: Booksigning/release party with author Betsy Devany and illustrator Christopher Denise; children are encouraged to bring their favorite Loveys, and the bookstore will provide crafts and snacks, plus wine for the adults.

When: Thursday, Sept. 29, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Where: Bank Square Books, 53 W. Main St., Mystic

More info: Visit www.banksquarebooks.com or call (860) 536-3795