Butler County Assistant District Attorney Russ Karl with his first book, “The Day Dreamers,” which he says he wrote for young readers as a transition between comic books and more serious reading.

Russ Karl has been practicing law for three decades, the last four years as the juvenile prosecutor for Butler County.

But he decided to put his long-neglected English degree to use by becoming a young adult book author.

It hasn't been easy. It took Karl nearly 10 years to bring “The Day Dreamers” between covers.

But he enlisted the aid of two of his eight children to help him complete the book, and he hopes the story inspires young teens to read more.

“I've been talking about writing a book for years. Finally, my wife, Laurie, said, 'Start writing or stop talking,” said Karl of Slippery Rock.

The story of five young friends who discover they can all dream the same dreams and later enter the mind of one who's slipped into a coma to help him out is aimed at 8- to 12-year-olds.

Karl said the story of “The Day Dreamers” is broken into seven short chapters.

“Every chapter has a picture that is detailed enough to help boys understand the story,” said Karl.

He said his book is a bridge to wean children from comic books, which are almost all pictures, to reading books.

“My book has descriptive pictures and also a lot of words,” he said.

For the illustrations of Ben David Gregory and his four friends, Karl said he turned to his son, Michael Wall, 34, a graphic artist in Salt Lake City.

“I explained to him what each character would look like and he came up with an illustration that was spot on,” he said. “I described each character and their personality and he brought them to life.”

Wall drew the cover and the pictures that begin each chapter.

Karl then turned to another of his eight children, Ariel Jensen, 26, of Arizona to be the book's “creative editor.”

“She gave my writing a much-needed dimension, took the rough edges off and made the story flow better,” Karl said.

The book was published by the Brothers Uber of Grove City on June 1. It is available online, in paperback and digital formats.

As for sales, Karl said, “I've heard it is going well. I haven't seen any statistics, but it's getting a good reaction.”

Karl said he has planned a series of eight “Day Dreamers” books, each beginning and ending during one week of a summer.

He said he is half way through the second book. The writing has been a lot easier, he said, applying the lessons learned in writing the first one. He expects to have the second done by the New Year.

“Each book will be based on something that has one foot in fact and then taken to another level,” he said.

But, he added, referring to his day job as juvenile prosecutor, “The reading is the important part. For a lot of kids that come through court, reading is a big issue.”