Tracy White, a children’s author in Kernersville, will read her book, Kimi Sue, at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Kernersville library.

White’s book is about a sugar glider named, Kimi Sue.

Sugar gliders are marsupials, and each female has a pouch to care for its young. Sugar gliders live in Australia, Indonesia, New Guinea and Tasmania and are in the same order as kangaroos, opossums and Tasmanian Devils.

Sugar gliders are nocturnal and live in trees.

They glide to the ground by jumping out of the tree, and their body acts as a parachute to bring them to the ground. They get sugar from the fruit that they eat.

Kimi Sue doesn’t like to eat healthful food. While her friends are learning to glide, she sits around and fills up on junk food until she is too big to learn to glide.

Her mother is concerned about Kimi Sue and stresses to her how important it is to eat healthy food.

“With childhood obesity rates going up, the book gives an important message to children about proper eating habits without being harsh,” White said. “To me, the message is appropriate for any age.”

She said that in addition to the message about eating properly the book encourages children to use manners and listen to their parents.

White said that the book is geared for children ages 4 to 8.

It took her about three years from the time she thought about writing the book until it was published.

“Most people don’t know about sugar gliders,” White said.

Evelyn Gilbertson, the children’s librarian at the Kernersville library, said that White’s program is a special program for school age children. “It’s a cute story,” she said.

Kimi Sue will be at the reading, so that children can see what a sugar glider looks like.

White has conducted environmental-education programs for about 10 years and writing a story about Kimi Sue just came to her one day, she said.

There are two more books in the works.

One of the books is Barbie, about a hedgehog who cannot find anyone to hug her.

White will have copies of Kimi Sue available for sale and will sign copies. The book cost $14.95, plus tax.

■ Melissa Hall can be reached at 996-6601 or mhall@wsjournal.com.

■ For more information about Kimi Sue, visit www.wallabypress.com