There are quite a few tall tales surrounding Manheim resident Jack Fasig - literally. Jack, who was born in 1894, was famous for his height and strength. He was 7 feet tall and weighed 400 pounds. Despite his size, however, Jack was known for being a kind man. Author Mike Gerhard tells the story of Jack in a new children's book, "Gentle Giant: A Story of Jack Fasig, Legend of Lancaster."

Geared toward children ages 4 to 10, the book teaches a lesson about kindness. "Jack was very powerful and very kind," Gerhard wrote in the story. "He was not a bully. He used his great strength to help others. Jack knew that with great power came a greater responsibility."

To write the book, Gerhard did extensive research on Jack, working with Cory Van Brookhoven, president of the Lititz Historical Foundation; the Manheim Historical Society; the Historical Society of Pennsylvania; and other people and organizations.

Although much of the book is historically accurate, the story begins with a disclaimer: "Some of what follows is true." While Gerhard embellished some of the tales of Jack's size and strength, he included facts such as Jack's nicknames, including "Man Mountain" and "Lancaster's Paul Bunyan." The book also details Jack's intelligence, noting that he was valedictorian of his high school, often quoted Shakespeare and was known for singing German operas.

Gerhard, who grew up in Lititz but moved to Manheim when he married his wife, Donna, worked at Raymark years ago. "Everyone there talked about Jack," he recalled. "They said how big and strong he was, and there were all kinds of rumors about him."

Over the years, Gerhard began collecting information on Jack. He thought he might write a novel about Jack but struggled to complete it. "Then my daughter said, 'Dad, you like to draw. Why not do a children's book?'" Gerhard recalled. "One of the reasons I wanted to do this book was to tell Jack's story and make sure he is not forgotten."

Gerhard worked on the book during the height of the pandemic, some days spending 10 minutes on it, some days working for hours to write the story and draw the illustrations. Once the book was finished, he considered publishing it through a traditional publisher, but changed his mind once he realized that could take a while. "I'm 72," he said. "Most of the publishers said it could be six months till they got back to me, and I can't wait that long." Instead, he self-published the book, which was released in late 2022.

Depending on how this book is received, Gerhard said he'd love to write a sequel. He hopes that children will take away an important message from the book. "I wanted to teach a lesson," he said. "Kindness is its own reward."

Gerhard will sign copies of his book at Stauffers of Kissel Hill, 945 E. Main St., Mount Joy, on Saturday, Jan. 7, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The book is available for sale at Longeneckers True Value, 127 Doe Run Road, Manheim, and on Amazon.