Resident Elizabeth Page Gretz has written a guide book on Naperville that could be a Bible for people visiting the place for the first time.

Gretz says her inspiration to write the book came when she newly relocated to Naperville and couldn't find a proper guide book about restaurants, shopping, places to go and things to do in the city, she couldn't find one.

"They told me that would be a good idea for a book," Gretz said, after visiting a local bookstore.

The mother of three then went on to write her book which she titled "Live and Laugh in Naperville." Along with addresses and contact number of popular stores, activities for children and other services, the book also includes  numerous feature articles on civic organizations and leaders such as 360 Youth Services, the public library and the police and fire chiefs.

"The day I moved to Naperville was truly the first time I'd ever driven here," Gretz said. "I had no sense of direction at all. It was the first time I'd ever lived in a single-family house and it was all new, interesting and fascinating to me."

Gretz said it was not easy for her to find information "like knowing where and how to engage one, two and three-year-old children."

"The most fascinating aspect to me, in terms of places to go, was Naper Settlement," Gretz said. "I'd always thought it was simply an old piece of property with a schoolroom, but I found it to be one of the most spectacular venues in Naperville. You can baptize your child there, you can get married there, you can decorate a Christmas tree there, you can re-enact the Civil War there."

"It's a great source of information," said Naperville Mayor George Pradel, who wrote the introduction to 'Live and Laugh in Naperville.' "I think this book needed to be written because it has a lot of insight and is written in a fun way. It's got good information, it's up to date and everything you need to know is in one place."

Gretz, who is a wedding planner by profession says she didn't have much writing experience prior to writing this book.

"We did a bridal show every year at the Palmer House, and I put together a book for the participants," Gretz said.

"We haven't put into place any massive marketing campaign because of all the little considerations that go with self-publishing a book," Gretz said. "But this was a huge goal of life accomplished."