Blog Archives
Merren and the Heron
![Merren and the Heron by [Tony Dow, Darya Shchegoleva]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51+EmLZMqvL._SX260_.jpg)
Merren and the Heron, by Tony Dow is an adorable story about a class of children visiting the zoo. Their teacher instructs them to take a picture with an animal that rhymes with their name. As the children wander around the zoo, they struggle to get their pictures. Then, an even worse problem arises, they can’t find their classmate Merren! As the kids continue to search for Merren, they still haven’t gotten their pictures and now there’s too much to worry about!
Tony Dow’s story is filled with lovable characters and exciting rhymes. It engages young readers, allowing them to learn rhyming structure, while solving a fun mystery. The drawings on every page have colors that pop, making it even more appealing. Overall, Dow provides a story that children can read many times without getting bored.
I am giving Merren and the Herren, by Tony Down 5 out of 5 stars. Its mystery filled storyline and use of engaging literary techniques makes the story stand out from most children’s books. Its colorful drawings bring the characters to life and makes the audience even more absorbed with the story. Merren and the Heron is one of the most unique children’s stories I have read this month.
Pages: 13 | ASIN : B08LBQX961
I Wanted Him to be Honored
My Time With Papa helps readers deal with the loss of a loved one by reminding them of all the wonderful memories they have. Why was this an important book for you to write?
It was important for me to keep the book lighthearted but also provide a discussion for parents to have with children. I also wanted to make sure my stepfather came to life in the book by capturing things he loved and the bond he had with his granddaughter.
The art in this book was vivid and bright. What was the art collaboration like on this project?
My illustrator was fantastic in capturing my stepfather’s likeness. It was uncanny. I was very specific in what I wanted in the book because it was a reflection of him and I wanted him to be honored. My illustrator took the details and embodied the emotions I wanted to capture by keeping the illustrations lively and colorful.
Do you have plans to write other children’s book?
Yes, I do! After writing this book, I fell in love with process and wrote three more. I look forward to sharing those with the world as well!
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Mommy, Daddy Please Teach Me!
![Mommy, Daddy Please Teach Me! (What I Tell Myself) by [Michael A Brown, Michelle Mathews, Zoe Ranucci]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51CjFXcXroL.jpg)
Mommy, Daddy Please Teach Me!, by Michael A. Brown, is an educational children’s story about appreciating what our parents have done for us. Through this book readers will learn to value the things their parents have taught them by exploring various real life examples such as learning to dress themselves and learning to love themselves. The story portrays diverse families in many different situations that children find themselves in on an average day. The author then uses this base to show some simple, but effective, examples of the numerous ways that parents help their children learn and grow.
It’s important to appreciate the things our parents have taught us. They have taught us a lot of things that have helped us become the people that we are today. Our parents have always been there to guide us through life and it is important to think about what we have learned from them. Michael A. Brown inspires this kind of thought and understanding in his exceptional picture book.
Along with the multiple examples given that show how parents educate children, this cute book also helps remind kids to cherish the lessons their parents give them. If the reader were to discover something in the story that they didn’t know about, such as the concept of money, then they’d have something new to discuss with their parents.
Mommy, Daddy Please Teach Me! is yet another brilliant book by Michael A. Brown that uses beautiful illustrations to capture children’s attention and then inserts a lesson while looking over all the beautiful imagery.
Pages: 34 | ASIN : B08K3QQNMG
My Time with Papa
My Time with Papa by Shauntae Spaulding is a heartwarming children’s picture book that tells the story of a little girl whose father has passed away. Her mother is there to support her as she grieves and helps her understand her heartache. Her mother tells her not to think of it negatively, to remember all the fun times she had with her dad. Thus begins the story as the girl closes her eyes and she and her father are reunited in her imagination.
Shauntae Spaulding navigates the devastating topic of loss while being respectful. Spaulding’s tone throughout the story helps keep the mood happy, which I am supremely grateful for, because as soon as I found out what this book was about my heart ached and I wasn’t sure I was ready for such despair. But this is an ultimately uplifting story that will remind children that our loved ones leave their memories behind. It teaches them to stay optimistic and hold onto those good memories. The use of rhyme and vivid artwork keep the reader engaged and eager to continue. The art is exceptional and seemed to me like it was ready to be made into an animated story.
My Time with Papa is touching and thought-provoking and gives children a unique tool to deal with grief and loss and Shauntae Spaulding has managed to do this in a fun and imaginative way.
Pages: 24 | ISBN: 978-0228830726
Literary Titan Book Awards November 2020
The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and imagination of these talented authors.
Gold Award Winners
The Enigma Threat by Roxanne Burkey and Charles Breakfield
Silver Award Winners
The Touring Pro: A Person of Interest by Frederick L Malphurs
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information and see all award winners.
Wildflowers
Believe in Fairies is an enchanting children’s picture book that gives readers a reason to appreciate wildflowers. How did you come about this theme for the book?
This book was Sherrie’s idea; she’s a keen gardener who loves fairies. My series of children’s books tackle the topic of conservation, and Sherrie shares my concern regarding the loss of wildflower species, here in the UK. The fairies help educate children and their parents about the various types of wildflowers, and their enemies such as snails and mice. The book encourages children and their parents to grow wildflowers and to appreciate them in the meadows and other open spaces.
You wrote this book with Sherrie Trotman. What was the collaboration like between you?
The collaboration was easy and enjoyable. Sherrie wrote the first draft of the poem, and I edited and added to it. I hired and worked closely with the illustrator, communicating Sherrie’s original ideas and those of my own. Once we approved the artwork, I designed the finished book.
I loved the little cute snail that makes an appearance in this book. Do you have any favorite scenes from the book?
Our favourite illustration is titled ‘Their will-o’-the-wisp may give you a fright’. It features three fairies with ghoulish-blue glows. In the foreground, we see two terrified mice fleeing from them. The cute snail was originally a mouse. However, because we have two mice in ‘Their will-o’-the-wisp may give you a fright’, I asked the illustrator to change the other mouse into a snail. I’m glad you like it.
Do you have any future collaborative books that you’re working on?
We have several ideas for collaborative books. However, at the moment, I’m working on the final two books of the Wayne Gerard Trotman’s Rhyming Stories series.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
So beautiful, magical, and joyous a sight
From the realm of the fays, across the sea
Watch as they play in the hollow of a tree
They keep many fields and meadows alive
By helping wild herbs and flowers survive
A fairy tale for the young and the young at heart.
Learn to appreciate wildflowers and be inspired to help them grow in this beautifully illustrated rhyming tale for ages 4+.
Because You Care for Beany Bear
Because You Care for Beany Bear is a fun and colorful interactive children’s picture book that follows Beany Bear on several different adventures. Beany Bear starts the story on his own in this rhyming adventure book and slowly collects a band of new friends along the way. Each animal friend is different and comes with a new lesson to teach young readers.
Christine Logan has written a charming children’s adventure story that seeks to educate children with simple rhymes and fun friends. New readers will easily pickup new words throughout the story, but I think this book is best read with an adult. The book is interactive and speaks directly to the reader, getting them to interact with the story and help Beany Bear in many of the varied situations that he finds himself in. There are several things throughout the book that the reader is supposed to find on the page, but these are often pointed out to the reader with arrows. I felt like this removed the opportunity for readers, with parent guidance, to search the page on their own.
The illustrations throughout this wonderful book are all exceptionally well drawn, vibrant, and welcoming. Each page is fully colored and has plenty of imagery for readers to indulge in. Because You Care for Beany Bear is really a collection of short stories that take Beany Bear on many different adventures with each one leading into the next one. The song at the end was the icing on the cake. I can imagine singing this song with my child every time we read this book as a fun way to end the story.
Pages: 52 | ASIN: B08KJSRZ8L
Thrill and Wonder
Don’t Drink the Pink is a rhyming children’s story about a girl that’s given special potions but told to avoid on mysterious one. How did the idea for these magical potions come about?
I think it really came from asking the question – ‘What would a super exciting birthday present look like for a young child?’ Initially, I considered some crazy but exciting contraptions that her grandfather would give to her, but in the end, I think the idea of physically possessing something magical through a simple drink is a little more enchanting to read. In addition, it allows for some interesting contrasts between the reactions of Grandpa Gilderberry and Madeline’s parents. This dynamic I think heightens that sense of relationship between Grandfather and Granddaughter.
The scene where Madeline breathes fire is my favorite scene because it’s so cute. Do you have a favorite scene from the book either creatively or artistically?
There are so many great scenes. Lenny Wen did an incredible job throughout the book and I really looked forward to seeing her interpretation of the effect each potion had on Madeline. I think if I absolutely had to pick a favorite scene though, it would be when Madeline flies. Not only would this be a great gift to have, but Lenny has really captured the sense of thrill and wonder. When I first saw the illustration, I immediately thought of Peter Pan flying over London with Wendy and her brothers. Madeline looks like she is having the time of her life, but isn’t yet accustomed to the art of flying.
The novel does a great job of showing how we all grow older. Much like The Giving Tree, I found it to be beautiful but melancholic. Why was this a topic you wanted to cover in the book?
One of the important themes I wanted to cover was just how different aging can be for children and older family members. For a child, growing up can be exciting – a journey towards infinite possibilities and independence. I think when you’re young, adults and particularly older adults can look a little like they’ve ended their journey – they’ve made it – they’re immersed in the life that a child is growing into! Yet, as I’m sure every adult will tell you, the journey never really ends. Life continues to change and move to its inevitable and somewhat uncomfortable conclusion. I hope the book gently explores these different stages of life’s journey, but most importantly I wanted it to highlight the magic that exists – particularly through the people we love – no matter where we are in life.
What is the next children’s book that you’re working on and when will it be available?
I have a few children’s books that I’m currently working on – one of which is an exploration of imagination and hope in mundane and difficult circumstances. It’s a little different to some of my other books, but I really wanted to take young readers into a slightly more gritty and confronting world, while infusing it with magic and wonder. I’m excited to release it, but it’s probably a little way off yet. In the meantime, I’m hoping to release a series of basic concepts books for toddlers. These books will cover a broad range of learning skills that I plan to illustrate and design. My hope for these books, is that they offer parents a clean, well designed and minimalist approach to the alphabet, numbers, shapes, and other important concepts.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Website
LITERARY TITAN 