Blog Archives
Literary Titan Book Award August 2023
The Literary Titan Book Awards are granted to children’s books that have enchanted and delighted us with their distinctive storytelling, vibrant illustrations, engaging characters, or innovative concepts. These books merit extraordinary recognition, and we are thrilled to applaud the tireless efforts, commitment, and creative talent of these exceptional authors.
Award Recipients
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Literary Titan Book Awards August 2023
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 writing talent of these brilliant authors.
Award Recipients
The Die Game by Stephen A. Carter
Tales of Wonder by Kenneth Hawk
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Anything is Popsicle: Messages of Perseverance
Young children need encouragement through every stage of their development. From learning to crawl and walk to taking risks when it comes to making new friends, they need our support as they learn that mistakes are a part of learning. Trying their best and refusing to give up when things get too tough doesn’t always come naturally. Were it not for the encouragement and positive influence of others, children would learn that giving up feels like a better alternative than pushing through the struggle. Author Maria Cedolini Thompson offers children insight into some of life’s first true dilemmas.
Anything is Popsicle, Messages of Perseverance, written by Maria Cedolini Thompson and illustrated by Daria Shamolina, uses visually stunning images coupled with rhyming stanzas throughout to communicate a very important message to young readers. Thompson does a wonderful job of reaching out to children in lower elementary grades and encouraging them to persevere regardless of their trials.
From taking on the challenges found in the classroom to being faced with naysayers who question their choice of clothing, young readers will find comfort in Thompson’s verse. By reiterating that mistakes are, indeed, gifts, the author proves a point that many elementary students often do not see on their own–our mistakes are opportunities to learn and to grow. This book is a real asset to elementary teachers and guidance counselors.
Anything is Popsicle, Messages of Perseverance, written by Maria Cedolini Thompson and illustrated by Daria Shamolina, is a fantastic book children’s book that I highly recommend. Thompson and Shamolina have teamed up to create a beautifully constructed piece of art that carries an even more beautiful message for the youngest of readers.
Pages: 34 | ASIN : B0C47NHR3W
See Yourself in Cybersecurity
Our world is changing at a fast pace. Computers run every facet of our lives. It makes sense, then, that the up-and-coming careers all involve technology and how to live with and use it safely. Cybersecurity is an important buzzword in the technology community and one to which high school and college students are being introduced on a daily basis. Over the coming years, cybersecurity will become increasingly vital, and our world will need all hands on deck as we rocket forward into the age of computers. Author Zinet Kemal knows this all too well.
See Yourself in Cybersecurity, by written by Zinet Kemal and illustrated by C.J. Love, is a fantastic nonfiction book geared toward middle and high school students who may be considering a career in cybersecurity. Kemal is an award-winning author and a professional in the field of cybersecurity. Her contribution to middle and high school students is immense. Throughout this book, Kemal specifically defines each and every aspect of a career in cybersecurity, from forensics to the sales engineer. She leaves no stone unturned and no term undefined. Readers will find the glossary terms included on each page to be especially helpful as they explore this exciting career.
I am always looking for engaging material for my students, and See Yourself in Cybersecurity, by written by Zinet Kemal and illustrated by C.J. Love, more than fits the bill. I heartily recommend Kemal’s book for its thorough treatment of the topic, the straightforward and easy-to-follow explanations, and the vibrant illustrations that further serve to draw in readers. This is a solid book to include in any middle or high school library.
Pages: 38 | ASIN : B0C65XH788
Get Excited To Learn More
Susie and Johnny Grilled Cheese Take a Ride Through A Rainforest follow two adventure-seeking friends as they head off to the Amazon Rainforest to learn about the environment and animals that live there. What inspired you to write about this location?
The adventures Susie & Johnny Grilled Cheese are meant to educate readers about different places around and out of this world. We want children to look forward to the clues for each new book that rolls out and get excited to learn more and use their own imagination.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I love writing the Susie & Johnny Grilled Cheese series, because every book is different and are stories that were created with my three children Amelia, Emerson and Cambell. I’m also adding family members as characters 🙂
Who are some of your favorite authors that you feel were influential in your work?
What impact have they had on your writing? My children, they inspire me along with my son’s best friend / like a brother Owen, he’s the most excited. He said when he grows up he’s going to sponsor all the books 🙂 very sweet. Its exciting to watch the evolution of the books from sketches into fruition.
What next adventure are you working on for Susie and Johnny and when will it be available?
The next adventure is available now: Susie & Johnny Discover What’s Over a Rainbow.
Author Links: Facebook | Website
“Fractured Fairy Tales”
Digger The Colony Worker Ant follows a worker ant living with his stepmother and two stepbrothers who all try to keep him from going to the Gala. What inspired you to write a story retelling this fairy tale?
First of all, I always enjoyed reading “fractured fairy tales” or variations of familiar fairy tales from other countries to my younger students when I taught elementary school. These stories are great in teaching comparing and contrasting skills. Since I have several of fairy tale variations in my own library, I thought it would be fun to do one with ants.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
The personalities and emotions of the different characters. Digger, for example, is the kindhearted hero while his step family are just the opposite (self-centered, mean, lazy). I wanted to personify the nastiness of the stepmother and the stepbrothers.
Also, there is something I included that hopefully the readers will pick up on. Each character has the word “ant” in his or her name. For example, the stepbrothers are Dante and Grant. The stepmother is Shantelle, and there’s Queen Lantina and Princess Antilles. The only one who doesn’t have it is Digger.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Nana Melkadze?
Oh, absolutely Nana is an exemplary artist. I first worked with her (through the editor at Atlantic Publishing Group) on my first picture book, Caleb’s Adventures with Granddad and she did a fantastic job capturing the spirit and the vision I had for that story and I knew she would do the same with Digger the Colony Worker Ant. I would work with my editor and we discussed what illustrations were needed. The descriptions were then sent to Nana who lives in the country of Georgia. She would do pencil sketches and send them to the editor who would forward them to me. Once we approve of the basic illustration, Nana would do the color versions. It is interesting to note that Nana and I have never met. We now communicate with each other through Instagram. But we understand each other – she sees my vision and I appreciate her talents to bring the story to life.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
The next story that I have just begun working with the editor is called “Can We Have a Rhinoceros?” It’s about a boy who wants a rhino for a pet and tries to explain to his mother why he wants one, even though she says no. He suggests other animals but keeps coming back to the rhinoceros (and in the process readers learn about the rhino as well as other exotic animals the boy mentions).
Since we just mapped out the story with the illustrations, it should be out next year. It usually takes a year to get the book completed and out for purchase. I want a quality book each time so I may go slower to get the quality I want for the story.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook
As the colony queen, Lantina, prepares to host a Gala to find a suitable husband for her daughter, Princess Antilles, Dante and Grant have ideas to keep Digger from attending. Shantelle puts down Digger further by telling him that “an ant like you would never be permitted to dance with royal ants.”
However, Digger’s Lady God Bug makes it possible for him to attend the grand party. Will Antilles find her prince or will Digger’s step family prevent any romance between the royal Princess and the common worker ant?
This new retelling of a familiar fairy tale is bound to delight readers of all ages.
His Magnificence And Love Are Neverending
Henri and the Magnificent Snort follows a French bulldog who moves to a new place, and instead of finding friends, he is bullied for his unique snort. What was the inspiration for your story?
The inspiration for Henri and the Magnificent Snort comes from two true stories, one human and one dog.
The first story is my own childhood experiences with bullying when I moved to a new school for middle school. It was such a hard experience for me, and I wanted to create the book to help children and older children (aka adults) who have had life experiences that have caused them to question their own lovability. In the book, I tell my story through the lens of Henri and the other dogs. The things he experiences and the feelings that he feels, all mirror my own life experiences. It is a “dog’s version” of my story. I wanted to illustrate what happened to me using dogs because I felt that it was an approachable and palatable way for kids to understand bullying, and I wanted them to see the innocence and lovability of all of the dogs involved, and thus see their own lovability.
The second true story that inspired this book is the story of Henri. Henri is my former French bulldog. Henri is also a dog celebrity, known as Henri Le Frenchie. (His Instagram account @henrilefrenchie currently has 67K followers and he has been in newspapers, the Huffington Post, magazines, and on TV.) The book captures his uniqueness, his wonderful personality, his loving character, and his magnificent snort. It also follows the real story of his life, which included moving with me from New York City, where I was in graduate school and where he spent his puppyhood, to San Diego, California. You can also see pictures of Henri in the back of the book.
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
I wanted the book to be a fun way for children (and adults) to learn important messages about kindness, belonging, celebrating differences, and self-love. I wanted for people of all ages to close the book feeling touched and uplifted and reminded of their own magnificence and lovability.
I made it a rhyming book to add playfulness and humor, and to make it a joy to read out loud. It has a fun rhythm and it also helps to tickle the brain and get you thinking about what word might come next. The rhymes also helped to shape the story.
There are many themes within Henri and the Magnificent and it provides a groundwork for lots of discussion topics within a classroom or within a family or within friendships. It can be the start of conversations about moving, starting a new school, friendship, bullying, standing up for others, negative and positive self-talk, kindness, inclusivity, celebrating differences, self-image, self-esteem, reaching out to others for help, bravery, expressing yourself, and the importance of being yourself. It gives you a path to explore so many different topics with kids (or adults).
It is also a fun sweet tale of a cute, snorting French bulldog! It can also just be enjoyed as a story, and the messages and good feelings can subtly sink in in the process.
The art in this book is fantastic; readers can really grasp the emotions Henri is feeling. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Hannah Farr?
Thank you. I completely agree, illustrator Hannah Farr is extraordinary, and her art is fantastic! All of her art in the book is hand painted acrylic. It is all so special, so high quality, and so different from so much of what I’ve seen as the current trend in so many current children’s books. And she has a way with painting animals that is just magical. She captures their essence. It’s so incredibly beautiful.
Hannah Farr lives in Cornwall, England, and I am in Solana Beach, California, so our collaboration has taken place over the years from 5,353 miles apart! I love that life brought us together even though we live so far away. Our process was very organic. I came up with the story and what I thought I wanted for the illustrations and then we would go back and forth with brainstorming and sketches and tweaking and perfecting. She was beyond wonderful to have on my creative team. I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better illustrator; she was better than perfect. I feel so lucky. It makes me laugh because I’ve been looking through our past messages and seeing the original ideas that I would send her, which are like little labeled bubble figures with ears, and then she would turn them into the beautiful illustrations that exist in the book today.
And beyond her amazing art, she is just such a wonderful person. She is so talented, kind, creative, and so incredibly easy to work with and made it enjoyable. And she was so patient with me as kept adding more and more dogs to the book. (A fun side fact about the book is that almost all of the dogs in it are based on dogs from real life. They are the dogs of family, friends, and Instagram friends. Hannah has four of her own dogs painted in the book as well.) Hannah would even do things like ask me if it was ok for her to take another shot at a painting that I had already told her I liked, just to see if she could do it better. It was mind-blowingly wonderful to work with her. I honestly can’t say enough good things about Hannah.
Will this book be the start of a series, or are you working on a different story?
I have been asked that quite a bit lately! I currently have ideas for future children’s books, as well as ideas for nonfiction writing that I would like to do. We will see what will blossom… But I have no doubts that Henri will be a part of my future writing! He inspired and continues to inspire me in so many ways. His magnificence and love are neverending.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Book Instagram | Henri’s Instagram | Facebook
But when his family moves, he is bullied for the first time. Henri is launched on an adventure to learn about himself and the world, and to discover how lovable he truly is.
Equal parts charming and inspiring, readers will delight in and adore Henri and be moved by powerful messages of kindness and respect for all beings.
A heartwarming story for kids and grown-ups alike, with the central message that we are all lovable, SNORTS and all!
Starring Instagram’s famous Frenchie, Henri Le Frenchie (@henrilefrenchie).
Perfect for: kids, adults, dog lovers, Frenchie lovers, and anyone needing reminding that they are magnificent!
http://www.henriandthemagnificentsnort.com
Henri and the Magnificent Snort is inspired by the author’s experiences being bullied in school, mixed with the real life and unique characteristics of Henri, the author’s beloved dog.
This sweetly adorable story… is chock-full of heart, soul, and adventure…Expressed poignantly through simple, rhyming verse, the narrative beautifully conveys the reassuring message that we are all lovable despite our differences. Henri is an endearingly winning protagonist… Children will savor Hannah Farr’s vivid, dynamic illustrations… there is much to keep young readers’ interest. A stunner.
– The Prairies Book Review
[A] children’s book about bullying… Henri and the Magnificent Snort… follows the pup on his journey from shame for his snorting, to self-love and acceptance.
– The San Diego Union Tribune
When Henri is bullied at doggy daycare he discovers something amazing within him: the power to protect himself AND others. Just like in real life, Henri uses the power of love and belonging to keep himself safe and make the world a better place.
– Bubba’s Dad, Author of Bubba Heard an Angel
A Small Tooth is a Big Change For Kids
Terrific Teeth educates young readers about losing teeth and shows them how to handle it. What is the biggest fear kids have about losing teeth?
The fear of losing baby teeth has many surprising connections. It’s partly a physiological condition as new and unexpected changes happen to your body. Something that you just partially control yourself. Children may also fear that the process might be painful.
But there is some mental pain, too. The period when children’s baby teeth start to fall out is an extraordinary stage in their development. It is a turning point when a small child suddenly grows up to meet new challenges. Children can also be worried that a new kind of witch’s smile greets them in the mirror! And who knows when new teeth will grow to fill the gaps – if ever!
That’s why approaching school age, in particular, often increases the children’s pressure and worries about whether they will learn everything they need in time before school starts. Losing teeth and getting them out one by one is a new task children must face simultaneously with many other matters. They may try to be as competent as possible but still feel small and need assistance and support.
What are some key factors parents should keep in mind when helping their kids deal with losing teeth?
It’s essential to remember that the period of children losing teeth is more significant than you would expect. To deal with it wisely, we’ll better consider all the challenges connected to that particular turning point in children’s lives.
The adults begin to talk to their offspring about starting school. The child might get the first proper bike and practice the route to the schoolyard. Besides that, there a many more new skills to learn at the latest, before school – such as reading, swimming, and dressing all by yourself. A familiar life at home is scaling outward to the unknown.
In rapid changes and constantly facing new things, it is essential that the children feel safe all the time. Adults provide their best support by devoting enough time and patience and taking the little one’s concerns seriously. Don’t rush – removing tiny teeth from a small mouth is a necessary process that lasts several years. Let’s be happy with our child about this new phase as well.
Regarding this matter, too, it is good to remember that things look different when we look at them through the eyes of a child. This is especially true of all fears. What seems like a small thing to an adult may worry a child for weeks.
What is the biggest challenge you had as a parent around dental health?
I’m a mother of three children. Fortunately – based on my personal childhood experiences – I was well aware of the possible dental challenges they might face with their teeth. It has helped me approach my children’s upbringing with patient compassion also in this respect.
Each of my children had a unique approach to this teeth-losing period. One was very scared, and taking the tooth away was a multi-day operation for the whole family. The other was a quiet loner who just needed a little encouragement and, finally, some ice cream treats. Somebody needed some praising after proudly presenting the loose teeth between tiny fingertips.
My father helped me get some of my first baby teeth out. He took me to buy ice cream to celebrate our joint success. It left me with a pleasant memory that I have sometimes applied to my children. It has been nice to celebrate the lost tooth somehow together. With my youngest child, we sometimes had to consult the dentist, and after each visit, we went to the bookshop to buy a book, some paperware, or pencils. Soon he was almost waiting for those visits.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I have many roles in our small publishing company, Wickwick Ltd, and I work with stories along the production chain. That’s why I’m also now involved in the various stages of the books that we publish. There is writing, working with translators, editors, and illustrators.
I have just written many new manuscripts, as spring and summer are fruitful seasons for me. Stories pile up, and they will be published next year. I think the five stories I have written linked to important songs in my life will be fascinating. And I trust they’ll inspire the illustrators, too. Besides, I’m writing manuscripts for two great stories with very specific backgrounds. A family friend living on the other side of the world has “donated” me his unique experiences and suggested that I turn them into children’s books. And I will do it. However, it takes some time before these stories can be published with beautiful illustrations. I hope they will be ready for my readers sometime next year.
Fortunately, there are also books ready for publishing already this autumn. It calms my impatient mind! I’ll give you some examples. Friends and Rivals tells a story of power-hungry prince brothers. The illustration is made by the Croatian Iva Dukić. This is our first book together, and I’m delighted with the result. The book’s insightful pictures convey moods from the brothers’ carefree days as children as well as from the dark years of fighting for power.
Also coming soon is The Bird Prison – a fairy tale set in a beautiful garden with surprising limitations. The book has lovely hand-drawn watercolor illustrations by the Ukrainian Sofia Panchyshyn. A perfect garden turns out to be a difficult place to live for birds of different colors, each chirping their unique song. The stiff gardener, Griselda, is definitely not a fan of birds. I have witnessed with joy how my story has been transferred to paper in Sofia’s skillful hands. I expected wonderful pictures because I’ve seen some of her work before. But the illustration of this book exceeds all my expectations. I’m sure it will get a lot of admirers!
Author Links: Facebook | Website
“Terrific Teeth” is a book about losing baby teeth.
Is Emma about to start losing her baby teeth? What if they won’t come out–will horrible crocodile teeth grow inside her mouth, as her brother says? Luckily, Dad has some ideas in mind to help her.
Help! Emma’s first baby tooth is loose. “I want to keep this tooth. It’s just fine!” Emma insists.
But Emma’s brother is scaring her, telling her those horrible crocodile teeth will grow inside her mouth if she keeps all her baby teeth. Luckily, Dad has some ideas to help, and in the end, she gets to have a tooth party.
LITERARY TITAN 