Blog Archives
Plant Seeds of Kindness
Lucky’s Halloween follows a black cat who spends Halloween helping lost children, replacing lost candy, and calming an anxious child. What inspired you to write a children’s book about a lucky black cat?
I’m a humane educator for my local cat shelter. One of the lessons I teach emphasizes dispelling the myth that black cats are bad luck. This is a crucial topic because this myth has perpetuated cruelty. What I love about this lesson is that it can be expanded to include teaching about prejudice against people as well. Humane education aspires to plant seeds of kindness and inclusivity. I hope that this book can act as one of those seeds.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun creating?
I can’t pick just one. Autumn is my favorite season, and Halloween is such a fun holiday. I thoroughly enjoyed creating every scene.
What do you hope young readers take away from your story?
I hope it inspires thoughtful compassion while they come away with the understanding that black cats aren’t bad luck.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I’m finishing up my third educational coloring book this month. This one is to aid with emotional regulation. It’s called “Calm Coloring With Animals.”
Author Links: Facebook | Website
Written by a humane educator, this gentle story dispels the myth that black cats are bad luck.
The Beauty of Imagination
What I Would Wish to Be follows Trey and his father on an adventure where they use imagination to become anything they want. How did you come up with the idea behind this story?
I had decided that I wanted to try my hand at composing children’s books. What I Would Wish to Be was the first one I was able to put together. I don’t know what it is like for anyone else, but I often have moments when I wonder what it would be like to become something else or someone else. I mean, you see a bee sailing through the air, and you wonder – is their life as hard of yours seems to be? Yes, they’re working all the time, but do they have to live with any sort of expectation for their life other than to just being a bee? The beauty of imagination is that we open ourselves up to the world around us.
Do you think all children have a good imagination, or is that something they need to work on?
I think that all children have the potential to cultivate wonderful imaginations. Now whether they will depends on the encouragement they get from the people they are surrounded with and love. If you’re not encouraged to think for yourself, to find your own solutions to problems, then your imaginative journey has been cut short before it has begun. I lived on a farm when I was a kid, so I was miles from any of my friends to be able to play with them. Imagination became my friend. As long as I could entertain myself, I was never truly lonely.
What do you hope young readers take away from your book?
It would be great if my book taught young readers to think outside the box. Yeah, everybody wants to be an astronaut at some point, but not everyone is going to get that chance, and yes, none of us will ever have the ability to turn into a bee, but neither of these things prevent us from imagining that we can have extraordinary lives. Empathy starts when we can put ourselves into other people’s shoes. Cultivate wonder around you about the amazing world in which we live.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The next children’s book I’m currently working on is about luck and Leprechauns. It will become available at the beginning of March – just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. May the luck of the Irish be with us all! 😉
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Website
Moraline
Moraline, by Cintia Alfonso Fior, is a middle-grade magical realism book about twelve-year-old Moraline, who moves to San Diego with her family. She is teased at school by other students, who also pull pranks on her, causing Moraline to run away, trying to escape. However, when she meets a sacred Lakota leader among the great Sequoias, Moraline is empowered to change the world around her. This experience inspires the young student to befriend other kids, and they find the power to fight injustice.
Cintia Alfonso Fior brings readers a story that is rich in culture and the good and bad of childhood. I enjoyed how she brought in a group of middle schoolers to show how they can be nice to one another instead of bullying each other. She shows that you don’t have to be an adult to make a difference in the world, which I found inspiring to young readers. It’s a fantastic book for schools, libraries, and families.
Moraline by Cintia Alfonso Fior is a fantastic and charming read that will captivate young readers’ attention while providing important motivational messages. The storytelling and characters are excellent, and I found the illustrations and author’s descriptions of the places vivid and enjoyable. Moraline’s character development was amazing, and I was cheering for her when she finally found her voice and confidence.
Moraline by Cintia Alfonso Fior is a powerful, relatable story that is well-written. It’s a great tale about a young girl overcoming her fears and not letting anyone or anything stand in her way.
ASIN B0BNQVG6FQ | Pages: 190
My Own Place To Belong
A Place to Belong is a charming children’s book that promotes diversity and self-acceptance through a fun and relatable story. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
My stories are inspired by my own experiences. You’ll see a lot of myself in this story. It was important to me to share my own story of what I went through as I grew up. It was often difficult for me to fit in with different groups. Despite not fully identifying with certain people, I learned it was okay. By creating my own friends, community, and family, I can create my own place to belong.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Mayara Nogueira?
Mayara was a pleasure to work with. I already had an idea of what the characters would look like. It was just a matter of communicating my vision to her and she drew the characters in her own way.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
It was mainly about making friends along the way in your life adventure. Together, you can create memories. The most important thing is that you can create a place where you feel at home.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
There are no new books in the works at the moment. However, we’ll see how things turn out. If you would like to see what I’m doing with my books, you are welcome to follow my social media accounts.
Author Links: Instagram | TikTok | Website
Tae watches a popular band perform and witnesses the exciting energy of the crowd. It’s now his turn on stage, and the audience becomes dead silent. To his surprise, they make fun of Tae, and he runs away in sadness. He always felt different, but never expected to feel so rejected.
While alone, hears a voice. He follows the voice and finds Ruby, the robin. Ruby tells Tae about Tiger Town—a place where everyone looks just like him. Immediately, he decides he must travel there. Will he make it to Tiger Town? Will he feel truly accepted?Read to find out more!
Meet Susie & Johnny Grilled Cheese
Join Susie and Johnny, the dynamic duo of best friends, on a tantalizing journey filled with education and adventure. These charming grilled cheese characters embark on a thrilling day at school before returning home for a scrumptious snack. But the excitement doesn’t stop there – they zip-line into their magical treehouse where a mystical vehicle whisks them away on an imaginative adventure.
Susie and Johnny are cute little grilled cheese characters that do everything little kids would do, they just do it as charming little sandwiches. Readers are introduced to the Toast family and Soup family, where we get a sense that everything in this world is food related. I enjoyed this unique twist as it provided a lot of adorable moments throughout the story. We learn a lot about Susie and Johnny and their world in this colorful picture book so I hope there are future books that will build on this creative foundation.
The friends go on a wildly imaginative adventure near the end of the story that will surely ignite children’s imagination. With vibrant illustrations and a whimsical narrative, Meet Susie & Johnny Grilled Cheese is a delightful children’s book that is sure to entertain children and spark the imaginations of young readers everywhere.
Pages: 52 | ASIN: B0BPMZ4TYT
It Is Always Appropriate To Ask For Help
Shrieks and Sounds and Things Abound: The Quiet Wants of Julien J. follows a young boy who loses his temper when his reading is interrupted. What was the inspiration for your story?
The inspiration for all of my stories (there are more to come!) comes from the common though unique challenges I’ve observed in my clinical work experienced by adolescents and early aged youth.
What morals were you trying to capture while creating your character Julien?
That it is always appropriate to ask for help; that we are always accountable for our actions; and that regardless of our age or size, we have agency and can direct a choice.
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
To always nurture socio-emotional growth; to remind that feelings, both big and small are okay-even if confounding.
Do you have more books about dealing with emotions planned? If so, when can readers expect your next book?
Yes, my next book is entitled: Troubles and Doubles and Reflections Askew! The Curious Case of the Two Emily Soos. It will debut in September of 2023 and will focus on the concept of negative self-talk or ‘intrusive thoughts.’
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
All Julien J. wants to do is read his comic book in peace, but when distractions interrupt him time and time again, his frustration boils over. Julien kicks at the ground, he yells, he cries, and when the dust settles, he can’t believe what he sees-Bluebullet, the hero from his comic book, is standing right in front of him!
Learn what Bluebullet has to say about working through the most frustrating moments like a true superhero!
Color Theory Is Huge
Raina’s Rainbow Lemonade follows a young girl who visits her grandmother and sets up a unique lemonade stand every weekend. What was the inspiration for your story?
My grandma and I have a real-life relationship that was my main inspiration when writing Raina’s Rainbow Lemonade. I was raised primarily by her and other extended relatives. She taught me about my culture, and the importance of loyalty, love, and family. I wanted to dedicate something special to her.
Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your story?
Nothing literal, no. I never ran a lemonade stand, but I did spend a lot of time with my grandma doing other things together.
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
Color theory is huge. I also wanted to stress the importance of community engagement and entrepreneurship.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am working on a full series about Raina. The next book will be “Raina’s Magic Meltdown” and it will be available this fall!
In Raina’s Rainbow Lemonade, readers will learn the basics of color theory as well as the value of serving the community as they join Raina and Grandma for a fun-filled day of making rainbow lemonade.
That One Cracks Me Up!!!
Eat, Eat, Eat! Cheese, Cheese, Cheese! is the cautionary tale of three hungry mice who encounter a hungry cat in a cheese store. What was the inspiration for your story?
The Eat, Eat, Eat! Cheese, Cheese, Cheese! story is interesting because I started the drawings in high school, and now 52 years later, I finally finished the pencil drawings and book design for publication. On average, some of my picture books take a year or two to complete. But then again, it all depends on the illustration style I use. Two other picture books of mine, It’s Music Time, and You Can’t Tickle Me, the illustrations took five years to do.
I actually started the drawings for my cheese story as an art class project in high school. When I graduated high school, I had created only three illustrations. And at that time, I wasn’t thinking of any story to go with the drawings. During the course of the past 52 years, every now and then, I would pull out the illustrations and would work on a new drawing. It took me two to three months to do one drawing for this story.
Seven years ago, I finally figured out the storyline. And seven years later (actually 52 years later), the story and illustrations were finished and ready to be made into Eat, Eat, Eat! Cheese, Cheese, Cheese!
I loved the illustrations for this picture book, they are creative and entertaining. What was your favorite scene to illustrate in this story?
That is such a difficult question to answer. It is impossible for me to pick a favorite illustration for any of my picture books. But the one that took the longest in this story is the very first drawing in the book with the three cheese-hungry mice sailing a cheese boat. The one that makes me really laugh is the one with the cat wearing her big glasses. That one cracks me up!!!
I will say this, as much as I love drawing my stories, I love designing the book just as much!
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
The central theme is the consequences we must face when we overindulge. Most times, too much of a good thing is just that, too much of a good thing. But it always amazes me after I write a story all the different learning aspects that will come to light.
Will you be writing more picture books with a message like this one?
That’s another excellent question. I never know what my next picture book will be like or what message it will develop from the writing. All I know is an idea will always find a way to inspire me to do another picture book.
Author Links: Amazon | Website
But when the cat, Gourmet, gives up a perfectly good dish of cat food for the chase of fresh mice, she finds that she too must deal with specific consequences.
LITERARY TITAN 