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Sharing Is the New Cool
Morgan is about to start his first day of kindergarten. As Morgan and his mom head out for school readers start to learn that there is something very cool about Morgan. He loves to share! Morgan encounters various situations throughout his day that show how kindness and sharing are two of the coolest qualities a kid can posses. Morgan is certainly worthy of the title printed on his backpack at the beginning of the story, ‘King of Cool’.
Beautifully illustrated pages, a cool little protagonist, and a heartfelt message all come together to create a fantastic children’s book that kindergarten and first grade readers will adore. The art throughout the book is bright and sharp and captures the emotion of each scene. There is plenty going on in the background of the scenes that will keep readers coming back looking for things they missed the first time. My favorite inconspicuous detail in the story was the ‘Crann’s Pizza’ shop.
There are a lot of emotional details in all the characters faces throughout this vivid picture book. This helps young children understand the emotion of each scene as their parents read the story to them. Parents looking for a book that promotes diversity will love Jacqueline Crann’s kids book as the entire kindergarten class is filled with diverse children. Kids will learn about a variety of things that are cool, like eating vegetables and reading books as well as sharing.
Author Jacqueline Crann has created a marvelous children’s book with a charismatic protagonist. Sharing Is the New Cool is a delightful picture book makes its point in the most charming way possible. Young readers will surely come back to this book again and again.
Pages: 29 | ASIN: B0B1C6BCT6
Lacie’s Moon
Lacie has recently lost two people in her family that she loved dearly. One night, while struggling to cope with the loss, her mother tells her a story about the girl who rides the moon. As Lacie drifts off to sleep she embarks on a fantastic adventure where she meets the moon and learns about love and loss. But is it just a dream? Or did it all really happen?
Author Natcole Staskiewicz has created a heartfelt children’s book that will help children understand love, grief and deal with loss. This exquisite kids book is like a fairy tale. The reader and Lacie are not sure if it actually happened until the wonderful twist at the end. This is an imaginative picture book that explores loss and love in a unique way that will be easy for young kids to understand.
Every other page is illustrated with sharp kawaii pop art. These vivid images bring a vibrant quality to the whole book and ensures that, even though the subject matter may be a little sad, the book feels lively. The art was my favorite part of the book. This could easily be a comic series. I would love to see Lacie go on many more adventures.
Lacie’s Moon is a beautiful children’s book that will be perfect for elementary school kids that are starting to read on their own. It would also be great for parents to read to smaller children at bedtime as the brilliant illustrations will surely keep their attention while adults read the story to them. This is an educational story about a tough subject but author Natcole Staskiewicz handles it with grace.
Pages: 59 | ASIN: B0B3NB4P15
Me In Animal Form
Tegan Finds Her Tribe follows an abandoned cat who joins a group of kindred spirits that help her live her best life. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The inspiration was a combination of my finding and rescuing a small kitten who became part of our tribe, and my escape from a toxic work environment during The Great Resignation. In the book, Tegan is essentially me in animal form. I have found a new life, kindred spirits, and am starting to realize my dreams! One of those dreams was writing a children’s book. Becoming both a publisher and author is much more than I ever imagined! But here I am!
This was a charming book with beautiful illustrations. What was the artistic process like to bring this book to life?
Being that Tegan Finds Her Tribe was my first attempt at writing and illustrating a book, it was a challenge! But I pulled it together somehow. I guess determination was the key.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun creating?
I enjoyed visualizing Tegan’s antagonists in the forest at night, and how they made her feel. She used that, refusing to let fear of the unknown conquer her. She knew intrinsically that she would persevere… somehow. She trusted herself, and took a leap of faith.
Do you have more children’s books planned that feature Tegan?
I hope to do at least one more book about Tegan (and Willow), I just haven’t figured out what’s next for Tegan or for me. In the meantime, I have two other books in the works.
Author Links: Amazon | Facebook
The story teaches authenticity, acceptance, diversity, inclusion, overcoming obstacles, empathy, the importance of having a sense of community, kindness, compassion, and realizing your worth. The story of Tegan’s journey encourages your child to appreciate their own unique traits and accept the differences of others so that everyone can thrive. It feels good to be yourself!
For ages 6 – 10
What All Dogs Really Yearn For
Walter follows a dog who is neglected by his owner and embarks on a journey to find his forever home. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I believe that educating younger generations is the key to ensure more responsible and loving pet owners.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Edixon Rodriguez?
Working with Edixon was a great experience. I talked to him a couple of times about each chapter and what I wanted to be portrayed in each illustration.
I sent him pictures of Walter and in a few weeks sketches were ready.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Walter explores important themes like irresponsible ownership of a dog, mistreatment, abuse, and the suffering of animals who have no voice. At the same time, Walter reflects what all dogs really yearn for, that is to be close to humans, to be loved and cared for. The ancestral connection between dogs and humans is an unbreakable bond that some of us don’t even deserve. When you read the story, you realize that Walter is also a brave dog who dared to jump the fence to see the world beyond, a world he never had the chance to see before. Sometimes we, humans, like to live comfortably in our patios, and we never dare to see what is on the other side, beyond the fence.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m working on “The Mouse in the Pumpkin”. It is a chapter book for children 8 years and up. It is the story of a family who is suddenly forced to flee their beloved home. I found inspiration for this book on our own journey as immigrants to the US back in 2016. Hopefully available by summer 2023.
“Little mouse knew fear. He was always afraid of being separated from his parents, he was afraid of his parents getting imprisoned for speaking their minds, he was afraid of him and his family facing starvation and mistreatments. He learned how to live in fear, being afraid can turn a little mouse into an adult one quickly. Little mouse learned to be brave and responsible, so he could face the dangers of the forced exile journey with his mom and dad; still, under the pumpkins and under the yellowish leaves, he became a little mouse again, running and laughing, climbing the fruits, swaying in the vines with joy”.
The Mouse in the Pumpkin-Sara V. Robinson 2022
Author Links: Facebook | Instagram
Walter es un perro cuya curiosidad y valentía lo llevan a saltar la cerca de su patio trasero y abandonar el único mundo que ha conocido. Se embarca en una aventura que lo obliga a cuestionar su antigua vida mientras enfrenta el miedo y la incertidumbre tras ser llevado a la perrera. Walter es inocente e ingenuo, pero pronto descubre lo desafiante que puede ser la vida real. Su viaje lo ayuda a confiar y amar nuevamente cuando su conexión ancestral con los humanos sea revivida al conocer a su amada familia Esta historia es ideal para defensores de los animales de todas las edades, ya que explora los problemas como el abandono y rescate de mascotas.
A War Against My Pride And Envy
Heart of the Forest: Book 1 of the Cousin Friendship Series follows two cousins who, after being forced to spend time together, end up on an adventure in an enchanted world. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Every friend of mine knows about Heart of the Forest because it was my first endeavor at writing. I was ten when I started the first manuscript, then titled “Cousin Relationship”. However, I bagged the story after two months because ten-year-old me couldn’t stand my writing. (I still have that manuscript now, it’s very cringeworthy!) It was only two thousand words then, hardly a novel. But seven years later, after completing nine novels, I finally had the courage to face my first rotten attempt at writing. I retitled the book “Heart of the Forest”, made the plot much more interesting than what it had been, and dedicated it to my ten-year-old self. I think she would have liked that!
I don’t have any siblings. Only two cousins. That’s why the story is about two cousins and not siblings. In the book, Ilyria breaks the fourth wall by saying, “The rivalry between cousins might make more sense than siblings. We live under the same roof as our blood brothers and sisters, but not always with our cousins. That makes it more likely to develop misunderstandings about them.” This is the second reason I chose to write about two cousins. And by the way, breaking the fourth wall is one of my favorite literary techniques!
What were some of the emotional and moral guidelines you followed when developing your characters?
Since this is a middle-grade novel, both Ilyria and Jerry demonstrate moral attributes such as courage, kindness, and wisdom, while learning to discover the positive character traits the other possesses. Yet at the same time, both of them must overcome a significant flaw. For Ilyria, it is envy. She envies Jerry, whose glamorous life as a straight-A student incites her jealousy and hatred. For Jerry, he must overcome his pride, which prevents him from befriending Ilyria in the first place. Interestingly, Jerry is painted as a villain in the first chapter, but then readers will grow to realize that he is “the lesser of two evils”, and in fact, Ilyria is more flawed as a character. It’s also worth mentioning that I once waged a war against my pride and envy, and that’s why I made my characters battle them, too.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Heart of the Forest deals with many themes—parent-children relationships, childhood innocence, sibling rivalry, and criticism regarding the educational system. I’ll share a couple of my favorite sentences from the book:
．Hurrying. Adults were always hurrying in their lives, fast-forwarding their clocks and running from place to place in a rush to get their tasks done, their duties fulfilled. Seldom did they stop to appreciate the little charms and marvels in life.
．Magic did not discriminate with age; as long as one believed, as long as one kept their heart open and welcomed miracles with wide arms, they’d find the world a much better place than they did in the first place.
．”Stories are like bridges that connect people with each other. C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Lewis Carroll, they’ve been dead for decades. But when I pick up their books and read their stories, it’s like they’re talking to me. It’s like I’m getting a glimpse into their brilliant minds and communicating with them in a spiritual way. And I’m not talking about fictional stories, either. Real stories have that same power. If two strangers share an experience and they tell each other about it, bingo—a connection formed.”
．”Not everything has to be important or unimportant. It all lies in the people who define and determine them. And who’s to judge? That’s a question with no answer. It varies, you see.”
．Only by setting our prejudices aside and focusing on what we have in common can we reach and achieve true harmony, for too often do we judge instead of understand, criticize instead of feel for another person.
．”I just like to think everything’s possible. It’s nice to believe the world has magic before growing up and getting accustomed to plainness.”
What is the next book in the series that you are working on, and when will it be available?
The Cousin Friendship Series consists of four books—Heart of the Forest, Magic of the Clearing, Rhythm of the River, and Soul of the Wind. I haven’t started writing Magic of the Clearing yet. Maybe it’ll be available next year. I’m kind of skipping around with various novel projects at this moment. Last week, I just finished a YA fantasy romance called The Lost Siren. And now, I might start a novel about a mortal boarding school with teachers who are in fact wizards and witches. It will be my first attempt at the paranormal genre.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Winston’s Big Wind
Ever since Winston was a baby he’s suffered from significant flatulence. When he started school his flatulence, also known as ‘fluffer doodles’ or a ‘bottom burp’, were just as powerful and were making Winston feel embarrassed. One day he was walking home from school and saw a girl stuck in a hole in the ground. He jumped in without thinking and his bas blasted them back out of the hole. Winston realized he had an ability that no one else had and decided to use it to save others.
Winston’s Big Wind is a hilarious children’s book that takes something that everyone does and gives it a fun superhero twist. I loved all the different euphemism’s that were used for Winston’s explosive gas. I laughed every time. The charming sketch art that is on every other page pairs well with the story and brings a welcoming charm to the book.
I thought this was going to be a story about how to deal with flatulence, but I was delighted to find out that this story is much more than that. This comical book sets up Winston as an amiable child and an unlikely hero. I heartily enjoyed the hero origin story trope at work in this amusing children’s book.
Winston’s Big Wind is a lively picture book that will have kids laughing at the different ways to say flatulence. This book is just pure fun all around. Author Barbara Reyelts has created a great book for elementary children that are developing their reading skills as it is one story they will certainly be begging to read.
Pages: 35 | ISBN: 1639884823
Just Janey’s Way
Janey has been a little stubborn lately, always wanting things done her way. After spending some time out in the garden with the class, and bossing her friends around, she finds herself all alone because no one wants to work with her. Will Janey find a way to work with others?
Just Janey’s Way shows how children that are stubborn may seem like bullies, but they are really just afraid and having control makes them feel safe. Once this issue is out in the open this book does a fantastic job of showing kids how to handle the situation. Opening up and talking about things is a critical step for Janey, and helps her reconnect with her friends. I thought this was a great lesson to teach to young children, because a lot of times children bottle up their emotions, and this book shows them that it’s okay to let others know your worries.
There is a wonderfully diverse cast of characters in this book that carry over from book one. I was also happy to see that Ben’s Fidget ball makes another appearance as this establishes a character trait throughout the series and also shows readers that people deal with their emotions in different ways. I think that this is really what this book, and book one in the Janey Series, was about; handling emotions.
Yet another fantastic and educational entry in The Janey Series. This is a vibrant picture book that is sure to keep kids engaged while teaching them a valuable life lesson. I highly recommend this children’s book. It would be great for gifting and is an exceptional kids book to add to any young child’s library.
Pages: 30 | ISBN: 1922670553
Janey Just in Case
Janey is worried about her first day of school. Unable to sleep, she gets up early to pack her bag with all the things she thinks she’ll need. She heads off to breakfast, but she is so nervous that she can’t even eat! So, she packs her bag with some snacks and some extras, just in case. Her dad thinks she may have overprepared for her first day at school. But it turns out, Janey has prepared herself to make new friends and help people in unexpected ways.
Author Mandy Woolf has created a wonderfully educational and encouraging children’s book that shows how one resourceful little girl overcomes her anxiety by preparing for any possibility. I really enjoyed the mantra throughout the story, “just in case”. This is a good mantra that parents can use when their own children don’t want to prepare for things. They have a pencil, so why would they need three? Just in case. This book sets a fantastic example for kids to understand how preparing for something doesn’t mean taking exactly what’s needed.
Every single page in this picture book is wonderfully illustrated. Each child is emotive and little children will be able to understand what each character is feeling because of the fantastic artwork by illustrator Elmira Georgieva. The colors are bright, and each drawing is very cute, ensuring this story will grab readers attention.
Janey Just in Case is an educational children’s book that will be perfect for parents to kids that are about to head off to their first day of school. This would also be a perfect picture book for teachers to educate their class on how to prepare for activities.
Pages: 32 | ISBN: 1922670235
LITERARY TITAN 