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Legend of the Ishkadees
In Legend of the Ishkadees, Richard Polak spins a children’s tale that reaches far beyond the bounds of bedtime storytelling. At its heart is young Emet, a boy whose imagination is fired by a fantastical legend, one more vivid than any he’s heard before. It tells of a mystical land teeming with extraordinary creatures, none more captivating than the elusive Ishkadees. These beings possess healing powers beyond comprehension, but their gifts come with a catch: they can only be bestowed upon those under the age of nine. With his ninth birthday just days away, Emet finds himself in a race against time. His goal isn’t mere adventure; it’s to save his ailing mother.
What unfolds is a narrative where fantasy and urgency collide. Emet, accompanied by three family members, embarks on a journey that quickly turns from storybook whimsy to desperate reality. Will this small band prove worthy of the Ishkadees’ miracle?
Polak crafts more than a simple fable. Beneath the surface lies a layered, emotionally resonant story, one that carries more weight than typically found in children’s literature. The tone echoes the richness of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, with a similar blend of wild wonder and moral substance.
Though the tale pulses with imagination, it remains tethered to the real. Emet is a dreamer, accustomed to his father’s bedtime tales. When he first hears of the Ishkadees, he files it away as just another yarn. Yet as events unfold and hints of truth emerge, he embraces the possibility with the open-hearted faith only a child can muster. Polak deftly captures that fleeting capacity for belief, a kind of intuitive magic thinking that defines childhood.
As the narrative progresses, the line between myth and reality begins to blur. The Ishkadees’ world, dreamlike and ethereal, intersects with the grounded needs of a family in crisis. This collision feels purposeful. Polak seems to suggest that healing, both physical and emotional, often requires a meeting point between innocence and realism.
Despite the story’s weightier themes, the tone never becomes too heavy. Polak balances gravitas with a sense of wonder, never allowing one to overpower the other. Readers will find themselves rooting for Emet, feeling his urgency, and marveling at the imaginative world he traverses.
The Legend of the Ishkadees is a thoughtful and compelling journey, one that lingers, offering both delight and reflection in equal measure.
Pages: 125 | ASIN : B0F2GMLGFB
Hope in Any Situation
Walking with the Sun follows two best friends who decide to walk to the West in an attempt to escape the scorching Sun, only to find no relief. What was the inspiration for your story?
My humble greetings to all the Readers! Long back, around 2010, I was a member of an online writing community. I had a Basic Portfolio with my poems and writings. We could participate in various contests; this particular contest had a picture prompt. The picture captured a beautiful Sunset; in the foreground were silhouettes of an Elephant on the ground and an Eagle flying. We all know that the Sun rises in the East and sets in the West. This idea of what happens if you travel and move with the Sun was the intriguing question that lingered in my mind. I could only think of a Children’s story. And I wrote Walking with the Sun.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Julia Duclos?
Thank you! Yes, @juhd is fantastic. We have collaborated on six books so far. We are working on the next one. I love Julia’s unique, dreamy illustrations and memorable character designs. First, she read the story and made a storyboard; we split the text into a standard 32-page book with 12 full Illustration spreads. Then, we started with the characters Gaja and Garud. I was specific about the characters’ features being expressive. After a few attempts, we locked the character-looks. I was highly impressed! Having your characters come to life after almost 10 years is a great feeling. We celebrated by posting the Character introduction on all our social media platforms. Once the characters were designed, everything else just flowed. Despite any artistic disagreements, we share a beautiful friendship after working together for so long. We have a really strong bond that way. To work together as collaborators, we need the delicate understanding to treat work disagreements separately and not take things personally. After all, both the Author and the Illustrator are walking towards the same destiny and want the book to excel. Keeping the best ideas of both is the key. To more collaborations!
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
“Following Garud’s idea, they walk towards the West to escape the scorching heat. The ignorant friends only learn at the end that they are walking with the Sun. Later, there is a big surprise awaiting Gaja!”
As I wrote the story, I knew I had to talk about sorrow and how to handle discomfort. It is essential to show Children that it is impossible to come out of sad feelings if you sit with them.
You have to walk out and move away to overcome discomfort. And there is hope in any situation. There is definitely a way out.
Three key talking points/messages in the book:
- An interesting journey with Gaja, the Elephant, and Garud, the Eagle. Beautifully illustrated
characters and story events. The illustrations are dreamy, soothing, and intriguing all at the same
time! - Morals:
●Walk away from discomfort to overcome it.
●Sorrow is never permanent.
●After every sunset, there is a promising sunrise. - A sweet surprise and a celebration at the end!
Walking with the Sun is a cute jungle friendship story, with an Elephant and an Eagle as
characters. This book is a winner of 2023 Literary Titan Award and a 2024 Next Generation
Indie Book Awards Finalist.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
After Walking with the Sun, I have published a poetry chapbook (A Mirage of Golden Glitter). And I recently published a Science Fiction Novella, Lost. Leap. Loop. Both of these are available on Amazon. Also, I recently published an Audiobook version of Walking with the Sun. It is free if you have a Library Card (Overdrive and Libby). It is available on Audible, too. I am currently working on another Children’s Picture Book, The Work of Art on the Wall.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Libby | Amazon
round the clock,
Did they find a hawk?
Or a big rock?
What did Gaja talk?
Who did Garud mock?
Ideas, they unlock!
Squawk… squawk…
Knock… knock…
Following Garud’s idea, they walk towards the west to escape the scorching heat. Did they really walk away from the Sun? Later, a big surprise awaits Gaja!
Gratitude
Pixie and the Elethunk follows a young girl who believes having an exotic animal as a pet would make her unique and special and the adventure she goes on to learn an important lesson. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
When I was quite small I begged my grandparents to get me a monkey. Believe it or not, they did. I was so excited, but the monkey for its part was not thrilled to meet me. It was very aggressive and I saw clearly that some animals weren’t capable of being gentle pets. I realized that the perfect pet would have to be as sweet as my two dogs were. They were black labs. To be honest, this is a lesson from my own childhood, a value that I seem to return to daily.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Gratitude is my favorite theme. I believe that if we live in gratitude we won’t want for much. There is an exercise that I love called, “Gimme five.” That means when you awaken, every morning think of five things that you are thankful for. The thing I love most about the exercise is that once it becomes daily, for the rest of the day you’ll have blessings popping into your head. It’s awe-inspiring!
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
My favorite scene was, of course, the giraffe that’s stuck in the fireplace. I giggled the whole way through!
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I’ve just finished releasing a tween novel called, On The Wings Of Wishes It is by far my best writing. Pick it up on Amazon!
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Amazon
Or will she discover that the love that’s right under her nose is even better?
Award-wining artist, author, and poet, Angel Dunworth has penned a story with an interesting moral, that can soothe kids of all ages. The story, “Pixie and The Elethunk” asks kids to find the blessing that they already live in. Dunworth’s colorful, cut-paper illustrations bring this imaginary tale to life. Best of all, this lesson in gratitude is valuable every day of the year. “Pixie and The Elethunk”
is an amazing addition to any library.
Instinct to Nurture Wild Animals
Mother to Elephants follows the life of Daphne Sheldrick and her journey from caring for orphaned animals to rescuing elephants and becoming a conservationist. What inspired you about her life that made you want to tell her story?
My wife and I spent many weekends on safari and could not get enough of the Kenyan wildlife – especially the elephants. I guess it was meant to be that I heard about the elephant orphanage and decided to check it out. Little did I know that my visit to the Sheldrick orphanage would start the seeds for this book project and a book launch many years later! Through the years, I participated in the adoption program, the organization, and still receive regular updates (field notes) about a particular elephant’s progress. I learned that this instinct to nurture wild animals started at a young age for Daphne through her various books and film footage. Although there is a lot of coverage and material for adults, I couldn’t find anything for kids to read, and I felt that the younger generations should also have a chance to learn about the work of this remarkable lady. In addition, the determination Daphne showed in facing some setbacks was inspirational to me. Daphne was the first to develop a formula suitable for milk dependent elephants. Sadly, before Daphne’s discovery, unfortunately many of the youngest orphaned elephants didn’t make it.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Kateryna Rohotova?
I was lucky to find an illustrator such as Kateryna. In my search, I was primarily looking for 2 things: An artist who is familiar with painting elephants and uses colors that suit the Savannah landscape of Africa. Kateryna’s work stood out right away to me, and when I learned that she was also a great animal lover, I knew this would be a good fit. As this was to be a biography picture book, it was important that the scenes be authentic. Kateryna researched her drawings so that even the plants and smallest creatures were native to Kenya where the story takes place. The process with Kateryna went very smoothly. She would first make a sketch based on my description of the scene, before painting in watercolor by hand, and finally scanning and retouching the scene.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
The main ideas I wanted readers to come away with is through love and determination, many things are possible. Daphne grew up in Africa, not only surrounded by wild things at an early age, but she was given the task by her parents to also care for them. Little did she know then that this would eventually lead to her adult mission in life in rescuing and rehabilitating orphans. I took the word her dad told her that ”If you truly love a wild animal in your care, you must one day set it free when nature calls,” to frame the book. Daphne takes this to heart upon founding her elephant orphanage with the goal of returning these same elephants to the wild. The idea that these marvelous, intelligent animals were born free and should one day be able to live freely in the wild again is another major idea I hope readers take away from the book.
Are you working on other biographies to share with children? Will this be the start of a series?
Thanks for this question. Yes, I have another book started about a young hero who discovered trash in the ocean and is now doing something about it. It was actually kids who brought this issue to my attention during my teaching awhile back. Before that, I am sad to say, I wasn’t aware of areas such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. I love it when I, as a teacher, learn through my students. In fact, I have thought about the possibility of having a series about kids who, early on, show that they care for the environment enough to do something about it.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Website | Amazon
No doubt you’ve heard the saying, “Mother knows best!” But what if the baby is a six-hundred-pound elephant, and the mother is of the two-legged kind? Would the saying still hold true?
Mothering elephants is what Daphne Sheldrick did her entire life. As a young girl, she was put in charge of wounded or abandoned animals. As a grownup, Daphne and her dedicated team saved and nurtured countless elephants.
When a tiny, milk-dependent calf arrived, Daphne’s determination would be tested. No one had ever hand-reared an elephant baby this young, but what Daphne learned with Aisha would be the key to saving future orphaned elephants. What’s more, she had an elephant-sized dream of returning them to the wild!
This non-fiction biography picture book for kids is sure to inspire young budding conservationists and make the perfect gift for elephant lovers everywhere!
Includes a section with many ele-fantastic elephant facts!
The perfect choice for parents and teachers looking for:
Inspiring nonfiction narrative books
Biographies about women
Role model books for children
Kids STEM books
Buy NOW and receive the “Mother To Elephants” Extra Childhood Scene and Ice Cream In A Bag science activity for FREE
(details inside book)!
LITERARY TITAN 