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Bonding Across Generations
Caleb’s Adventures with Granddad follows a boy and his grandfather who share a bond built on imagination and play, as they find a way to keep their adventures alive as they grow older. What was the inspiration for your story?
The inspiration comes from my grandchildren, especially Caleb. I’ve written stories that included one or more of them as main characters. For this story, Caleb and I talked about our relationship while on a trip we took together. He is very close to me and comes to me when he needs advice or just talk about life. As a result of our closeness, we reminisced about the times he spent with me growing up. This included making up adventures in the backyard (although perhaps not as elaborate as the ones in the book).
I loved the bond that Caleb shared with his grandfather, showing that just because we get older doesn’t mean we have to grow apart and forget the things we love. What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
I wanted to convey the importance a grandparent’s role in grandchildren’s lives because not many people really see that importance today, let alone explore the love between the generations. The dynamics of the nuclear family has changed so much since I was a boy when we spent time with the older relatives. It is sad because young people don’t have that strong connection like we did.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
The scenes that show the different imaginative adventures Granddad provides for Caleb. It shows the love between the two. Also, the end with how Caleb reciprocates with a BIG surprise for his Granddad.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out and what can your fans expect in the next story?
This isn’t a book for a series, but with that said, I do have an idea for a story tentatively called “Granddad’s Treasures” that will include Caleb, his siblings, and his cousins. But this one will be completed within the next few years. My next book that’s coming out this fall is called “Kyle and His Pal Jake – What a Duo these Two Make!” Also, I currently have a story that’s in the editing stage. It’s called “Can We Get A Giraffe?”
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Filled with vivid illustrations and a heartwarming story for readers of all ages, Caleb’s Adventures with Granddad reminds us that no one is ever too old to go on another adventure!
Caleb’s Adventures with Granddad
Caleb’s Adventures with Granddad is a heartfelt children’s book about a boy and his grandfather who share an unshakable bond built on imagination and play. Together they fight dragons, sail the seas as pirates, and even tour the world as rock stars, all from the safety of a backyard. As Caleb grows older, the adventures fade, and Granddad is left behind, eventually moving into a nursing home after an accident. But Caleb finds a way to rekindle their shared joy, turning make-believe into reality by taking Granddad on real adventures across the globe. The story closes with them recording their memories in a book of their own, making their bond timeless.
Reading this book tugged at my heartstrings. The writing is simple yet tender, and it captures the wonder of a child’s imagination as well as the ache of growing apart from someone you love. I felt a deep nostalgia while turning the pages, remembering times when play felt endless and the people I adored seemed larger than life. At the same time, the sadness of watching Caleb drift away from his grandfather hit hard. It mirrored the truth that children grow and priorities shift, but the longing for connection never really goes away.
I especially loved the turn the story takes when Caleb chooses to bring joy back into his grandfather’s life. That moment when he finds the list of unfinished adventures and decides to make them real is powerful. It shows the kind of love that acts, not just remembers. The emotional shift from imagination to reality made me smile and tear up at the same time. The illustrations are as vibrant and filled with life as the story is. Every page contains details that bring the story to life.
I’d recommend this children’s book to families who want to share something both playful and touching with their children. It’s perfect for kids who still live in the world of pretend, and it’s equally powerful for grandparents who might see themselves in Granddad. Honestly, it’s a story that bridges generations, reminding us that adventure is never out of reach when it’s shared with love.
Pages: 46 | ASIN : B0839QC3S1
Career in Education
Can We Get a Rhinoceros? follows a young boy with an active imagination who wants to convince his mom to get him an unusual pet while she tries to be more practical. What inspired your story?
I retired from a career in education (teacher and administrator) but have substituted in retirement. While working in a long-term second-grade assignment, the kids were working on animal projects. They chose some of the more interesting animals, and one student said he told his mom he wanted an elephant.
Your characters are wonderfully emotive and relatable. Were you able to use anything from your own life to inform their character development?
Most definitely. I grew up in farm and dairy country, and we had animals (chickens, goats, cows, show Herefords). I was a precocious child and wanted a penguin (we had been reading Mr. Popper’s Penguins in class). My mom asked pretty much the same questions that the mom in this book did.
I loved the discussion between the mother and son about the pros and cons of a rhinoceros. What was your favorite scene in this story?
That’s a little difficult to answer because I had so much fun with this story. If I had to choose one, I would say the conclusion because I didn’t have an ending until I read it to my second graders, and one of the students said he had a dog that he dressed up for Halloween.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
Actually, I have several stories I am working on and not sure which will be the next book in the Chris Kueng Library Collection. I have several stories in progress. When I tire of working on one story or get “stuck,” I go to work on another story. Fortunately, I have flow maps that plot out the stories. This makes it easier to overcome writer’s block. The books I have been working on are:
1. Granddad’s Treasures
2. Honey, the Sleeping Beauty Bee
3. Can We Get a Giraffe?
4. Winston and Cooper
5. The Principal Wore Polka Dots
My goal is to have a book out every one to two years.
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Where would you keep it?
Where would you keep its food? And
How would you get rid of all the poo he poops?
Then, if not a rhinoceros, how about a whale? a tiger? Or even a blue-footed booby? Mom finally makes a suggestion for a more suitable pet. What could it possibly be?
“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.
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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.
Digger the Colony Worker Ant
Digger is not living his best life. In fact, he is being treated like a servant in his own home. Digger spends day and night waiting on his stepbrothers and their hateful mother. He’s a worker ant, but this doesn’t mean he should be doing all of the work. He lives with their threats, snide remarks, and insults day in and day out. Nothing he does is ever good enough for anyone. Soon, it’s time for the Queen’s Gala and the queen to choose a husband for Princess Antilles. Will Digger be among those lucky enough to attend, or will he be at home buried under the usual mountain of chores?
Digger: The Colony Worker Ant, written by Christian Kueng and illustrated by Nana Melkadze, is an amusing version of Cinderella centered around the members of an ant colony. Digger, the story’s main character, will draw young readers into the tale with his many woes and his determination to make it to the gala alongside the others. Readers familiar with Cinderella’s story will easily recognize elements from the classic fairy tale and enjoy comparing and contrasting the two stories.
I especially enjoyed the bits of humor peppered throughout Kueng’s writing. Kueng has taken the well-known narrative and given it new life and a new look. From the fantastic illustrations of Digger decked out in leather and sunglasses to the hilarious side-eye doled out by his cranky stepbrothers, this book is a hit for young readers from cover to cover.
Digger: The Colony Worker Ant is an entertaining and engaging children’s book that children and adults will enjoy. I highly recommend this Cinderella tale to any teacher putting together a fairy tale unit for the upcoming school year. Elementary readers will thoroughly enjoy drawing comparisons between Digger’s life and Cinderella’s as they point out the more modern elements.
Pages: 40 | ASIN : B0BZT59GJ6
LITERARY TITAN 