Blog Archives
Reflections of Intimacy
Author Jewel Mensah takes readers on a photojournalistic exploration of intimacy and its different forms. Reflections of Intimacy helps readers take a deeper look at intimacy, understand the different levels, how we perceive it, and what it means to us.
Jewel Mensah takes a deep dive into intimacy and shows readers that there are many ways to be intimate and that the word does not need to be framed within the confines of an act. The act of being intimate is the act of being vulnerable and we do this through music, dancing, art, and by showing a piece of us that is private.
The author helps the reader view the word intimacy in a different light and I realized that the word is not just an act with another person but is the more private parts within myself. The author includes images in the book of a variety of intimate moments, some contain nudity, but all of them show the beauty of the intimate moments we all have. The combination of Jewel’s words along with these thought-provoking images makes the entire subject feel profound.
There were several times while reading that I stopped to reflect on what I had just read. This is certainly a fascinating book that expanded my view on this subject. Mensah’s knowledge and research on the topic shows throughout her book and is a perfect read for anyone who wants to open their mind and understand intimacy better. For me, I see intimacy in a completely different way now.
I highly recommend Reflections of Intimacy to those who are looking to explore a new and broader range of intimacy. This is an enlightening book that explores a beautiful topic in an intelligent and thoughtful way.
Pages: 96 | ISBN: 0578922835
Diversity and Unity
A to Z of Mini Muslims: An alphabet book exploring all about Islam and being a Muslim teaches children the alphabet and the teachings and principles of Islam. Why was this an important book for you to write?
This lovely children’s book- A to Z of Mini Muslims: An alphabet book exploring all about Islam and being a Muslim was important for me to write as I wanted to promote young children’s religious worldviews and help dispel myths and stereotypes about the religion of Islam and who Muslims are. I wanted to also show diversity and unity through which students can be connected. I wanted to educate young children and even adults who are not familiar about the Islamic faith to empower them and to encourage and motivate them to learn about Islam in a meaningful way. My three children were the source of inspiration for writing this book. They always questioned who Muslims were and what is Islam and so I decided to write a children’s book that explored these basic foundations and principles of Islam through a fun and engaging alphabet book. Moreover, I ensured this book connected to their cultural background and hence themes of Afghanistan were embedded through the beautiful illustrations such as the three young girls dressed in their Afghan clothes on the front cover, or the Afghan flags shown on different pages. Therefore, I wanted to write this important book for children to be proud of their faith, culture and identity.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Saba Yasmeen?
Thank you so much! Yes, this book would not have complete without the wonderful illustrations by Saba Yasmeen who brought my vision to life. The art collaboration process was amazing with the wonderful illustrator Saba Yasmeen. Saba was absolutely understanding, patient and very accommodating and diligent in her work. Every detail in the images that I had envisioned, such as promoting diversity and unity and connection to the Australian themes and perspectives, Saba brought it into life. Having a working document with the first round of drafts sketches then giving written feedback and moving onto the next step really helped us focus and be on the same page. Saba was amazing in her talent and ability to come up with such gorgeous illustrations and always making sure it is exactly what I wanted. Also, to make a note, this was my first time writing a children’s book and it was Saba’s first time illustrating a children’s book. We both live on the opposite sides of the world and the process might sound like a huge challenge or impossible for some, but it was such a wonderful journey for both Saba and I. We both learned so much along the way that our collaboration was a huge success. Effective communication was the key, and I am so proud and honoured to have Saba collaborate with me on this wonderful project. Thank you, Saba, for your amazing work!
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
This is a great question. I believe every letter in my book has an important message for the readers. Some of the ideas that were important to me to share in this book was including the basic understanding and principles of Islam such believing in one God who created everything (Allah), believing in the final Prophet of Islam (Muhammad PBUH), learning about the Lunar Calendar that Muslims follow with having that knowledge of the Islamic months was important. Also learning about what is Ramadan and Eid and how visiting the sick and being good to your parents, with doing good to others and giving money as charity to the needy are all important concepts and ideas that I wanted to share in this book. I wanted to create a unique alphabet book that would connect to our readers in a meaningful way and that would be a valuable resource to share and have in any classroom and library. This book has already been well received with winning the 2022 International Book Award as a Finalist in the Children’s Religious Category and as a Finalist in the Readers’ Choice Book Award for the Best Children’s Book 3-7 and with further receiving the Five Star Seal from Readers Favourite.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Well, this is such a good question! Before I had published my first book, I had already written my second children’s book and was looking at having it published very soon. But then I decided to wait for the right time. However, it will be available in the near future, and I will definitely be updating my wonderful followers when this happens 😊
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website
When It’s Something You Love
The Little Regenerative Farmer follows a girl who visits a farm and decides to start her own backyard farm and the challenges she faces. What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Farming is EXTREMELY hard for so many reasons. We wanted a story that is full of adversity but shows kids not to give up when it’s something you love. We hope these themes will translate to farmers who read this book to keep going even when it gets tough. The world needs more regenerative farmers and we can’t lose the ones we have.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Yana Gorbatiyk?
Yana Gorbatiyk is naturally creative and brilliant. I gave her the story and a few small directions and she executed the whole thing with minimal input. Out of 30+ pages I think we only revised 2. We had a really great connection and our collective vision came out wonderfully.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
We are working on the sequel to The Little Regenerative Farmer that we hope will be available in Nov 2022. Lina and her family move and she gets to meet a whole different world of agriculture that we can’t wait to share!
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Honeycake: A Helping Hand
Nala is excited to go out to a fancy fundraising party with her two uncles. She does not realize until she is there that it is a fundraiser for amputee children. Nala learns all about the things that those with an amputee can do. After meeting so many children and seeing her new friends’ incredible work, she is inspired to go home and make a difference of her own.
Honeycake A Helping Hand is an inspiring picture book about the incredible good that children are capable of. This fantastic children’s book shows kids as leaders, motivators, helpers, and genuinely caring individuals. Author Medea Kalantar teaches children about amputees in a compassionate and age-appropriate manner. Kalantar does not oversimplify the facts but presents them in a conversational tone that sounds like two preteen children talking. If readers have additional questions, there is a glossary at the end to help them understand further.
Aside from the topic of amputees in this unique book, Kalantar introduces the concept of blended families and same-sex relationships, normalizing these dynamics. This book has so many examples of inclusion and compassion that it takes a lot. I love that there is so much representation in this short children’s book. Illustrator i Cenizal brings all the different elements to life, adding to the experience.
Honeycake A Helping Hand showcases the value of helping others, giving back to the community, and doing your best to be a good person through your actions and words. This well-written children’s book is perfect for classrooms and libraries.
Pages 33 | ASIN: B0BFC2GWJS
Butterfly Love From Above
Star is a little girl with a very special friend. A butterfly named Twinkle plays with her every day. But one day when Twinkle doesn’t show up Star learns a powerful lesson about loss. Star soon makes a new friend and shares her friendship with others so that they too may have joy in their life.
Butterfly Love From Above is a delightful children’s book that shares a positive message that will help readers deal with loss and reiterates an encouraging message to ‘always look up’. The art in this book is vibrant and sharp. Some of the faces and expressions are so life like, which really helps children see the emotion on the characters faces. Nearly every page in this book is an art piece unto itself. I loved how the color palette changes with the mood as well, ensuring that the emotional weight of the moment is felt.
With easy-to-understand language this would be a great book for early readers that are ready to take on books themselves. This would also be a fantastic book to read at bedtime as it’s sure to inspire the imagination.
This is a beautiful picture book with a wonderfully diverse cast of characters and a heartfelt moment of friendship that will tug at the heart. I also greatly appreciated the true story that this book is based on that is shared at the end of the book. Both of these stories are inspiring and one that adults and children will enjoy.
Pages: 34 | ISBN: 1956914358
Lester Zester is Lost!
Lester Zester is enjoying his day when he’s snatched up by the new house puppy and taken unceremoniously to a different part of the house. Now Lester is lost and needs to find his way home. Luckily, Zester meets a variety of helpful friends that help him find his way home. Along the way he learns a thing or two about new beginnings and happy accidents.
Author Mark Dantzler has created a charming and amusing children’s book that teaches kids important life lessons in a fun and easy to understand way. This entertaining story is perfect for parents to read to their young children, or for new readers to read on their own. With cute pictures, and a hidden mystery, children will be engaged with this lively and delightful story.
This book has the same charm and magic that the Toy Story movies have. Inanimate objects come to life and their sweet little faces come to life, making it easy for kids to identify emotions. This is the second book in Mark Dantzler’s series and I enjoyed how we get to explore more of the house and meet so many new and interesting characters. The world the author is creating here feels a lot bigger now and I can’t wait to explore it further in future stories.
Lester Zester is Lost! is a lively children’s story with a charming protagonist that teaches children about friendship and self-confidence as he tries to make his way home. Readers will learn that accidents can happen for a good reason, and this accident gives young readers an entertaining story to read.
Pages: 62 | ISBN: 1645383903
Emotional Magnetism
Emotional Magnetism by Sandy Gerber is a refreshing self-help book that helps readers reassess the blockages in their relationships. Whether you’re struggling to succeed at work or in your parenting style, Gerber uses real facts and anecdotes to bring you up to speed on what’s going so wrong and how you can fix it to achieve balance in your life.
The book is divided into three parts: defining the operatives of emotional magnets, an in-depth breakdown of each persona and its creation and finally, discovering your own personal Emotional Magnets. Gerber has created a simple and practical guide for heightening your self-awareness around emotional needs—your own and others’. By using the teachings of Gerber’s ‘SAVE’ (safety, achievement, value, experience) method found in this book you’ll have the opportunity to test yourself with the Emotional Magnets quiz and learn the four easy steps to becoming an Emotional Magnet in your relationships. The exercises, quizzes and advice are uniquely eye-opening, comforting, and can be life-changing.
Through the use of her own experiences gained from two failed marriages, co-parenting struggles and the building of a marketing empire she has established a wealth of knowledge and credibility that the reader can trust without feeling attacked. The author include real statistics from reputable sources like the Harvard Business Review, which ensures the book is factual and pragmatic. The facts compel the reader to pause and reassess one’s own life professionally and domestically.
Gerber states that, although she is not a psychologist, she is a communications expert and praise must be given for the forthright and honest approach adopted. An impeccable identification of audience truly allows for the improvement of your ability to communicate in a way that positively engages and influences others in a win-win way. Emotional Magnetism: How to Communicate to Ignite Connection in Your Relationships by Sandy Gerber is an empowering self-help book that will improve your self-awareness, communication skills, and your relationships.
Pages: 186 | ASIN: B09YS1ZMFT
LITERARY TITAN 