Blog Archives
Be Proud to Be Blue
Be Proud to Be Blue follows a blue baby bird that goes out and tries to make friends but is rejected by the other animals because of his color. Baby bird is sad because no one wants to play with him, he doesn’t understand why his color should matter. With self-confidence and pride, he goes back and makes friends anyway, all color differences aside.
In this delightfully illustrated children’s picture book we follow baby bird on a mission to make friends, he’s rejected because of his color, but what I really enjoyed about this book was how baby bird gains the confidence he needs to make friends. He does not need any external force or person to tell him his self-worth, he finds it on his own. I found this to be unique in this marvelous children’s book. This is a great way to teach children to become self-reliant.
Each page has wonderful illustrations that look simple but depict a wide range of emotions in the characters. The frogs were my absolute favorite characters in the book. They were so cute! The illustrations will surely capture children’s attention and keep them coming back to this book again and again. The emotive characters also provide a great learning opportunity for toddlers to point out and talk about what characters might be feeling.
Author Diane Hull provides young readers with an easy-to-read book that helps build reading comprehension with the use of simple words that repeat throughout the story. Be Proud to Be Blue is a fun and educational children’s book that teaches kids about self-confidence, diversity, and inclusivity all in a super fun and adorable way.
Pages: 34 | ISBN: 1643723693
A New Social Issue
Let’s Talk! Going to the Zoo educates readers on how fun the zoo is along with what autism is and what that means. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The inspiration was really my own real life experiences. I have a passion and connection with animals. I thought it would be great to use that in the story and show that little ones do not have to be held back by Autism. If they want to go to the zoo, their family should take them. I felt it would really show how little ones with Autism would be able to enjoy this type of experience.
What were some key ideas you wanted to share in this book that were different from book one?
I wanted to show a new social issue that little ones not just with Autism, but in general face. Also, to show little ones how to overcome that kind of an issue. That is why I wanted to put the idea of a group of bullies in. Then having a little one realize that Harper is right and see the beauty in Autism would add to Autism being something positive. I also wanted to show different cultures and that is why each character is a different ethnicity. I really want my books to focus on diversity not only in disability but in culture and ethnicity. Having different themes represented I think is so important because if you look at the current repertoire of children’s books, which I did recently, each character was a boy. Girls are rarely represented. And the majority of books showcase a Caucasian character. Diversity, culture as well as disability is very under represented and I want to break that pattern.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your book?
Strength. I want little ones to realize they are strong and can stand up to that bully. To see they are strong and do not have to hide their disability but proud of it. To be strong about wanting to go new places and try new things. Determination and strength is so important for our children to see represented. I want children to see themselves in my books and gain determination and strength and confidence. If I can do that, then my series has reached its goal.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I have written a new series actually. I wrote and put it out there first as a short story and changed my mind. I will be starting the publication process in November of this year for the Rascal Cat Brothers part 1. Which is a story of the silly shenanigans my two cats get into. I am not forgetting about the Lets Talk! Series though, book 3 is done and will go into production early next year, stay tuned!!
Author Links: Twitter | Facebook | Website | Instagram | GoodReads
While enjoying the animals Emma becomes excited and flaps her hands, making noises. A group of children come over and begin to point and stare. What do you think Harper does when she sees this group being not nice to her friend? Come find out when you read the next book in the Lets Talk! Series.
Let’s Talk! Going to the Zoo
![Let's Talk! Going to the Zoo by [Lisa Jacovsky, Blueberry Illustrations]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Trl3eaRWL.jpg)
Let’s Talk! Going to the Zoo is a wonderfully educational children’s picture book that provides several different valuable life lessons all in one lively story. Going to the Zoo follows two friends, Harper and Emma, that take their first trip to the zoo. They are so excited to go that they imagine what it would be like. When they actually go to the zoo, it it is better than they imagined, but there is a group of mean kids there that are making fun of Emma because she has autism. Harper must stand up to the mean kids and educate them, and readers, on autism and what it really means.
Author Lisa Jacovsky provides readers with another wonderful opportunity to learn about autism through a normal activity, like going to the zoo. This book will serve to educate children in two ways; what the zoo is and how fun it can be, and teach them about autism and how autistic people act. Switching between these two topics in the book created a uniquely enlightening experience. Standing up for your friends and being nice to one another are fantastic values that are shown throughout this story, and are accompanied by vibrant pastel graphic art on every other page.
Let’s Talk! Going to the Zoo promotes acceptance, inclusivity and diversity by being very open and honest about what is happening. This children’s book should be read along with an adult as some of the words are advanced, but the beautiful illustrations will surely keep children’s attention while reading.
Pages: 15 | ASIN: B092MXQ1B2 | Blueberry Illustrations
A Unicorn Named Rin
A Unicorn Named Rin is an adventurous children’s story that follows a qilin, a Chinese unicorn, that must help Princess Pingyang find Fan, the royal Phoenix, before the Friendship Concert begins. Rin sets off on a wonderous journey that takes him to many real life locations where he meets many mythical creatures from real Chinese legends.
This is a beautifully illustrated children’s picture book. Every page is covered in bright colors that will surely keep young readers attention. I loved all the creatures that Rin encounters as they were intricately drawn and each helps Rin when he needs it, and lift his spirits when he is down. In the end they all work as a team to find Fan in a clever twist that requires teamwork, a fantastic message for children. This is the most unique children’s book that I’ve read as it combines Chinese culture in every aspect, from myths, to poetry, festivals, and real geographic locations.
This fairy tale is easy to read, with a couple of larger words that will challenge young readers, but with repetition they are sure to pick it up. The message this story delivers is an important one for children to learn, don’t despair, ask for help, and work as a team. I appreciate how all of this is never stated outright, but learned through the story.
A Unicorn Named Rin is a fun and educational picture book that teaches children about Chinese culture as well as building literacy skills. Highly recommended to parents and teachers who are looking to diversity their children’s bookshelf.
Pages: 32 | ISBN: 1913891127
The Inevitable Ambiguity of Words
Strange Bedfellows: Fun with Etymology uses a unique brand of humor to show readers how fun etymology can be. What inspired you to start this series of books?
I am primarily a wordplay writer and have published over 200 articles of assorted styles of word play in the online journal Word Ways, not all humorous. Within the general category of word play, my favourite type is constrained writing of various ilks. My two Strange Bedfellows books use the constraint of using only words that are etymologically related to construct fun phrases and sentences. I then embellish them with my own weird sense of humour in explaining or more often simply extending the SB thoughts to a more free form of humorous expositions and stories.
The idea of using pools of etymologically related words as a type of constrained writing came to me when I noted, in Eric Partridge’s wonderful etymology dictionary Origins, what a huge number of interesting words are surprisingly ultimately related to ‘legend’. From there I devoured Origins looking for other pools of relatives offering interesting combinations. I collected many and managed two volumes of the constructions from them as skeletons on which to overlay my personal style of humour and nonsense. The latter is heavily influenced by the writings of Will Cuppy as well as Lewis Carroll, Roald Dahl, James Thurber, Ogden Nash, Dr. Seuss, Edward Lear and others.
What is the collaboration process like between you and the illustrator, Kalpart?
Kalpart is the company name of a commercial art collaboration headed by Kalpa Joshi. For my books, I describe to her the images I visualise and she is very compliant in revising her first efforts to capture them until they meet my wishes. Other of her artists usually do the final coloured illustrations. I couldn’t ask for a more cooperative artist. She does, however, often make suggestions that I like and let her use.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your book?
Joy! Plus a sense of the inevitable ambiguity of words, phrases and sentence that allow puns and other twists to amuse and/or expand the reader’s perspectives. (Oops, that two things!)
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I have two upcoming books, both being sequels to my Silly Animal Rhymes and Stories A to Z (‘SAR1′, 2018), profusely illustrated in colour by Kalpart. They use a different type of constrained writing, monorhyme verses on animal themes, which I call animal uni-verses.
- 101 Animal Universes, unillustrated and with limited prose addenda, finished and seeking a publisher as a ‘pure’ poetry book. Hence the release date is unknown. It includes some of the best verses from SAR1 and the following (SAR2) plus many more mostly new universes.
- Silly Animal Rhymes and Stories: Zoo Two, in press, text approved and awaiting the rest of Kalpart’s brilliant illustrations, half finished. It should be finished and released in 2-4 months but possibly longer. This and my three recent books are self-published by SBPRA, the fifth (101AU) hoping to find a regular publisher, but failing that, again to use SBPRA.
I also have three other books firmly in mind, all partly written, the second two illustrated:
- a short small book of embellished Spoonerisms;
- a commercial satire Dr. Duck’s Dealy Deli based around an enterprise and characters that clutter the pages of my other five books; and
- a rewrite of an old self-illustrated volume from 1979, Anno Dodo, a humorous satire cum word play on the theme of extinction.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
Strange Bedfellows: Fun with Etymology
![Strange Bedfellows: Fun with Etymology by [Anil]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41Y+DhAgB+L.jpg)
Books open up the world to us–this is something we have all known since we were children in a kindergarten classroom. That’s the place where words began to show us their power–and their many, many meanings. Some of us have gone on to love words and the beauty of multiple meanings. Anil has handed us all the most wonderful gift a lover of words could ever want — Strange Bedfellows: Fun with Etymology. Between its pages, this fun little read brings the smiles and laughter we could all use during these stressful times.
What reads like a most prolific assortment of random thoughts turns into quite a stunning opportunity for readers to visualize amazing literary images. I think I most appreciate the lack of organization to the text and the freedom to pass from one odd thought to another. Anil’s work is a superb thrill ride encapsulated in just under seventy pages.
I am giving Strange Bedfellows: Fun with Etymology, by Anil and illustrated by Kalpart, 5 out of 5 stars. Readers looking to relax and thoroughly enjoy etymology for its own sake will appreciate every rambling thought so eloquently sketched by this author/illustrator pairing. I highly recommend Anil’s delightful book to anyone who appreciates humor on a higher plane and truly “gets the joke.”
Pages: 72 | ASIN: B085LFBGMS
The Most Important Number
A Dog Named Zero and The Apple With No Name is a wonderful children’s book that teaches counting in an fun and imaginative way. What inspired you to write this book?
My older brother is a mathematics professor, and he said to me one day that he has spent a lifetime with numbers because of the number zero. And when I did my research and checked on what kind of counting picture books used the number zero, I didn’t find any. I am sure there are some, but I couldn’t find any, and the number zero is the most important number of all numbers.
How do you see this book being used by teachers and parent to educate their children?
That’s difficult to say. I hope teachers and parents will enjoy the humor in the book and use the boohooing and sniffing words in a way that will make children laugh. There is no better way to learn than through laughter.
Did the art in the book follow what you had already written, or did the writing follow the art?
That’s an excellent question. It happens both ways for all of my children’s picture books. I might draw a quirky character, and then the story comes from the drawing. There are times when the story comes first, and then I decide the art style I’ll use that fits the story.
Do you have plans to write more educational picture books?
I feel all children’s picture books are educational. Some are more specific with one point to be made, as in A Dog Named Zero and the Apple With No Name, than others. I have a new picture book that was published March 1st titled Letting Go. It’s about a leaf that doesn’t want to let go, a cycle of life story. And I have another picture book coming out titled Birds Fly, A Cat Tries on June 1st. It’s a wordless picture book about a cat who wants to fly. Each time the brave tabby tries, he fails. But in the end, with some help, the cat finally takes flight.
Both stories have a message, and although they are not as educational as a counting book, my point is, there is always a lesson to learn from every one of my picture books. Or at least, that is my hope.
My plan, though, is to publish at least one picture a year. This year is different, as I will have published the two I mentioned above, Letting Go and Birds Fly, A Cat Tries.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
And once, there was an Apple with no name.
Will they meet?
And if they do meet, what will happen?
Join Zero and his friends, and you will find this book adds up to be on of the most enjoyable ways to count from zero to ten.
From Grunt Work to Light Work: A Homeowner’s Guide to Attracting Buyers
From Grunt Work to Light Work: A Guide to Attracting Buyers, is the latest book written by Tamika M Murray, a writer and Social Worker based in New Jersey. This book is structured into two distinct parts. With a wealth of great information that is broken up into sections of focused content, I really appreciated the Table of Contents in this enlightening book because I was able to quickly reference and go to the sections I found most helpful. Each chapter also ends with discussion questions, which are thoughtful prompts that the reader can either answer themselves or discuss with others.
Part One of From Grunt Work to Light Work: A Guide to Attracting Buyers focuses on the Grunt Work – which is the hands on, physical work that is required to get a house prepared for sale. There are five chapters in this part: Get Organized, If it’s Broke, Please Fix it, Sprucing Up your Home, Lien on Me and You Need a Helping Hand. All these chapters are easy to read and informative. These chapters provide practical sound advice that I found to be immensely helpful. As mentioned, each chapter also has a helpful discussion session at the conclusion of the chapter. These are relevant and thought-provoking questions which all house vendors should consider.
A large part of this book is dedicated to using the laws of attraction to sell a house, and this is where Tamika M. Murray’s book stands out from other books on this topic. I was particularly interested in the Manifestation technique, which includes strategies such as using the 5 x 55 Method , Scripting, Affirmations, Visualizations, and so much more. These strategies are explained in considerable depth in the book, which I greatly appreciated because it made the content much more interesting and easy to understand. After an explanation of each strategy, there are several ‘workbook’ type pages, where the reader can put the strategy into action. Using these strategies, Murray explains how the reader can manifest an ideal buyer. Author Tamika Murray has been using the law of attraction since 2014, and her passionate and knowledgeable on the subject is evident throughout the book.
From Grunt Work to Light Work: A Guide to Attracting Buyers is an enlightening and informative book that is geared toward providing average homeowners with the tools they need to attract buyers. This illuminating guide combines experience and passion to create a book that will benefit any homeowner.
Pages: 125 | ASIN: B08Y4L9XKG
LITERARY TITAN 