Blog Archives
Marco Pablo & Olivia Story One Fútbol Tryouts
It’s not easy moving to a new neighborhood, especially at a young age. It can cause a lot of stress and worry. Although, it’s a lot easier when you have your siblings by your side. Marco Pablo & Olivia Fútbol Tryouts, by Ana Cortes follows an Ecuadorian family, moving into a new city. When the three siblings, Marco Olivia and Pablo, see the inside of their new house, they begin to grow excited at the idea of decorating their own rooms. As they look around, their mom brings them the news that there is a fútbol field nearby! Marco immediately wants to take his siblings to go see it, and when they go they discover that there are soccer tryouts coming up. But, when they talk to the team, they find that one member doesn’t want Marco on the team. He insults him and tries to convince him not to come to tryouts, but Marco is determined. Now, the siblings are left with the task of helping Marco complete the tryouts and making it onto the team!
Not only does this story show readers Ecuadorian culture, but it also covers multiple other important lessons for children to learn. The author writes about moving into a new city, which everyone knows can be difficult and worrying. The author brings to light that moving can also bring positivity and new opportunities.
The story also covers the topic of bullying very well as it shows how to stop a bully, and how to continue to follow your dreams, despite what they may say. It’s important to stay true to yourself and continue to do what makes you happy.
The comic book style of this story really brings it to life as it is full of color and all the characters are emotive. The scenery is drawn with a lot of detail, helping the reader to immerse themselves in the scenes. Overall, the story delivers an incredible message while still entertaining the audience with wonderful writing and drawings.
Marco Pablo & Olivia Fútbol Tryouts, by Ana Cortes is entertaining while also being educational. It teaches children how to balance a new life, and get through any barriers they may run into. The illustrations are drawn with an amazing amount of skill and detail, making the book captivating. This charming children’s book is useful for any child to have, so they can understand that these challenges are only temporary, and there’s always a way to get through.
ASIN: B09QQ2QC9M
How Do We Live With Our Mortality?
Into the Wind follows a young boy who, while fixing up a sailboat, befriends his elderly neighbor. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
When I was a boy, I had a feisty, independent, widowed and elderly aunt who was an artist and loved sailing. As she aged, she didn’t seem to mellow or retire or relax, but seemed to come even more alive, to throw herself with increasing energy at what she loved, even as that became more difficult. She painted with a trembling, arthritic hand. Some weeks before she died, she managed—in a wheelchair!—to get herself into a small boat and, with the help of someone who held the rudder, sail through some rough weather. That was the germ of Into the Wind.
Was there anything from your own life that you incorporated into Rusty’s and Hazel’s relationship?
Yes. There is a certain amount of my relationship with my aunt in Rusty’s relationship with Hazel. Like Hazel, my aunt was odd and demanding—you might even say cantankerous. We rubbed each other the wrong way. But she took an interest in me, and slowly I took an interest in her and came to appreciate her quirky sense of humor, the challenges she faced and the wisdom she had as an aging woman who mostly got around in a wheelchair. We became unlikely friends.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The main theme was intergeneration friendship. How could that happen between a boy with his life ahead of him and a woman near the end of hers? What might connect them? What might each of them gain from that connection?
Our mortality is another theme, something that children from eight to twelve are beginning to grapple with. By then they may have lost a loved pet or, worse, a relative. How do we think about that? How do we live with our mortality? Maybe Hazel shows Rusty a way. Sadly, life comes to an end, but it can be filled, like Hazel’s, with curiosity, fun, humor, generosity, growth, energy, friendship, love, wonder, and meaning—all of which might be passed from one generation to another. I hope that’s what readers feel and understand when they finish Into the Wind.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I write books for children and adults, and I’m usually working one or the other, or sometimes both. At the moment, I have an adult nonfiction draft on my screen and parts of a children’s story in a folder on the side of my desk. When might they be available? I don’t know, as I haven’t finished them yet. Sometime soon. Fingers crossed. Information about my previous books is available on my website.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
A Big Part Of My Own Story
A Star Upon a Dream follows a discouraged young girl who tries to discover what her dream job is and finds renewed confidence from her father. What was the inspiration for your story?
The inspiration behind the story is connected with my own personal story. Children are like sponges; they soak up everything. The people they are surrounded with can make or break that child. Having strong adult figures in a child’s life really is powerful. I have a supportive family along with great teachers and coaches. Without them, I would have given up for sure.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
There were several themes I wanted to incorporate into this book. The most critical themes included school life and bullying because I know there are many other people out there that could probably relate to this story. I wanted to make wrestling present in this story because it was a big part of my own story. Wrestling is a great sport to correlate with real life situations. In wrestling, we can get taken down but you can always fight and get back up. This is the same concept we can apply to our own life. Sometimes, we get taken down in life but we have to fight and stand back up.
What is one piece of advice someone gave you that changed your life?
Failure is something we all face in life. Failure does not define you. It’s how you deal with failure that makes you successful.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I have another book in the development stage. My current focus is this book because it is my first book and the message is very important to me. If things work out then I hope to have it completed by 2024.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
Follow Meleah Rowland, a third grade student whose dream is to become a zoologist someday. She quickly learns how it feels to be doubted, thus diminishing the light of this young girl. She learns a very important lesson from her father, Charles Rowland, through the story of his own past to becoming the shining star he is today.
I Wrote A Book I Needed
Billy Be Kind: Making A New Friend is an amazing children’s book on how to make friends that preschoolers can understand. Why did you feel this was important to write about?
I wrote a book I needed growing up as a shy little girl. Now that I am the mother of a shy daughter, I know the importance and impact friendships have on a child’s self-esteem and emotional health. I hope to simplify important life lessons with my short stories while teaching social and emotional skills to children at a young age.
The art in this book is fantastic it really jumps off the page. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Ayesha W.?
Since I have collaborated with my illustrator, Ayesha W. on several projects, she has a clearer understanding of my vision. I begin by sending her my storyboard and stick-figure drawings. She then sends me her interpretation of my ideas. We often go back and forth until we are both satisfied that the artwork matches my vision. Our personalities work in a manner that allows us to create and collaborate effectively.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I thought it was important to explore the theme of friendship. I used a shy protagonist in my story to show children that you can be shy and still be brave. Additionally, exploring the theme of friendship allowed me the opportunity to incorporate inclusion, diversity, and of course, kindness, a theme repeated throughout the entire series.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am currently working on 3 books that should be released by the end of 2022.
Billy Be Kind: My Big Feelings
Billy Be Kind: I Can Do Anything
Billy Be Kind: Sharing
Author Links: Website | Instagram | Facebook
Making a new friend when you’re shy isn’t always easy. It often requires putting in a little effort. Billy Be Kind the kind little mouse is there to help!
This wonderful, short, rhyming story is part of the Billy Be Kind Children’s series. Billy Be Kind is a kind, little magical mouse created to teach and encourage young children to be honest, brave, kind, to listen and so much more.
Parents, teachers and caregivers understand how challenging it is to grab and retain the attention of children. These engaging, short, rhyming stories will grab and keep their attention from the beginning to the very end.
Come join the Billy Be Kind family and make this series a part of your child’s library.
About the Author
2021 Black Caucus American Library Association Best of the Best book list -Honorable Mention
Kim Adams is a wife, mother, and the author of the Billy Be Kind children’s series. She fell in love with the art of storytelling at a very young age and has been inspired ever since. Kim hopes to simplify some of life’s important lessons as well as strengthen social and emotional skills through her short, rhyming stories. She has always taught her children to lead with kindness and hopes to help spread her message to every little boy and girl.
Into the Wind
Into the Wind by William Loizeaux is a children’s story about how an unlikely friendship develops between a young boy and an older woman in a wheelchair. It takes place during a difficult summer for both on the island where they live. After Rusty’s mother is admitted to an inpatient treatment facility on the mainland for depression, Rusty’s neighbor gives him an old sailboat that he works on repairing and learning how to sail. Hazel is a widow whose family lives far away on the west coast, and she hires Rusty to do odd jobs around the house for her to earn a bit of money. As they spend time together, the two find that they share an unexpected connection.
The author has an engaging writing style that will draw readers into the story. The main character is relatable and believable, with a sometimes humorous point of view. This heartwarming story takes place on an island, and the author’s descriptions of the boats and water paint a vivid picture of the quaint tourist town where Rusty and his family lived. I could easily imagine the smell of the sea and the sound of the seagulls as they flew over the boats tied to the dock as though I was experiencing what Rusty did in the story.
I learned a lot of interesting things about sailing while reading this book, and I liked that various sailing terms were explained organically throughout the story for readers who are not familiar with sailboats. The author also includes a glossary of nautical terms at the end of the book. Watching the friendship between Rusty and Hazel is magical. Two people so different, in different stages of life, can find common ground and connect on a deep emotional level. They are both going through some challenging moments in their lives, and spending time with each other helped them cope.
This memorable book includes illustrations by Laura Jacobsen. They are done in shades of gray, like pencil drawings. They really add to the story as they are sparsely used and added to key moments in the story. My favorite was the image of Rusty pushing Hazel through the park with cards clipped to her wheelchair wheels. The innocence and simplicity of the scene remind readers to hold onto the small moments in life.
Into the Wind is a middle grades level chapter book. This emotional story deals with friendship, compassion, death, and grief. It is a wonderful story to help kids learn about love and loss and about the importance of treasuring the moments you have with people.
Pages: 138 | ASIN : B08PDGZRXS
Lifelong Friends, No Matter Where You Go
The Whole Dollar follows two brothers that love each other and share everything as they grow up. What was the inspiration for your story?
This is a true story about my two oldest sons. When something is an event from a real-life situation, the story literally writes itself. As a parent, I tried to capture and take note of those precious everyday moments that are fleeting. When you’re raising children, you feel you’ll never forget something and yet, you do. This is one of those events that was burned into my memory and was the hallmark of what a sibling relationship could and should be.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
The obvious idea is the lifelong joy of a loving sibling relationship. The other major idea focuses on the act of sharing. I wanted to emphasize that sharing isn’t only about “giving something away.” It’s the act itself that brings the giver something precious in return. I also wanted to give the children reading this a hint of how sibling relationships change, and in some ways never change, as they get older. It was important to me that this book be a reminder that your brothers or sisters aren’t just a childhood relationship. They can be your closest and best friends for life, no matter where you go.
What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?
I think it was to write about what you know and to write the stories the way I tell the stories. Humor, excitement, nostalgia, and sweetness among other things – especially when writing for children.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The Whole Dollar is releasing on March 4th. I am currently working on 2 additional books and one of those will likely be available early in 2023. The next book will focus on how children experience feelings of anger, anxiety, fear, being tired, being hungry, and how those feelings can make them act in ways that get them in trouble. This book will be a means of helping parents, teachers, and caregivers start meaningful conversations and teach children how to talk about and manage their feelings.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
The Whole Dollar
When two brothers are also best friends, they share everything. From sharing a room to toys, and even food, Big Brother and Little Brother shared all they had with each other. One day Big Brother wants to do a chore to earn a dollar, his mom asked him to rake the leaves, and he did. When he was done, she gave him a dollar bill. Wanting to share like always, Big Brother ripped the bill in two and gave half to Little Brother. Mom said she would put the two halves somewhere safe for the boys. Years later, as the boys grew older, they stayed just as close and shared everything still. Till one day, Little Brother must head off alone to join the Army. Mom has a surprise for the boys before they say their goodbyes.
The Whole Dollar is a beautiful children’s story about brotherly love, compassion, friendship, and mostly about sharing. Lori Croy has written this picture book using her own sons as the inspiration for the story. You can’t help but smile as you read through this heartwarming story because the love these two brothers share is immeasurable.
The language is geared to lower elementary level children and the illustrations are animated and colorful. Illustrator Katelynn Hoefelman has deftly captured the emotions of the brothers. Their personalities shine through in the images as they grow in the story. This creative story shows that even as they grow older, the things they share change, but the love they have for each other does not. Children will be able to understand the message that Croy is presenting while being entertained as well.
The Whole Dollar is a memorable picture book for younger children. The playful storyline and the message of sharing make this phenomenal children’s book ideal for use in the classroom. Showing the bond between brothers and the importance of family values will delight parents and caregivers of all children.
Pages: 28 | ISBN : 1667826190
The Importance Of Representation
Proud in Her Hijab follows a young Muslim girl that is teased at school over her hijab and shows how she deals with the feelings it causes. What was the inspiration for your story?
I am a mom of four amazing children – 2 girls and 2 boys. The inspirations are also my kids, their years of questions they bring from school as they get asked about their hair type, braid styles, and my girls’ hijab. There aren’t many books about hijab and we already have most of them that are out there so during the pandemic we decided to write our story with characters and names that look like our family. I can’t stress enough the importance of representation and how my girls feel empowered seeing and walking to this book in their respective classrooms. The main message is to uplift and empower girls who choose to wear hijab and be proud of their identities. Also to create awareness for readers about the importance of appreciating diversity and inclusion and embedding appreciation for other’s faith and cultural differences.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Mia Hay?
Mia Hay is the formatter and designer of the book. She is awesome and very professional. I didn’t have a good experience working with the illustrator being unprofessional and not delivering on time. However, Mia stepped in to finish and finalize the missing pieces and designed the book. She is also my 2nd book’s designer and we are very aligned working together. I wanted to thank her.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Besides the two important lessons mentioned above. The book outlines the main themes of the book at the back. Such as
Be proud of who you are, your beliefs and embrace your identities.
Respect and be kind to everyone including to those who are different from you.
Be brave and stand up for yourself.
Don’t shy away from sharing what you go through. It’s ok to share you feelings to your family and friends.
Get to know someone before judging them.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Yes. I just released my 2nd children’s book titled “Oh, No …Hacked Again!” It’s a story teaching children the importance of online safety and sparking interest for young readers to pursue the field of STEM esp. cybersecurity as a future career option.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
“Is she bald?”
“Is her hair dirty?”
There is a fine line between curiosity and ridicule.
Iman must find courage to face the school children.
Proud in Her Hijab is a story that empowers and uplifts girls who choose to wear a hijab while encouraging friendship and respect.
If you are looking for a hijab story of inspiration & courage for your children and loved ones, look no further.
This book is for you!
“A relatable tale of pride and identity that is paired neatly with colorful and expressive illustrations. The summary of themes at the end of the book is a good review for younger readers, and offers a chance for conversation and discussion for parents reading with a child. Kemal has crafted a heartwarming and practical book that elevates kindness, patience, understanding, and cultural sensitivity, which is an essential message for any faith.” Self-Publishing Review
LITERARY TITAN 