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Begin Leading An Even Happier Life

Jennifer Decker Author Interview

Oliver and the Wishing Star follows a young boy who becomes a dog but finds that it’s not what he thought it would be and learns to appreciate his life. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?

Growing up, we always had a lot of animals. I often thought to myself how animals have the good life, especially our dogs. As a former preschool teacher and having spent a couple decades working in Children’s Ministry, I found the topic frequently talked about amongst children. The thing is, everyone’s life has both the good and the bad, and we should be grateful for who we are and what we have. And that’s the inspiration behind my story.

I loved the art in this book. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Chrish Vindhy?

Working with Chrish Vindhy was a wonderful experience, and we’ve become good friends ever since. In the beginning, she asked me for my manuscript and what the breeds of the dogs in the story were, and within two weeks she got back to me with her sample illustrations, and I was smitten. She captured my vision perfectly. Except for the cover, I let Chrish have complete artistic freedom in creating the entire book in black and white sketches. With only a few changes, I approved them. After that she enhanced everything with color, and with a few minor color changes we were good to go, and I handed it over to my graphic designer, Tia Perkin, to work her magic. Good relationships are vital when creating. I could honestly say that Chrish was ideal to work with, and I look forward to working with her again in the future. And highly recommend her as an illustrator.

What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?

I hope everyone who reads my book or listens to it is left feeling more grateful and appreciative of who they are and what they have—and begin leading an even happier life—and also shares what they’ve learned and experienced with others.

Do you have plans to write more children’s books featuring Oliver?

I certainly do! “Cooper’s Wish” is in the works. Where Oliver’s dog thinks that kids have the good life and wishes upon a star and becomes a boy. I’ve also started another as well. I didn’t plan for it to be a series, but my imagination is running wild regarding numerous story ideas.

Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website

MOM’S CHOICE AWARD WINNER
FAMILY CHOICE AWARD WINNER
FIRST PLACE ROYAL DRAGONFLY BOOK AWARD WINNER
5-STAR READERS’ FAVORITE


AS SEEN ON – ABC 4 “GOOD THINGS UTAH”
KIRKUS REVIEWS MAGAZINE – MARCH 15 2022 ISSUE
STORY MONSTERS INK MAGAZINE – NOVEMBER 2021 ISSUE


HAVE YOU EVER WISHED UPON A STAR? What did you wish for? In this unforgettable story, Oliver thinks dogs have the good life until one evening when he sees a falling star, makes a wish to become a dog…and that wish magically comes true! At first, he’s on Cloud 9, but soon things take an unexpected turn, and Oliver begins to miss the old life he once had. Will Oliver ever make it home, or is he destined to remain a dog forever?

This book is destined to become a CLASSIC and a FAVORITE your child will ask you to read over and over again! Filled with laugh out loud humor, and moments that will touch your heart. Sure to become a book you and your whole family will treasure and enjoy time and time again!

Oliver and the Wishing Star

Oliver and the Wishing Star follows a young boy who struggles with having so many responsibilities and wants to live free, like his pet dog. When a star streaks across the sky he quickly makes a wish to become a dog. When his wish comes true he realizes that being a dog is not at all what he thought it would be. Will Oliver get back to being a boy again?

Jennifer Decker has created a charming children’s book that teaches young readers to appreciate what they have through a whimsical story that many kids will be able to relate to. The story starts with Oliver’s mother telling him what to do, which I’m sure every child can relate to. Things quickly take a fantastic turn when Oliver is turned into a cute grey pup and he heads out into the night.

I really enjoyed how emotive all the characters were in this story charismatic, which makes it easy for young readers to watch the story unfold as parents read aloud to them. Every illustration is bright and sharp, with shading that makes the illustrations look 3D sometimes. With simple language and changes in font throughout, this is a story that will keep early readers engaged.

Oliver and the Wishing Star is an imaginative picture book that uses humor and heart to tell a fun story with an important message. Young readers will learn to appreciate who they are, as well as appreciate their family and home. This is a fantastic bedtime story as the magic happens right when Oliver hits the bed.

Pages: 39 | ASIN: B09DWHQBLD

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