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A Parrot Tail Lily
A Parrot Tail Lily by Tuula Pere tells the story of Cosmo, a dedicated gardener who prides himself on his lush garden full of rare and beautiful flowers. However, when an exceptionally rare parrot tail lily sprouts unexpectedly, Cosmo becomes obsessed with nurturing and protecting this single plant. His obsession, though well-intentioned, leads to unintended consequences that threaten his once-thriving garden and his own well-being. The tale unfolds as Cosmo learns the importance of balance and community, culminating in a heartwarming message about the interconnectedness of nature.
One of the most charming aspects of the book is how Cosmo’s relationship with his plants is depicted. He knows every bloom by name, speaking to them with care and pride. The vivid descriptions of Cosmo’s garden are delightful, painting a lush, colorful world that feels almost magical. I was drawn in by lines like, “Cosmo proudly presented his flowerbeds and greenhouses… I know every flower by name!” These details give Cosmo depth, but as his obsession grows, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness watching his world shrink to one plant. It’s a clever reflection of how single-minded passion can sometimes make us lose sight of what’s truly important. The author’s writing style is both simple and engaging, which makes it perfect for a younger audience while still providing layers of meaning for older readers. The narrative picks up in intensity as Cosmo’s fixation deepens. The story’s resolution, when Cosmo’s niece Nelly arrives, is touching and effective. Nelly’s presence brings a breath of fresh air to both Cosmo and the garden. Her simple, heartfelt advice carries a wisdom that’s easy for readers of all ages to understand. I loved how the author used Nelly’s character to gently nudge Cosmo toward self-realization. The moment when new buds sprout where the parrot tail lily once stood is beautifully hopeful, reminding us that life finds a way, even after our mistakes.
A Parrot Tail Lily is a charming story that skillfully weaves lessons about patience, balance, and the beauty of natural interdependence into its narrative. Tuula Pere’s tale would be especially good for young readers or anyone who loves nature and thoughtful, heartwarming stories. It’s the kind of book that leaves you with a warm feeling and a newfound appreciation for the simple wisdom in letting things unfold as they’re meant to.
Pages: 38 | ISBN : 9528200931
A Freezing Ski Trip
A Freezing Ski Trip, written by Tuula Pere and illustrated by Catty Flores, is a heartwarming children’s adventure story that follows siblings Liam and Lily on an exciting yet challenging ski trip through the snowy woods to Pine Cottage. The plot starts with the siblings’ enthusiasm and eagerness to ski on their own, but as they journey across a frozen lake and navigate unexpected challenges like broken ski bindings and freezing cold temperatures, they have to rely on each other and show resilience. By the end of the book, Liam and Lily not only make it back home safely but also return full of pride, having survived their harrowing winter adventure.
I loved how the author captured children’s pure excitement and spirit of adventure. Right from the beginning, when Lily couldn’t wait to set off and had been “ready all morning with her wool hat on,” I could feel her thrill and impatience. The writing brought back memories of childhood adventures, where even the smallest journeys felt grand. The narrative doesn’t shy away from the reality of the unexpected, like when Liam’s warnings about the steep hill become prophetic, and Lily ends up crashing into a snowdrift. This mixture of excitement and realism makes the story relatable, and the stakes feel genuine, even if they remain accessible to a young audience. The tension and the relationship between the siblings are beautifully woven into the story. Liam, being the older brother, alternates between protective and exasperated, especially when Lily refuses to listen to his cautions. I found myself smiling when he scolded her for speeding, only for Lily to boast about her “young bones.” It’s a classic sibling dynamic that feels both authentic and heartwarming. Yet, Liam’s care for his sister is evident, particularly when the trip becomes tougher, and he reassures her despite his own fear. Their bond is the emotional heart of the book, and the way they look out for each other as things get darker and colder is genuinely touching. The story ends with a sense of triumph as the siblings realize that their courage and determination have carried them through.
A Freezing Ski Trip is a delightful and adventurous read perfect for children who love tales of outdoor excitement. It also carries meaningful themes of courage, sibling support, and perseverance in the face of challenges. I’d recommend it to kids who enjoy adventure stories with a hint of danger or for families who want a cozy storytime book with a wintery theme. It’s a simple yet powerful tale that warms the heart as much as a steaming mug of hot chocolate on a cold winter’s day.
Pages: 34 | ISBN : 9528200613
Do You See Me Playing Sports?
Ever wondered how a young kid perceives their first sports experience? Do You See Me Playing Sports? is a delightful children’s book that takes you right into the heart of that journey. It’s a charming tale of a young child, affectionately part of the Chipmunks sports group, navigating the big, noisy, and often intimidating world of sports.
Author Tuula Pere’s use of simple language and relatable situations makes it easy for young readers to connect with the protagonist’s feelings of excitement, fear, and eventual joy. The narrative flows smoothly, capturing the child’s emotions brilliantly as they face various challenges. One moment that stood out was when the child felt overwhelmed by the huge stadium and the idea of competing on such a large field. It’s so relatable for anyone who’s ever felt out of their depth in a new environment.
The illustrations by Majigsuren Enkhbat are vibrant and playful, perfectly complementing the story. Each page is a visual treat that keeps things fun and light. I particularly loved the sequence where the Chipmunks are encouraged to jump over a stretchy band instead of a high bar. It’s a great example of how the book encourages adapting sports to fit the needs of younger kids, making the experience less daunting and more enjoyable.
What I appreciate most about this picture book is its gentle approach to introducing sports. It acknowledges that sports can be scary and overwhelming for young children but also offers solutions to make them more accessible and fun. The idea of starting races with a clap instead of a pistol or playing barefoot soccer are fantastic ways to ease children into sports without the pressure of competition and noise. This book has the ability to make children feel less intimidated by sports, instilling a sense of reassurance and comfort in parents.
Do You See Me Playing Sports? is a heartwarming read that would be a fantastic addition to any child’s library. I think it’s perfect for parents who want to introduce their kids to sports in a gentle, fun, and supportive way. Highly recommended for ages 3 to 7, and a must-read for any parent looking to make their child’s first sports experience a positive one.
Pages: 32 | ISBN : 9528200370
Challenging Situations are Valuable Lessons
Do You See Me when We Travel follows a small child who is unsure about new experiences as their family travels to a new city, the parents help the child see new things are not bad. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I think family vacations have always been the best! Many surprisingly small things can influence their success. I have tested my methods in our close circle for decades – and dare to recommend them to others. They guarantee everyone good experiences and happy memories of shared moments.
In my time, I had three children in the same car, plane, ship cabin, hotel, or foreign city. Our family traveled every year to many destinations together. We learned to reconcile different wishes and take care of the needs of travelers of different ages.
I already have two grandchildren, with whom we have also been abroad – my dream is to introduce them to interesting places in the same way I did to their parents when they were children.
What was the most interesting place you ever visited?
This is a difficult question because there have been many unique travel destinations. Our best travel experiences with the family often involve historically significant places or cities. My favorite cities are probably Istanbul, Rome, and the old inland towns of Spain – especially Toledo, Seville, and Granada. The great mountain areas in the Alps and the northern parts of Spain will also remain in my mind forever.
Perhaps my most cherished memory is connected to Toledo and its magnificent Catedral Primada Santa María. My older children could already read, and they had noticed the big streetside ad about the extensive church art exhibition in that incredible building. To my surprise, they suggested that we go there. “You would like to, though, wouldn’t you, Mom?”
Our visit to the Toledo Cathedral lasted hours because the extensive exhibition covered probably twenty different rooms. Even our youngest, just a toddler, was excited about various artwork and didn’t rush away. I remember how my children found a statue that they wanted me to see among the objects. In that special work of art, Baby Jesus tickled Mother Mary under the chin and made her laugh! The message was clear to me, too. A parent and a child need to be close and have fun together – even on trips!
I also want to praise historic hotels – like Paradors all over Spain – which are often incredible buildings full of stories that I have been able to tell my children. That way, traveling gets a deeper dimension. Of course, everything we have done and discussed has been adjusted to suit the children’s age.
What book changed your life or greatly influenced you?
As a child and teenager, I read a lot. The interest changed from children’s to non-fiction books and novels for adults early on. As a memorable book experience, I have cherished Mika Waltari’s ”Sinuhe”, whose narrative and historical background made a great impression on me. Later, I read more of Waltari’s historical novels, but my first experience with ”Sinuhe” remained invincible.
It is important to me that the background of the book is authentic and that the author has both knowledge and the ability to tell the story impressively by using quality language. I am a fan of reflective books. I want to get deep into the thinking of the main characters and try to understand their choices in life.
Waltari’s epic novels are full of incredible events and fantastic adventures, but I think the main thing in them is the main character’s inner life.
Different twists and turns are interesting in children’s books, but I like to write books with small and ordinary events, too. They are just a frame for the personal development and thinking of the main characters.
Will there be more “Do You See Me” books?
My “Do You See Me Series” already has three books. The other two are “Do you see me at home?” and “Do you see me in nature?”
I have already written also the fourth manuscript, where we are in the world of sports activities. Adults and children may look at it from very different perspectives. There will be challenging stunts, noise, rush, and pressure to perform – sometimes even unpleasant surprises.
The “Do You See Me?” Series is quite exceptional among the children’s books I have written. I wanted to make a series where the point of view of a small child would be the absolute focus. I have written these books in a new way, all based on a pure conversation between an adult and a child. The lines have different colors depending on the speaker.
The topics of the “Do You See Me?” books are very familiar to most families with children. Challenging situations where help and understanding are needed can be found both at home and in the nearby environment – or further away as we travel. The adult must have time to listen and consider the concerns and wishes of a small child. It often helps if adults try to remember their own experiences as children. After all, we all carry our childhood experiences still with us.
I have received excellent feedback on the parental and educational aspects of these ”Do You See Me?” books. Many adults have said that the conversations are very realistic, and they recognize the situations of the stories in their family life. Readers have also liked my Mongolian illustrator Majigsuren Enkhbat’s vision, where a small child is often surrounded by new or overwhelming things – and the little ones are often literally presented surrounded by the feet of adults.
I want to give all my experience of everyday family life, travels, and celebrations with children to the use of others. I believe there is a great need for books like these as they can help everybody. The families will develop mutual understanding by reading the books together.
Everyone benefits if challenging situations are resolved in a good spirit. Being and doing things together is valuable!
Author Links: Facebook | Website
When your family takes a trip, it may feel too long; the food may taste strange; and the unfamiliar people may seem scary. A quick visit to the playground, a little taste of food served in a fun way, or a word game on a road trip may be just the thing you need. Luckily, when staying the night in a strange place, you can move your rollaway bed closer to your parents.
Have a wonderful trip, everyone!
Do You See Me when We Travel
Traveling with small children is a challenge at times. They often don’t understand why things take so long, they get bored easily, and do not like having their routine changed. Do You See Me when We Travel by Tuula Pere is a whimsical look at traveling from a child’s perspective. It helps children with things like long car rides, strange food, new places, and sleeping in a strange bed.
As a parent, I recognize many of the questions and comments the small child makes in this picture book. This is an amazing book to read to a preschooler or kindergarten child before taking a long trip to someplace new. It will help them understand that things may look and feel different, but that is ok. The child in the story was able to find things that were more like they are used to and learn to enjoy being someplace new.
Majigsuren Enkhbat illustrations are colorful and fun to look at. Seeing the child and only the legs of the adults really puts the perspective on a level for small children to relate to. The use of different color text in for the adults vs the child was also a brilliant choice. The text is written like a conversation between the adults and the child so having the different colors makes it so young readers can easily identify the parts that are from a kid’s perspective.
Do You See Me when We Travel is a heartwarming picture book that children and adults can appreciate and enjoy? This book is perfect to take when traveling to help keep kids entertained on the way anticipating all the fun they can have on their adventure.
Pages: 32 | ASIN : B09JMFWKRM
Do You See Me at Home
Do You See Me at Home written by Tuula Pere is a picture book that feels like you are looking into the mind of a child. This story is written from the perspective of a child’s thoughts and their parent’s responses to their feelings. All the interactions are everyday occurrences that parents and children can identify happening in their own lives at one point or another. Things like excitement and wanting to share their day, being scared by something they see on the TV or computer, things too loud, or having to stop playing in the middle of an adventure are experiences children have all the time.
My first thought when reading this realistic children’s book was, I have been here with my own children. I could identify with almost every situation the child and parents were experiencing. This would have been a wonderful book to have had to read to my own children when they were in preschool and young elementary kids. I can see how this expressive picture book would allow children to see their feelings are valid and normal.
The illustrations done by Majigsuren Enkhbat are vivid and bold. There are strong colors that work well together, helping to portray the child’s mood from page to page. When the child is scared by something on TV there is a mostly black page with an angry red fire. When the parents are comforting the child it is bright white with a sky blue and yellow that is soothing.
Do You See Me at Home is a beautifully written picture book that teaches children that their feelings and emotions are normal and ok to have. It is ok for big situations to be difficult for small children and parents and family are there to help them through. This is an ideal children’s book for preschoolers and kindergarten-age kids.
Pages: 32 | ASIN : B09JMDTFRC
My Challenge and Joy as an Author
Do You See Me in Nature follows a child out for a day in the woods with his family. What was the inspiration for your story?
There are a lot of summer nature elements familiar to me in this book. I was a nature-loving and independent child from an early age and gained a lot of freedom of movement because we lived in a peaceful rural setting.
My parents often took my siblings and me to swim in the lake and into the woods to pick berries. In winter we went skiing in the nearby forests and hills. As the grown-ups had plenty to do with the two youngest children, I was free to explore nature alone, too, and gained a lot of confidence.
I took my little red bike from spring to autumn and rode to the lake or higher hills a few miles away. In wintertime, I went skiing to enjoy the beauty of snowy nature. I could spend hours there and come back home just for a meal.
Being in nature has been natural since I was a child, but I can also relate to various challenges from the perspective of small and sensitive children. I encouraged my younger siblings and later guided my own three children.
Adults need to be patient and empathetic concerning children’s needs and worries. The child may have many concerns. How do I survive the whole trip? What if I get lost? And there is much to complain about. A child can be thirsty, hungry, shoes are rubbing, snakes are scary, and the mosquitoes can sting. By listening and helping patiently, the adults can turn the nature experience into something unique and pleasant for everybody.
For Finnish children, nature is usually close, and families spend a lot of time there together. Kindergartens, schools, and various children’s clubs also have a lot of outdoor activities at any time of the year.
Maybe I should write another book about winter nature and activities there! It would be quite different and perhaps more exotic for some families. I have a lot to tell about those adventures as well!
What is the most difficult part of your writing process?
I don’t know how to answer your question about difficulties because writing is a very positive experience for me. As I write, I get into my world of imagination, where anything is possible and in my own hands. I just write and let my creative enthusiasm take over.
My head is constantly full of new topics and book ideas. The biggest problem is perhaps finding enough time for them because one cannot do everything at once. When the story is ready, I must take on the role of a publisher. It’s time to take my stories to the world.
Processes of illustration, translation, marketing, and various collaborative projects are time-consuming. I enjoy them, too, but as a small independent publisher, I must do a lot more than just tell the story! Fortunately, I have previous work experience and skills that help me in these other tasks!
I enjoy all kinds of writing! This applies to non-fiction books as well. I love digging into background material and collecting photos, and putting it all together like a puzzle with a beautiful picture. That’s a lot of fun, too! The hardest step in writing non-fiction is to stop researching and trust that there is already enough material!
Writing children’s books is, of course, closest to my heart. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have written so many of them about such different subjects – even the most delicate ones. Sometimes, people ask me how I have managed to tell my most sensitive and demanding stories for children. The honest answer is that I may cry and write, but my tears are not visible to children. I want to give them warmth and hope even concerning the most difficult topics.
What do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
I’m used to writing in various places and circumstances. My time in the business world was sometimes hectic for the writer; one must rapidly produce demanding texts and focus on exact details, e.g., legal matters and figures.
Now, I enjoy the freedom of writing children’s literature to the beat of my heart and making imaginative trips without time constraints. My children are already adults, so I have more time and peace for writing these days.
I don’t require anything special from the writing environment if I have true inspiration! I have written texts for children’s books while waiting for my children from hobbies in a car or some cafe. I can write at a summer cottage in the middle of nature – sitting on a stone or lying in a hammock – or sitting in a restaurant waiting for the food to come or preparing for the airplane to take off.
The only thing that bothers me is the wrong kind of music. Music has a significant impact on me, and it penetrates my concentration. I must take this into account when choosing a place to write. At home, in my study, I often play classical music or folk music from around the globe in the background. By the way, traditional Sufi music is excellent research music! I noticed that when I concentrated on my law dissertation years ago.
With over fifty children’s books published, what book was your favorite to write?
Every book I have written has its unique place in my heart. Some stories have made me smile, laugh, or cry as I wrote them. Readers might be surprised if they knew the true stories behind my books. Every book is individual in story, purpose, and depth, intended for different age groups and situations.
My favorites are perhaps books on the most challenging topics – war and peace, poverty and survival. As I wrote Lullaby of the Valley, Between the Walls, and Raspberry Red, I knew that the subject matter of war and peace is a delicate one and must be handled with care.
Writing those three books has been very important to me, even though it was mentally demanding at the same time. As a writer, I do not aim for an easy job but a meaningful one instead!
I’m happiest as an author when I feel I have managed to write about something that helps other people cope amid adversity. These situations can range from the minor sorrows or fears of children to the demanding problems that entire human communities face. My favorite book to write is any book where I can defend the weakest ones – being young, old, poor, sick, sad, depressed, or alone.
The weakest people need the most capable defenders, and the most challenging topics must be written with the most sensitive hand. This is my challenge and joy as an author. I just try to be genuine and honest and do my best. Then I feel happy as a storyteller, too!
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
You can become tired on a long trail, feel nervous about swimming, or grow cold on a boat outing. And the forest is full of strange sounds! But with the help of a grown-up, you can get to know a new place, and look forward to the next nature adventure!
Do You See Me in Nature
When a family decides to spend the day out in nature hiking, picking berries, boating, swimming, and exploring, the child has many questions. How far is it? What’s that noise? Can I have a snack? Children are inquisitive and complain a lot. The parents give the child many activities to try and experience and, with a typical small child attitude, the child has many complaints and questions about every step of this adventure. The good-natured parents keep going and all enjoy the day. The child finds excitement and joy despite their complaints and concerns.
Parents reading this picture book to their children will instantly relate to the parents in the story. Children will agree with the questions of the child and will probably ask more as they listen to this story. Author Tuula Pere has created a humorous and entertaining story that will captivate adults and children alike. The vibrant artwork by Majigsuren Enkhbat is clever. Readers only see the legs of the parents, adding to the perspective of the story being told by the child. Seeing everything for the level of a child is an interesting design choice that children will appreciate.
Do You See Me In Nature is written in a conversational style from the point of view of a small child. The back and forth between the child and their parents will have adults laughing and sympathizing with the characters. A trip to nature is an adventure for children, especially if they have never done some of the activities described in this charismatic story.
Do You See Me In Nature is the perfect book to have in a classroom of preschoolers or young elementary students like kindergarten. The whimsical artwork and playful narrative will make this a story to read again and again. Parents and teachers will enjoy reading this picture book as much as children.
Pages: 32 | ASIN : B09JMHDXPT
LITERARY TITAN 