Blog Archives
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
Scared to Swim (Little Fears)
Lillian is taking a bath one day and decides that it would be fun to learn how to swim. Her father agrees and quickly signs her up for swimming lessons. But that night Lillian feels that she may have been too hasty in her decision and starts to worry. Sure enough, when she is in class she is frightened by the noise and wild activity in the class. How will Lillian ever learn to swim?
Scared to Swim is an educational children’s book that shows young readers how to conquer their fear, specifically their fear of swimming. Many parents, myself included, think that sending their child off to swim lessons solves their swimming problem. But for some kids all the activity of a swim class can make them nervous. Author Tuula Pere illustrates this point perfectly in her children’s book.
I loved the art in the book as it made Lillian’s emotions throughout the story very plain. The dramatic enhancement of emotion on the characters make for some funny scenes, like when Lillian says she wants to learn how to swim. I literally laughed out loud when I saw her waving her arms around as if she was swimming.
This bright kids book sends a powerful message to young readers that if they trust in their parents, and give it a good try, together they can accomplish anything. I thought this book was going to show the parent encouraging their child to take the class. I was delighted to see that the parent is the one that helps their child learn a new skill and gain confidence in themselves. This shows young readers that relying on family can be powerful.
Scared to Swim is about so much more than swimming, and all of these ideas are shared in an easy to understand and beautifully illustrated picture book. This is a fantastic book to read multiple times as I’m sure that every time a child reads it they will pick up a new subtle but important lesson.
Pages: 34 | ISBN: 9523254510
Its “Cool” To Be Kind
Cool Kids follows a young boy who becomes a bully to earn a spot on the football team, but when terrible things happen to him he wonders if it’s worth it. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
My father was my inspiration. He was a great storyteller. It was a time when television was first becoming popular; however, not everyone could afford one. Storytelling still attracted the children on the block and they could not wait to hear the stories about a character he created, Ruffy Butchbang. Ruffy Butchbang was a bully who always got in to trouble. It was the only way he could feel important. In every story my dad told, there was a lesson learned. Each story was so exciting because my dad added his special sound effects. This character, Ruffy Butchbang was embedded in my memory. I too told stories about Ruffy to my children and grandchildren. My sons Ted and Eric knew my father but my grandchildren never did. However, they knew who created Ruffy Butchbang, Grandpa Harry. Now that bullying is a subject in today’s society, it seems perfect to bring Ruffy Buthbang back into the spotlight, and so I created Cool Kids.
How can your book help children, parents and teachers with bullying?
I think Cool Kids offers families and educators a great teaching opportunity. It offers them the perfect opportunity to help a children understand their emotions and social dynamics involved in bullying. It open the door for many conversations, whether your child is bullied or bullying. It allows for different discussions and outcomes and steps to take in various situations. Cool Kids shows kids that changing your behavior to become a bully in order to fit in isn’t being cool. Be true to yourself. It shows that there is a power in kindness and its “cool” to be kind. Discussions about this subject is a great way for families to have an open dialogue with their children.
The art in this book was fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Amelina Jones?
After I wrote my story, I needed an illustrator. Mascot Books sent me the sample works of various illustrators. I chose the one who best fit my story. The drawings of Amelina Jones were perfect. She sent me drawings for each character for approval, even my beagle and matched the characters to the script. We made changes because I did not realize things could be inferred and not need to be seen. We communicated with each other through Mascot Books. When all was said and done, I almost did not see a drastic error. Amelina Jones was from the United Kingdom. My story involved football and she drew a soccer ball. Well, that had to be changed to an American football and it was just in time! She also added her personal touches and I loved it. I must say, I was lucky to work with such a talented illustrator.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I have thought about a second book about RUFFY BUTCHBANG and his adventures, still involving the same characters. In each story, there needs to be a lesson learned. I am thinking about the twists and turns that will take place so teachers and families can have continued dialogue and children will love it. I am a former school teacher so I know that communication between adults and children is so important. The paper and pencil is right by my bedside ready for creative ideas. It will ,come not sure of exact dates.
Author Links: Website | Instagram | Facebook
Like most kids, Michael and his friends are so excited for their first day at a new school. They have a lot of questions about what to expect, but most of all, they wonder if theyll get to join the football team. That would be the perfect way to start the year! However, Michael soon finds out that its not as easy as he thinks. The team is filled with bullies, and to join, he has to become one of them. In order to be cool enough to get a spot on the football team, Michael has to start changing his behaviorfor the worse! Suddenly, terrible things start happening to him. Finally, he begins to wonder: Was it all worth it?
Dance Stance: Beginning Ballet for Young Dancers with Ballerina Konora
Ballet begins with learning how to stand. That sounds much easier than it actually is. From knowing the proper foot placement to being fully aware of one’s own spine, finding the right stance is not only essential but promotes good health. A proper stance, as the author points out, isn’t only for dancers. People of all ages can benefit from learning how to stand correctly. Broken down into simple steps with beautiful illustrations, the author and illustrator have handed readers everything they need to know to literally take the first step into ballet.
Dance Stance, Beginning Ballet for Young Dancers, by Once Upon a Dance and illustrated by Stella Maris Mongodi, is an incredibly informative book that will be useful to every reader whether they dance or not. The illustrations lend themselves perfectly to the narrative and provide comical moments throughout the book. It is worth noting that this book appears to be for younger readers, but the vocabulary and sentence structure is more appropriate for upper elementary and beyond.
I was especially impressed with the snippets of advice from a ballerina placed strategically throughout the book. These notes are right on target with the narrative and give readers an insight into the discipline a ballerina must maintain. I am not a dancer, but I appreciated these sections of the book; they served to add to the authors’ message.
Dance Stance, Beginning Ballet for Young Dancers, by Once Upon a Dance (Ballerina Konora and Teacher Terrel) and illustrated by Stella Maris Mongodi, is a short read that I enjoyed and recommend it to anyone curious about becoming a ballerina or improving their own posture. This book would make the perfect gift for anyone who is thinking of studying ballet. It is full of fantastic advice for readers of all ages.
Pages: 63 | ASIN: B09ZGHW76H
The Message Of Positivity
Our 20/20 Journey Back to School talks about returning to school in a post COVID world, what was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The inspiration for this setup to my story was the thoughts in my head about returning to school a few days before our return in February of 2021. I was fortunate enough to have my first-grade class loop up to second grade with me and so I knew the questions that they had been asking and had built a strong relationship with both my students and their parents. As a parent myself, I knew the importance of letting my community know that we are all in this together and that anything is possible (even though a pandemic). The message of positivity was necessary for all of us to cope with these challenges. The idea that we would conquer them as a team, was most important to me!
The artwork was very creative and engaging for young readers. What was the collaboration process like between you and the illustrator?
The collaboration with Daria Shamolina was amazing. She lives in the Ukraine and I have yet to meet her face to face or even on Facetime/Zoom. I trusted that she would produce incredible illustrations and she was truly able to make the story come to life. I found Daria on a Facebook Author page and saw her previous work and emailed her. I think it was meant to be because she had now illustrated my second book as well.
Returning to normalcy in a post COVID environment is challenging for adults and kids; you touched on the perspective of teachers and children in a relatable way. What was your thought process in writing this content in order to appeal to both the children and the adults reading with them?
In collaborating with teachers at my school and in Covid Facebook groups, I really got a good sense of what “all” teachers were going through. I learned so many things from the many groups I followed and was so thankful for the many resources that I had access to during this time. I really tried to put myself in the shoes of my students and think about how they might be feeling through this unprecedented time. I couldn’t be prouder of my group of students who were warriors through the Pandemic and who supported each other and myself alike!
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My second book was just released at the end of November on both Amazon and Ingram Spark, it is called, “Lucky the Leprechaun on the Loose”. It is about a legendary St. Patrick’s Day leprechaun. Each year during the month of March up until the family Irish holiday, Lucky comes to visit children at school and at home. But he isn’t just here for a visit! Lucky wants to create some March magic by hiding toys, leaving messages and surprises, and even making messes while the children aren’t looking. In the spirit of The Elf on the Shelf, Lucky brings much delight to the hearts of children during this wonderful holiday time.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Instagram
Dance-It-Out!
Freya, Fynn, and the Fantastic Flute tells a creative story that gets kids dancing and exercising. How did the idea for this book come about?
As a dance teacher, I know the value of movement and expression. My daughter and I teamed up to try to keep cooped-up kids moving and active at home. The Dance-It-Out! collection—Freya, Fynn, and the Fantastic Flute is one of 10 books—are mostly expanded versions of stories I told in my dance classes. These were always the kids’ favorite part of the class, and I wanted to share the experience with a broader audience. This story is a collaboration with one of the instructors at Pacific Northwest Ballet, Marjorie Thompson, who was separately creating a story ballet, and we thought we’d team up.
What were some driving ideals behind the books development?
The story was created to be danced on stage, so it was an easy transition to create a children’s book with movement from the ideas. We infused even more movement into the Dance-It-Out version by adding the zombie ballet class and having the cats in dance-like poses. It’s full of movement themes and offers many opportunities for creating steps and shapes.
What is the collaboration process like between the authors to bring this book to live?
Marjorie, the original author, had a story draft. We whittled and edited that version together to create a book for her slightly older audience, then I infused that story with simpler movements and actions to make it accessible for younger kids.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
We hope to have 2 more Dance-It-Outs out this year including one about a spirited squirrel superhero. Some of the previous series favorites include Joey Finds His Jump! and Princess Naomi Helps a Unicorn. We’re also working on audio books for the series and have 3 up on Amazon.
The Freya/Fynn sequel is in motion, and we have the same illustrator booked to start working on it in the new year.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | CreativeMovementStories.com | OnceUponADance.com | Instagram | Twitter
In the Dance-It-Out series, created by an award-winning dance teacher, children act and move alongside the characters, and Ballerina Konora joins each page with movement suggestions. In this story, Fynn, Freya, cats, bats, ghosts, and zombies assemble for a captivating story of music, magic, and meyhem.
Movement, dance, and concepts include:
• Kicks
• Marches
• Jumps
• Rolls
• Bends
• First/Fifth position
• Shoulder lifts
• Lunges
• Tiptoes/Relevé
• Breath/Sighs
• Balancing on one foot
• Rocking/swaying
• Hand shapes such as fists/flat/pointer/curved fingers
• Sharp and smooth
• Emotions such as joy, shock, curiosity, and love
• Improv dance
Each Dance-It-Out story is an interactive kids’ storytelling adventure to ignite children’s movement, joy, and imagination. Ballerina Konora joins each page with optional movement and dance ideas and photographs.
The books can be used as a supplement for dance or theater studio classes or camps. Fynn, Freya, and the Fantastic Flute would be pair well with themes such as Halloween, cats, island-living, zombies, ghosts, music, camping, or magic.
The Dance-It-Out movement journeys are ideal for dance, pre-ballet, creative movement, preschool, daycare, early learning, physical education, homeschool, kindergarten, or first-grade activities. The full collection features male/female/nongendered and diverse characters. Books make a great gift for girls or boys interested in dance, ballet, gymnastics, or yoga, or reluctant readers who enjoy getting up and being active.
With kind characters, subtle life lessons, and a positive role model in Ballerina Konora, teachers love the kid-approved, ready-made, easy additions to curriculum and lesson planning. Children at home adore the stories that “young readers will return to again and again” (—Reedsy) offering “an innovative use of dance and storytelling” (—Kirkus Reviews).
Freya, Fynn, and the Fantastic Flute
![Freya, Fynn, and the Fantastic Flute : A Dance-It-Out Creative Movement Story for Young Movers (Dance-It-Out! Creative Movement Stories for Young Movers) by [Once Upon a Dance, Marjorie Thompson, Emilia Rumińska]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41fjTWqcPBL._SY346_.jpg)
Freya, Fynn, And The Fantastic Flute by Once Upon a Dance is a cute children’s story with a unique interactive twist. In the story, we follow Freya and Flynn as they visit their eccentric Aunt Gail. Their aunt’s home is rumored to be haunted because you can often hear music and movement coming from the attic throughout the night. But is it true? Find out and get moving in Freya, Flynn, And The Fantastic Flute!
If I could use one word to describe this book, it would be ADORABLE! The mixture of dance/movement along with beautiful storytelling through writing and illustration adds something new to the children’s literature market. The author introduces a clever way to get kids moving and exercising and is a great way to have parents interact with their children. I enjoyed the story so much that I was sad when it ended and felt as though it ended abruptly. I wanted to know more about the creatures in the attic. The structure of the book leads me to believe there will be a sequel to this story, which I hope there is because this was a blast.
Freya, Fynn, And The Fantastic Flute is a fun children’s adventure book that will get kids moving through an ingenious combination of dance and storytelling. Parents and educators with young children needing to burn excess energy will find this book very handy.
Pages: 40 | ASIN: B09K5XC9DD
The Tale of the Christmas Hero
Santa’s reindeer are very busy on Christmas Eve delivering presents to all the children. But when the reindeer decide to take a break and chase a field mouse for fun they bring about a near Christmas disaster. Luckily the field mouse they were chasing knows someone that can help them out of their jam and get Christmas back on track.
This is a charming children’s book that is an absolute joy to read. This book fits right into the cheery holiday theme of the season. The reindeer, and mouse, are so lively and animated throughout the story that their antics are sure to keep any child’s attention.
Right when I figured out this was going to be a story about reindeer getting into mischief, I knew I was going to enjoy this story, and the amusing antics delivered a lot of entertainment. Each scene has a fantastic illustration from illustrator Brenda Timms. Each image has a soft color palette and looks like they were colored with crayon, which makes them easily relatable to children.
This delightful picture book is told in fun rhymes that add color and character to the story being acted out on each page. The rhymes are cute and easy to follow, with a few big words here and there young readers should have an easy time reading this story with an adult.
The Tale of the Christmas Hero is a whimsical Christmas book that will delight kids this holiday season. With lovable and emotive characters taking readers on an amusing chase that ends in a cheesy reward, family’s will surely enjoy this entertaining book.
Pages: 36 | ISBN: 1643613502
LITERARY TITAN 