Category Archives: Children’s Books Recommendations

Jun12

Interview with Glen C. Kinnaird

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Glen C. Kinnaird is the author of the book “Tony The Theater Dog: Puttin’ On A Show”

Summer is here! I bet you’re feeling the heat already. Time for a great read for your little ones. Here’s a brilliant picture book that grabbed my heart. “Tony The Theater Dog: Puttin’ On A Show”. It’s the first of a series that introduces children to the behind the scenes of theater. Playwright and author Glen C. Kinnaird wrote this book as a story to teach children about live theater. He lives in New York with the real Tony the Theater Dog. He developed the story from experiences backstage at a national tour of a Broadway show. I had a chance to interview Mr. Kinnaird about his picture book series, authors that influenced him, and what future projects he has in store for us.

  • What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

Glen C. Kinnaird: My favorite book from my childhood that really sticks in my mind was a book called Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls. The book is set on a Cherokee farm at the end of the 1800s and it tells the story of Jay Berry, a young boy from a poor family, as he tries to capture a group of runaway circus monkeys. I was captured from the first pages and as a boy who struggled with identity as a child and found it hard to make friends, books became a way for me to imagine I was friends with the characters in the books, going on the adventures with them.

  • Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?

Glen C. Kinnaird: Now that is a tough question. I think C.S. Lewis is my favorite author of all time. Lewis writes in both rational argument and imaginative analogy that helps me consider more deeply my faith. I remember thinking to myself it was the first time I had read someone who was both an intellectual and spiritual at the same time.

  • Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.

Glen C. Kinnaird: I am shamed to say I am a writer who goes with inspiration. I do not have a set routine yet, although I did not find my interest in becoming an author until 2012 when I began another young adult trilogy called, The Legend of the Crystal Lotus. It has been a story that has taken me almost eight years to develop the world, the characters and I have revised the plot lines about four times over the years. “Tony the Theatre Dog” took almost two years to write and had three different plots and story lines when we started. The illustrator began her drawings as I was doing the final editing on the book. I would bring her images and a description of what I wanted on the page. She did not see the actual text until I showed her the first draft summer of 2017.

  • What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

Glen C. Kinnaird: I would like to find my Southern Voice as a writer. I feel that my childhood was kind of odd and I think there are a ton of kids that need to hear a voice that understands. So, this means I need to dive into those memories and some of them may be painful. It took time to explore those memories. I think I suppressed a lot of the pain. Now that I am almost fifty coming up in August, 2019, I see joy in my childhood where in years past the only thing I could see looking back was painful memories.

  • What is writing to you in one sentence?

Glen C. Kinnaird: Writing is like flying for me, looking for new worlds.

Tony the Theatre Dog - 9 x 7-3Tony The Theater Dog series starts with the book “Puttin’ On A Show”. Tony takes the reader through the preparation of a theater production. Kids are introduced to the jobs that help put a theater show together. Different locations are explored, and Tony even brings peace to the cast and producer inspiring everyone to work together as a team.

 

“Tony the Theater Dog: Puttin’ On A Show” is available at Amazon.com.

It is due to release on July 15, 2019. Pre-order is available.

For more information on Glen C. Kinnaird, please visit his website at: https://www.tonythetheatredog.com/.

Apr22

Interview with DeWana Green

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DeWana Green is the author of the picture book “Vonny B and Me”.

Spring is a great time to start thinking about summer reads. The best way to start gearing up is to consider some new picture books. I’ve found a darling story called “Vonny B and Me”. I had a chance to talk to the incredible author, DeWana Green. DeWana was a foster child that overcame many challenges in her life. She graduated from university with a bachelor’s and master’s degree. She works in healthcare and bio tech, and teaches at the college level part time. She’s an inspirational speaker and has her own jewelry line that benefits foster children seeking higher education.

I had a chance to talk with DeWana about the challenges and memories from her childhood, what inspires her to move forward, and what projects she is planning in the future.

  • What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

DeWana Green: My favorite memory from reading as a child was learning to read. I learned to read very young. In fact, I was three-years-old when I learned to read fluently.  

  • Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?

DeWana Green: My favorite author from childhood was Shel Silverstein. I was obsessed with “I Know Where the Sidewalk Ends”. Also, I loved Dr. Seuss’s “Oh, the Places You’ll Go”. As an adult I like Maya Angelou and Robert Fulghum.

  • Do you have a writing routine?

DeWana Green: When it comes to writing, I don’t really have a writing routine. I write best when I am near water. I do have a couple writing rules: 1. I always write from an outline 2. I never force my creativity to flow, so I have never had writer’s block. If there is no flow, it’s a no go… I only write when I feel it. I write when I am inspired.

  • How did you get the idea to write “Vonny B and Me?”

DeWana Green: VBM was inspired by the relationship of my son with learning differences/special needs and his dog. It truly demonstrates that we all have areas that we can excel and be great!

  • You have faced many challenges growing up. How has this helped you to inspire young people?

DeWana Green: It has only been since my divorce over the past 4 years that I have really embraced the pains and fears of my past. I realized that it took ALL of it to make me who I am today. I am always mentoring young adults in some facet of life. There are times I have young adults onboard doing intern work for me and helping research my ideas and concepts. There are other times I am simply spending one-on-one time with them and reminding them that there is NO-thing that they could ever encounter that they cannot overcome once they have decided to overcome it in their minds.

  • I noticed you design jewelry. What are the ideas behind some of your designs.
  • DeWana Green: Yes, I love to jewelry design. It’s a great creative outlet. Each piece I make comes with a unique writing about that piece. My ideas are inspired by nature and the colors of sun, ocean, and sky.
  • What would you suggest to future aspiring writers?

DeWana Green: My suggestion for aspiring writers is simply take time to understand your gift by writing and learn how your gift flows. We all flow and are inspired uniquely and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s that creative energy that’s responsible for so many different books.

  • What plans do you have for the “Vonny B” and Me series?

DeWana Green: The plan is for there to be 5 books in the series. I had 5 different concepts when the idea came to me for the initial work. So up next we will find that VB goes on a unique trip with some friends to some cool places! What I love the most is the subtle lessons that children learn from the book(s).

  • What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

DeWana Green: In the future I see myself writing more in the VBM series. I would like to finish it out. Also, I see superheroes in my future as I have gained some inspiration in that area.

  • What is writing to you in one sentence?

DeWana Green: Writing is the ability to take an imaginary world living in my head and bring it to life on paper so that everyone can experience it too.

vonnyBandmeCvr“Vonny B and Me” is a captivating picture book about a dog and his boy. A seven-year-old boy and his dog take you on a journey of love as you follow their relationship of friendship and courage. The boy has many challenges, such as a learning difference. But through the love of his dog, he can face them. This is a touching story to teach about dealing with differences, changes, and using communication to solve problems. It will make a great addition for any child’s or teacher’s read aloud library. This is the first in a planned series.

“Vonny B and Me” is available at Amazon.com.

For more information on DeWana Green, please visit her website at: www.courageousme.net.

Apr17

Interview with Denise L. Jefferson

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Spring is in the air. What a great time to add to your picture book library with a newly discovered author. Meet Denise L. Jefferson. She’s the author of “Button Joe”. It’s a humorous picture book about a boy that likes to eat buttons. She is also the author of “Dragons Don’t Take Vacations”. I had the chance to talk with Denise about where she gets her story ideas, what inspires her, and what writing means to her.

1) Do you have a writing routine? Share what writing routine works for you.

Denise L. Jefferson: I really don’t have a writing style or routine. I gather my book ideas from almost anywhere. Sometimes I like the different environment when traveling, because you get to experience or interact on a different scale. Or people watching might spark something?

2) What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

Denise L. Jefferson: Future projects. I’d like to expand to adult Christian or inspiration.

3) What is writing to you in one sentence?

Denise L. Jefferson: Writing to me is like dreaming on paper. Your thoughts and imagination can be limitless.

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Denise Jefferson’s book is available at Amazon.com.

Denise L. Jefferson’s book “Button Joe” is about a scrappy little baby boy that loves to eat buttons. As he grows, he has to learn to break this habit. What he learns along the way makes a humorous, warm story for the whole family.

“Button Joe” is available at Amazon.com.

Feb27

Interview with Karolina Marques Pereira: Author of “Blue Like My Shoe: Red Like My Head”

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Karolina Marques Pereira is the author of the picture book “Blue Like My Shoe, Red Like My Head”.

With all the rain and weather happening at this time of year, it’s great to find a book to talk with kids about the colors they can see during rain storms. Karolina Marques Pereira has written a darling picture book that introduces the colors of the rainbow in a fun game between a witch and a dragon. She lives in Germany with her family and works as a primary school teacher. In her book, “Blue Like My Shoe: Red Like My Head”, she creates a delightful way for any child to learn colors. I had a chance to interview Karolina about her childhood reading adventures, which are her favorite authors, and what she’d like to write about in the future.

  • What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

Karolina Marques Pereira: As a child I love to listen to stories. Later in school I loved to write stories on my own. You learn so much from stories and they are so wonderful.

  • Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?

Karolina Marques Pereira: Eric Carle and Astrid Lindgren are my favourite authors. As a kindergarten child I loved Eric Carle. The repetitions and the easy structured stories are perfect for children and help them to learn the language.

  • What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

Karolina Marques Pereira: I love to write stories for young learners. Topics like “colours” and the “weather” and other interesting topics for kids are my favourite. I think it is important that children are able to learn something out of it. My new book “Blue Like My Shoe” helps learners to remember the names of rainbow colours.

BluelikemyShoe“Blue Like My Shoe: Red Like My Head” is a story about a little witch and her dragon friend that play a Q & A response game to guess favorite colors. Introduce your little one to all the colors of the rainbow, how they mix together to form other colors, and rhyming patterns associated with colors. This cute picture book is recommended for ages 2 and up. A repetition and pattern song is at the end of the book to help with read aloud instruction.

This book is available on Amazon.com.

Feb23

Interview with Justin Melquist: Author of “God Is In Your Pizza”

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I found another great book to help teach spiritual awareness and presence to your child. “God Is In Your Pizza” is a children’s picture book for kids 3-7 years old. It helps to explain what God is. Justin Melquist is the author and loves to write children’s books that explain spiritual concepts to children. I had a chance to ask Justin Melquist about his writing process and what he wishes to write next.

  • Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.

Justin Melquist: I find it’s easiest to write about something you’re passionate about or write for someone rather than picking a topic from a list that sells.

  • What subject would you like to write about in future projects?

Justin Melquist: I really enjoy writing books that educate or inspire kids. I will let the universe decide my next project!

  • What is writing to you in one sentence?

Justin Melquist: Writing is allowing the message to come through you.

GodIsYourPizza“God Is In Your Pizza” is a picture book that helps parents introduce kids to what God is. God isn’t just a bearded man that lives in the sky. God is in us all and all situations, even the silly and fun instances. This book is available in paperback and as an eBook on Amazon.com.

Feb11

Interview with Elsa Joseph: Author of “Dylan’s CosyDoze”

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valentineclipartLooking for a cute Valentine’s Day gift for your little reader? Here’s an adorable book that I found called “Dylan’s Cosydoze” by Elsa Joseph. A graduate of South Bank University in London, Elsa has pursued her love of writing with a passion. She combines her interests of travel, art, and theater to build interesting plots and develop memorable characters. I had a chance to interview Elsa about her favorite childhood memories and authors, what inspires her and what upcoming projects are in the works.

  • What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

Elsa Joseph: When I think back to what spurred my undying love for reading, I can date it back to the classic children’s book, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carie. I remember being introduced to this book by my reception teacher and studying the life cycle of a caterpillar. I can recall joining in discussions of what the caterpillar ate each day and being amazed when, at the end of the book, he becomes a beautiful butterfly.

  • Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?

Elsa Joseph: Paulo Coelho is my favourite author. I read The Alchemist two years ago and at first I didn’t like it. However, over time this book has grown on me. The book uses words and storytelling in their simplest forms as a means of portraying something so profound, divine and spiritual. It does it in a way that dissolves all attempts at classification or recapitulating. It is a quick read (at only 170 pages) and the plot is relatively a straight forward one. The style of prose is also clean and an uncomplicated, a-tune to that of a religious parable or childhood fairy tale, both of which this could be likened to.

  • Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.

Elsa Joseph: Yes, I do indeed! My alarm starts to ring. It’s 7am. I swing my legs out of bed, stretching as I walk into the bathroom. I splash some water on my face, and head to the kitchen and gulp down a refreshing glass of warm lemon water.

Then I take it back to my desk, where I read for half an hour and jot down some notes that will be important for today’s projects. Once I’m done, I shower and put on my clothes, ready to start the day.
I don’t work well at home, so after eating breakfast I grab my laptop and head on down to the local coffee shop. There, I’ll sit and drink coffee and make a start on the to-do list I wrote out the previous evening.
The day is spent busily tapping away at my keyboard, with the occasional break to eat something or gaze out the window at the busy shoppers as they rush by. Around 5pm I’ll go home, make dinner, chat with my family for a while, and then hit the gym.

I come back fully exhausted but satisfied. The gym is great for clearing your head. Then I’ll shower and watch a movie, read a book, or browse the Internet for a while. I take a few minutes to reflect on the day and write my to-do list for tomorrow. Then I’ll turn the lights out and drift off to sleep at around 10:30pm. I wake up feeling refreshed the next morning, pumped to do the whole thing all over again.

  • What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

Elsa Joseph: I have so many! I have an author blog (http://www.elsajoseph.co.uk) which I am in the process of re-organizing. I would like to write more about some of the things related to my hobbies which are travelling, cooking, health, etc. I am toying around with writing another children’s book — something about disability, something about acceptance, something about how children with conditions such as Spina bifida and Down Syndrome are normal and talented and not abnormal like how the media can sometimes portray.

  • During all your travels, what was the most place that was inspirational and why?

Elsa Joseph: That’s a tough question because each country I have visited is special in its own way. If I had to pick a place it would be Venice. I love the uniqueness of the city, especially its watery canals. I love the architecture, the Grand Canal, the beautiful Rialto Bridge. I love the fact you don’t see cars but boats and gondolas.

So many things make Venice unique from any city in this big world. It’s truly a magical city.

  • With your background in theater, are you planning a series or book?

Elsa Joseph: Last month I made my debut as a playwright at the Young Vic Theatre in London. As much as I enjoy writing books, at the moment I want to solely concentrate on my playwriting.

  • What teacher inspired you when you were younger and why?

Elsa Joseph: When I went to Sixth Form College I was taught English Language & Literature by Lisa James (Ms. James to me), and it was as though she walked into my head and turned all the lights on.

She lent me poems, plays and books she liked. I showed her poems I had written, which weren’t really poems but more an explosion of words. But she took me completely seriously. She introduced me to Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Henrik Ibsen, Eugene O’Neill– all people who have meant more to me than anyone else. Her way of teaching was very searching but also very passionate and scrupulous. She definitely inspired me to write.

  • What do you do to research your books?

Elsa Joseph: It depends on the kind of book I am writing. It also depends a great deal on what topics I am researching, and why I need to research those topics for that book.

For example, let’s say I want to write a novel that has a lawyer as the primary character and don’t know any lawyers. Right away, the kind of book I am writing is fiction — so I would ask myself what’s important to my story. Am I going for technical accuracy, or sensory? Do I want the reader to feel like I know what I am talking about when it comes to the details of the law or am I trying to convey the analytical and judgmental skills of being a lawyer because I want a realistic character? These are some of the questions I would ask myself.

  • How does living in London influence your writing?

Elsa Joseph: It influences my writing a lot. London is one of the most culturally vibrant cities in the world. For my book Best Kept Secret which is set primarily in London, I drew inspiration from the cities ethnically diverse population.

  • What is writing to you in one sentence?

Elsa Joseph: “Writing” is the process of using symbols (letters of the alphabet, punctuation and spaces) to communicate thoughts and ideas in a readable form.

Dylan's Cozydoze“Dylan’s CosyDoze” is a younger reader’s rhyme book that delves into that toddler problem of losing your favorite toy. On a visit to grandma’s, Dylan’s blanket or “CosyDoze” gets lost. Can Mum and Dad find it? Or will he have to find another way to get to sleep? Delve into this real life problem that many toddler’s can relate with. A great example of problem solving as a family, “Dylan’s CosyDoze” will be a read-aloud to help any child fall asleep.

“Dylan’s CosyDoze” is available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com.

For more information on Elsa Joseph, please visit her website at: http://www.elsajoseph.co.uk.

Jan26

A Great Picture Book About Differences Becoming Superpowers: Lucky, The Left-Pawed Puppy

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luckycvrHere is a must for your read-aloud library. It’s a heart-felt story that was written by left-handed author, Billie Kelpin, to encourage children living in a right-handed world. Lucky, the Left-Pawed Puppy is a picture book that looks at being different as an asset in life. Teachers and parents can use this book to teach a lesson in how to embrace our differences and challenges, not as obstacles, but as superpowers.

Lucky, the Left-Pawed Puppy lives under the “H” of the Hollywood sign with his owner, Mrs. Poppyset, and his two puppy brothers. But Lucky has a problem. He often does things the opposite direction of others. While his brothers lead with their right paws, he leads with his left.

06Things change when William T. Stagent, the Hollywood agent, books them for a Bow-Wow-Chow-Now commercial. But Lucky has trouble following Hector the Director’s cues. Lucky turns left while his brothers turn right. Leslie, a famous dog trainer, is called in to look over Lucky and discovers he is left-pawed. Just as she is showing what to do be done, an earthquake hits the studio. Lucky saves the day, and it is all thanks to his left-pawed ability of naturally turning left.

11Lucky, the Left-Pawed Puppy is a read-aloud for children ages 4-8. With adorable illustrations by artist Julie Parker, we are drawn into Lucky’s self-discovery journey and into the world of Hollywood with puppies center stage. As a follow-up, matching games, online flashcards, and narration of the story can be found at the website: www.leftpawedpuppy.com. Parents and teachers will love this as an addition to their library. It is a great book for teaching understanding of differences that all children can appreciate.

Lucky, the Left-Pawed Puppy is on sale at Amazon.com and through the website, www.leftpawedpuppy.com.

Link here for an interview with the author, Billie Kelpin.