Category Archives: Picture Book Recommendations

Apr28

Interview with Chris Lewis

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I’m starting this week out with a great support picture book for your little ones to understand the COVID19 situation, and help them become informed in a child friendly way. Chris Lewis wrote this book with fellow colleagues to help support parents explain to their younger children what is going on in the world. Haley and Comet Learn about COVID-19 is available as a FREE picture book and is available in Indonesian and Portuguese translations. I had a chance to talk to Chris Lewis about his writing routine, future projects, and what writing means to him.

1) Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.
Chris Lewis: After I have eaten with a cup of tea in the evening.

2) What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?
Chris Lewis: Business and technology subjects target and younger readers. Change Management and testing is on the cards.

3) What is writing to you in one sentence?
Chris Lewis: A privilege and a joy I am working every day to get better at.

Covid19PictureBkcoverHaley and Comet Learn about COVID-19 tells the story of two twins, Haley and Comet. They are confused about why they are not allowed to visit with friends, and their big brother isn’t allowed to go to school. Discover the journey the twins go on to find out how COVID 19 has affected their lives. This story is written for 5 years and up.

Haley and Comet Learn about COVID-19 is available at the following eBook store links:

English version: https://books2read.com/u/mVw5Y5
Indonesian version: https://books2read.com/u/bMpdg5
Portuguese version: https://books2read.com/u/mKDMqP

Mar5

Interview with Loretta Sponsler

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Spring is just around the corner, and the great outdoors will be calling people out for travel, camping and adventuring in an RV. I have found the perfect picture book to introduce your child to the camping experience and get them ready for their next family adventure. Loretta Sponsler is a mother of three boys. She enjoys RV camping with her family. When she looked for a book about RV camping for her kids, she couldn’t find one. So, she wrote “The Tent Mouse and the RV Mouse”. It is a modern twist on the old Aesop’s Fable. I had a chance to talk to Loretta about her memories of reading as a kid and why she enjoys writing for children.

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

Loretta Sponsler: My favorite books as a child were the collections by Shel Silverstein. I loved his wacky take on things, the rhythm of his words, and his illustrations. Such talent! I was hooked as a child.

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

Loretta Sponsler: I love to write about camping, where my family connects with nature and with one another. We explore and learn in the great outdoors. We roast marshmallows over a campfire and tell stories and sing songs. Camping (and nature in general) offers endless subject areas for books. My hope is that I create books that both children and adults will love.

3) Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.
Loretta Sponsler: As a mom to three busy boys, a routine is sometimes hard to find. However, I try to commit to sitting at my desk and just writing for a chunk of time at least four days a week. I aim for three-hour blocks of uninterrupted time. There are always millions of distractions and side projects that draw my time, so that focused-writing time is valuable.

Sponsler eBook Cover“The Tent Mouse and the RV Mouse” is a contemporary take on the old Aesop’s fable, The Country Mouse and City Mouse. While Thomas Tent-Mouse loves to camp in his tent where he feels connected to nature, his cousin Harvey RV-Mouse loves to camp in his RV where he feels safe. Together, they go on adventures and share their love of the outdoors while respecting the differences that make them unique.

The Tent Mouse and The RV Mouse is available at: Amazon.com.

For more information, visit Loretta Sponsler’s website at: https://kidscampingbooks.com/.

 

 

 

 

Feb20

Interview with Kya Johnson

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Kya Johnson is the author of the picture book, O is for Oshun.

I love finding multicultural and diverse books for my readers. I think I’ve found a great book and an inspirational author for your home and classroom. Kya Johnson founded RainbowMe to help show kids images of themselves to help shape their imaginations and growth. This positive reflection creates a sense of reinforcement to be whoever they wish to be.

Kya Johnson has written a multicultural fairytale and folklore collection of characters from around the world. O is for Oshun is the first augmented reality children’s book to have diverse folklore and fairytale characters of color from around the world. I had the chance to talk with Kya Johnson about what influenced her as a child, what her writing routine is, and what she has planned for the future.

1) What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

Kya Johnson: My favorite memory from reading as a child was when I was able to read bedtime stories to my younger sister.

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

Kya Johnson: My favorite author as a child was Don Freeman because Corduroy was the first book I remember reading that had a character in it that looked like me.

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

Kya Johnson: I am a first time author, and so I didn’t really develop a “writing routine”. I knew that I wanted a book of folklore characters and I knew I wanted to make sure they were from all around the world and reflected cultures and people not normally seen in that genre.

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

Kya Johnson: This book introduces several folklore, fairytale, and mythological characters from around the world, but barely scratches the surface of these stories. I would love to continue introducing these characters. Also to incorporate the technology of augmented reality really brings the characters to life in a fun and engaging way.

 
5) What is writing to you in one sentence?

Kya Johnson: Writing to me is the ability to introduce new worlds and experiences to young readers.

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O is for Oshun is the first AR children’s book to feature diverse fairytale and folklore characters from around the world. A rhyming alphabet introduces readers to goddesses, kings, and fairies from countries such as Brazil, Japan, Mexico, and Nigeria to name a few. A phone application is available to turn the book into an augmented reality reading experience, bringing the characters alive as they read their section. O is for Oshun is a new kind of read aloud experience that can be enjoyed at home or used in the classroom.

Link to video of the AR experience for O is for Oshun on YouTube.

O is for Oshun is available at Amazon and Barnes & Nobles.

For more information on Kya Johnson, please visit her website at: http://www.rainbowmekids.com/.

For more information on the book O is for Oshun:

http://rainbowmekids.com/o-is-for-oshun/

 

 

 

Jan16

Interview with Brianna Reshae

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BriAnna Reshae Woodard

BriAnna Reshae is the author of “Beautiful Black Butterfly“.

Welcome to a New Year and decade on the Indie Children’s Authors Connection. I’ve been running this blog since I started self-publishing children’s books way back around 2008. So, I’m proud to say I’ve been running this meeting place for authors and readers for over 10 years now. I’m proud to continue this tradition of introducing you to fabulous Indie authors and their books with my first interview of 2020.

BriAnna Reshae is an author that has been following her passion for writing since she was a child and has written a book called Beautiful Black Butterfly. Her books deal with obstacles children face and how they can learn to face and over come them. I had a chance to talk to Brianna about her childhood reading memories, favorite authors, what influences her, and what writing means to her.

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

BriAnna Reshae: Being inspired to use my imagination and dream big is my favorite memory as a child.

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

BriAnna Reshae: My favorite author was Barbara Park who wrote Junie B. Jones, she influences me by being able to connect to children and still be able to entertain middle grade students as well.

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

BriAnna Reshae: I don’t have a particular writing routine, I just write mostly when I’m inspired to do it.

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

BriAnna Reshae: I write children’s books aimed towards obstacles that children face but I would like to write stories about obstacles that teenagers and young adults face as well.

  • What is writing to you in one sentence?

BriAnna Reshae: Creativity.


BlkButterflyCvr Beautiful Black Butterfly is a book about overcoming bullies and excepting who you are. Jai’Da encounters kids that make fun of her. The bullies target her because of the dark color of her skin. But then a black butterfly comes into her life that inspires her to express her natural beauty within and overcome the hatred directed at her. This is a wonderful book to help children understand that differences are actually what make us unique and beautiful, and we can look towards these differences for our own self-confidence and inner beauty.

Beautiful Black Butterfly is available at Amazon.com.

For more information on BriAnna Reshae, visit her social media links here:

Instagram: booksbybree
Facebook: BriAnna Reshae Woodard (booksbybree)
Twitter: books_by_bree

 

 

Oct1

Interview with Carey Azzara

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Carey Azzara is the author of the children’s book, The Sick Puppy. 

I have an extra treat for you. A new book from the author, Carey Azzara is coming out in this week. Carey is one of those authors that just have to write and get his message out to the world. His upcoming book, The Sick Puppy, is due out for release on [release date inserted]. I had a chance to talk to Carey about his influences as an author, his writing routine, and what he would like to write about in the future.

Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?
Carey Azzara: I’m a fan of Mark Twain (who isn’t right?). His stories flow with ease and they all make sense. He teaches as well as entertains (something I aspire to). We learn something of true value from his writing, like the concept of a good lie in the book Huck Finn.

Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.
Carey Azzara: I am not overly disciplined in my routine. I typically do my best work in the morning and late in the evening. However, when an idea strikes, I try hard to get it down on paper no matter when the muse is being helpful.

What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?
Carey Azzara: My next project is a series of books written for the YA audience. It features a fifteen-year-old girl living in New Mexico who is part Apache. Along with her Apache mentor, an elder in the local Native American community, she discovers she has extraordinary powers. The working title is Gila Wilderness Warrior.

the-sick-puppy-ebook coverThe Sick Puppy is the story of a seven-year-old girl that has enjoyed living in her home in Cumberland, Maine. But when her Dad receives special news, her life is turned upside down to adjust to a new home. Heidi learns to adjust to her new town by a friend that puts the meaning into rescue. A sweet, little puppy.

The Sick Puppy is available on Amazon.com in ebook edition or paperback. It is also available at the publisher’s website at Glass Spider Publishing.

For more information on Carey Azzara, please visit his website at:

https://careyazzara.com/.

 

 

 

 

Sep26

Interview with Cody L Clark

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Fall is a beautiful time of year to read a book with your young one, or enjoy some quality time at bedtime. Here is a newly discovered children’s author I’d like to introduce you to for these longer night reads. Cody L Clark grew up in a small North Carolina town. His imagination was active as a child, and it just never stopped. It helped him create a story about his two dogs that were adopted from the Atlanta Humane Society.

Lucky Dogs Shake Paws is based on the meeting of two dogs from different backgrounds. Cody L Clark tells a story of two dogs learning to get along in a new home. I had a chance to talk to him about his writing, inspirations, and what he has in store for us.

1) Why do you enjoy writing?
Cody L Clark: Writing allows me to create my own adventure by using my imagination. Writing also allows me to share the adventure with others. To sum it up, I enjoy writing because it gives me the freedom to create a story with my imagination and share it with people.

2) What inspiration sparked the story Lucky Dogs: Shake Paws?
Cody L Clark: My two dogs are the inspiration behind the story; Ruby and Juliet. When the dogs first moved in together, uncertainty was clear, but over time they have become best friends.

3) What is the moral of the story?
Cody L Clark: Acceptance. The story is about accepting others and their differences.

4) Why did you choose to name the town Dogwood?
Cody L Clark: Being from North Carolina, I decided Dogwood was fitting since that is the state tree.

5) Will Lucky Dogs be a standalone book or do you see this become a series?
Cody L Clark: I plan to make it a series. The characters are a lot of fun.

PawsCoverMayor Ruby has a problem in Dogwood. It’s the quietest and most peaceful place on Earth. But when a new dog arrives into town, the new hound, Wiley, creates uproar. Will Mayor Ruby find a way to keep the peace in Dogwood without upsetting the new resident?

Lucky Dogs Shake Paws is available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Nobles.com.

 

 

Aug17

Interview with Charlotte Safieh

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Cover 3With school starting in many states, it’s not too late to start building your school or home library for the new school year. Charlotte Safieh has written a picture book called “A Cry for the Ocean” to help create awareness and support to clean the plastic littering our oceans.

Charlotte lives in Toronto, Canada with her family. She has been in the teaching profession for many years and specializes in teaching creative writing. She is celebrating her first published book. Charlotte has also started her own imprint called Blue Jay Press to help support new authors with stories needing to be told.

I had a chance to ask Charlotte about her childhood reading memories, favorite authors and impact that writing has had and the influences she hopes to accomplish.

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

Charlotte Safieh: My favourite memory from reading as a child was reading Gerald Durrell and following his adventures collecting exotic animals from exciting far away countries. Something that would not be allowed anymore! I recently learned that he was very influential in changing how we manage zoos, so that instead of simply being a source of entertainment we are protecting endangered species and learning more about their natural environment and behaviour.

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

Charlotte Safieh: My favourite writer for children is Roald Dahl. He is very entertaining and irreverent with such a unique imagination. I also love Barbara Kingsolver, and I’m just reading her new book “Unsheltered” which is a remarkable story that can tell us so much about our current time and the challenges we face with our poor treatment of the natural environment.

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

Charlotte Safieh: I need to be accountable with my writing and love doing courses and being a part of a writing group. I love sharing ideas and talking over writing with fellow writers.

CharlotteBiopic

Charlotte Safieh is the author of the new picture book “A Cry for the Ocean”.

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

Charlotte Safieh: I would like to continue to write stories about the natural world to help children to understand how important it is to protect nature and wildlife. Maybe Sukara can go on to do more great things in the future!

  •  What is storyquest.com, and how did it influence you to become a writer?

Charlotte Safieh: Storyquest is a creative writing project that I have been running for several years. After I qualified as a teacher I began working in classrooms with students teaching them how to write stories and putting their stories together as published chapter books. This has been very enjoyable and rewarding, and I have seen hundreds of students write incredibly exciting, imaginative and powerful stories. I feel very lucky to have done this work, as I see how much they enjoy writing the stories, and I love creating a space to allow that to happen.

  •  What other environmental issues would you like to address in future books?

Charlotte Safieh: I would love to write more about protecting nature, and have been considering a story set in the rainforest, as we are losing our forests so rapidly. I would also like to write about the kids 4 climate movement, as I have been very excited to see that grow in the last year. I am a really big fan of Greta Thunberg and have been following her journey across the Atlantic on a yacht this week.

  •  Why did you start your own independent publishing company, Blue Jay Press?

Charlotte Safieh: I started Blue Jay Press because I love publishing books. It is a true passion, and although this is the first book I have authored I have published over 400 children authored chapter books. I hope to continue to grow Blue Jay Press with books by other authors as well as more of my books.

  •  What advice do you have for aspiring writers who are interested in self-publishing?

Charlotte Safieh: I would say go for it. The self-publishing industry has grown exponentially. Now it is very achievable for anyone who has a story they are passionate about to self-publish. I used Kickstarter very successfully to fund the first set of books and my wonderful illustrator Tamara Piper, who I found on Fiverr. Self publishing makes up a significant proportion of sales of books, especially ebooks.

  •  For our younger authors, what can they work on now to help them become better writers?

Charlotte Safieh: When I teach creative writing I work a lot on encouraging children to be confident in their writing, and to ignore the critical voice in their head that can stop them from enjoying writing. When they are getting ideas down I also tell then not to worry about spelling or grammar so they can let their imagination flow.

  •  What is writing to you in one sentence?

 Charlotte Safieh: Writing is sharing our inner worlds, our lives, ideas and connecting with each other.

“A Cry for the Ocean” is a picture book that brings forward the cause of helping clear our oceans of plastic pollution. Sukara meets a mermaid and learns about the plastic pollution in the ocean and finds a magical way to save it. It will bring awareness to the plight of our oceans and be a great addition to any school or home library. It will be a wonderful teaching tool for ocean and environmental units. Teaching resources accompany the book to help teachers and parents.

“A Cry for the Ocean” is available at Amazon.com.

For more information on Charlotte Safieh’s new book “A Cry for the Ocean” and free resources, lesson ideas, activities, and to order wholesale books, please visit her website at: https://www.bluejaypress.ca/.

 

 

 

 

 

Jul13

Interview with Laura St John

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Laura St John is the author of the picture book “Don’t Judge A Bug By Its Cover”.

With all this beautiful summer weather, it makes me tune into all the beautiful nature around us. What better way to connect with that than a picture book that includes bugs and an important message. “Don’t Judge A Bug By Its Cover” is a book that teaches children to accept themselves and others for their differences. Told with the cutest bug characters, the author Laura St John brings to life lovable characters expressing wholesome values and good decision making in her stories. I had a chance to talk to Laura about her childhood reading memories, favorite authors, and her writing routine along with her plans for future projects.

What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

 
Laura St. John: I loved reading poetry. The simplicity of it and the rhyming. My father had written many poems and cards to my mother, and it was really cool to read his words after he had passed away. I made my own little poem booklet as a child out of colored paper, stapled together and still have that today in a box.

I had a tough teacher in middle school who made us read about twenty novels in one school year and write book reports on them. He assigned the classics, To Kill a Mockingbird, Dracula, The Hobbit and we all didn’t like all of that reading. But looking back, it taught us a lot about the world and about descriptive writing. He also made us memorize poems like “Annabel Lee” and recite them in front of the whole class. Don’t think students are doing much of that today.

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

 
Laura St John: My office is a quiet getaway place with a soft carpet that I can rub my feet into when I write. I prefer to have complete silence to gather my thoughts. My three dogs are usually laying near me when I write since they follow me everywhere. If I feel like writing, then I do. Sometimes you just don’t feel like it which, I guess, many call writer’s block. But if the mood hits then you better start typing or you’ll lose your thoughts. Thank goodness for computers as it is so much easier to type versus writing with a pen.

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


Laura St John: My next book will be about a character that I created called the Alphabet Chef. She has been with me since the late 90’s. So, I am finally going to write a children’s book about her teaching kids about healthy eating habits. I also want to do a series of books with the bugs from my first book “Don’t Judge A Bug By Its Cover”. Maybe I can focus on some other human topics that easily can be expressed with the bugs. My writings are always to help change the world (I hope) in a positive way like in “The Christmas House”. I don’t like writing about dark topics or things that don’t inspire people to think.

Bug Book “Don’t Judge A Bug By Its Cover” is a journey of a ladybug named Lace and a suave bug named Mr. Roach. Every step though the bug world is a step of uncertainty. They have to learn to rely on each other and see the beauty within others to survive their adventure together. This book is a great way to teach the themes of anti-bullying, teamwork, and seeing the beauty within others. It will make a great addition to any child’s or classroom library.

“Don’t Judge A Bug By its Cover” is available at Amazon.com.

For more information on Laura St John, please visit her website at: http://www.laurastjohnenterprises.com.

Jul9

Interview with Sola Togun-Butler

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Sola Togun-Butler is the author of the book Where Do You Keep The Lions? An African Girl’s First Day of School In America

Looking for educational books to add to your child’s learning or augment your classroom’s read-alouds? I had the chance to interview author Sola Togun-Butler, author of the book “Where Do You Keep The Lions?”. She has written a book about her experiences as a young African immigrant attending an American school for the first time. It’s a book that highlights the importance of cultural diversity and awareness while encouraging children to ask questions when they are curious about other cultures. Sola shared with me her childhood reading memories, favorite authors, and what she has in store for future writing projects.

  1. What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

My favorite memory reading as a child was the ability to immerse myself into the life of the character I was reading about. I would completely forget about my own surroundings and literally feel like I was living in the world of the character. I enjoyed the ability to form images in my head of the character’s life and experiences. Even till this day, I would rather read a book and form the images in my own mind than have those images given to me in a movie or television show.

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

My favorite author is Chimamanda Adichie. She has the amazing ability to capture the attention of the reader with the title and maintain that attention throughout the book. Therefore, it was important for me to choose a title that grabs the attention of the reader and have a story line that maintains it.

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

I prefer to write in the morning when I am really energized. I grab a hot cup of tea, open the window blinds so I have a beautiful view of the sunshine or rain, turn on Bossa Nova or music from Nigeria, Mali or Senegal, sit at my desk and just write away. I am inspired by both music and nature

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

I would like to continue writing children’s books about cultural diversity and sensitivity. The world is diverse, and curiosity about other cultures is normal and should be encouraged by parents. It is important for parents to talk to their children to identify any stereotypes or biases that they might have about other cultures that could negatively impact their interaction with peers from that culture.

  1. What is writing to you in one sentence?

Writing opens up the world and takes one on a journey of self-discovery.

KeepLionsBkCvrWhere Do You Keep The Lions? An African Girl’s First Day of School in America. Kemi, an eight-year-old African immigrant girl is looking forward to her first day of school in the United States. But when her classmates start asking upsetting questions about Africa, the negative attention confuses her. With advice from her father, she decides to show her classmates a different side to their understanding of African culture. This book is a wonderful way to expose children to sensitive cultural understanding by encouraging positive questioning about new cultures.

This book is available on Amazon.com.

For more about the author Sola Togun-Butler, visit her author’s page at: https://www.amazon.com/Sola-Togun-Butler-Ph.D./e/B07SHL16PL.

 

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/.