“Dewey and the Dragonfly” written by the author Dewi Tudur is an interesting story book. Story is about a little sad boy Dewey and a dragonfly. It is set in the 1960s Italy.
The dragonfly has had a bad name from long time. He doesn’t have a friend. One day when Dewey was going to the school, dragonfly noticed that Dewey is sad. Grab a copy of this book to know what will happen once dragonfly followed Dewey into the school.
Story is fast paced and interesting. This is a unique story. Language used in the book is easy. This book will help kids in improving their vocabulary as well. Cover photo is designed well. Title is suitable according to the contents of the book. This is a great book to read.
Q1. Please introduce yourself so that readers will get to know you better.
Hello! My name is Michele Walker. I am a Head Start Teacher in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. I live with my husband and our cat named Lucy and dog named Ethel (yes I am a fan of I Love Lucy).
I had always wanted to write a children’s book. It has been on my bucket list for many years. I am so pleased with Rufus & Olivia: A Tail of Acceptance. I am currently working on my next book with these characters.
I love to spend time with family and friends, and I also enjoy time to myself. I love spending time in nature, especially the Oregon coast. I always feel at peace there. I also enjoy live music shows. We have three grown children, and many granddogs.
Q2. What is your inspiration behind your book Rufus & Olivia: A Tail of Acceptance ?
I love animals and have always wanted to do a children’s book about a cat and a dog. My first idea was to have them switch places so they both could understand what it’s like to be the other. In these past few years with racism on the rise I felt it was important to touch on this subject with young children using animals that they would be receptive to. I wanted to give them a foundation for the acceptance of others; whether we see discrimination and injustice in someone’s abilities, family life dynamics or the color of their skin. My inspiration is helping children make a difference in their world.
Q3. What are your hobbies apart from writing?
I love to get lost in a good book. I also love movies and documentaries. I love many genres of music and dancing. It’s so good for your soul and your health. I enjoy learning about other cultures and trying new foods. My husband and I enjoy going out to breakfast. Most of all I love to laugh! I don’t know if that’s a hobby, but it keeps me happy 🙂
Q4. What do you expect readers to take away from your book Rufus & Olivia: A Tail of Acceptance?
That we all have similarities and differences, and that’s what makes us unique and special. I hope parents, grandparents, foster parents and teachers will have conversations after reading my book with their child or children about the feelings discussed in the story. There are questions in the back to help further those conversations. I hope they will remember the characters when they are in a situation and having to make a decision in what is the right thing to do. Especially in regards to the judgements of others.
Q5. Which age group is your book “ Rufus & Olivia: A Tail of Acceptance” suitable for?
Primarily the ideal age is 3 to 9 yrs. It really depends on the child for the story and the message. The illustrations are appealing to all and draw you in. I know some who say their 2 yr old loved it, or a 4th grade class have shared. I even received a photo and praise from a 93 yr old. All ages seem to enjoy Rufus & Olivia.
Q6. What is your favorite quote?
“If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person” Fred Rogers
Q7. What is your favorite country to live in?
Even with all the division especially in the last 5 years, the country that is my favorite is the one I live in The United States of America. There is so many states my husband and I still want to visit in our beautiful country. I would love to see Greece and Italy, but my home is here.
Q8. What suggestion do want to give parents of little readers regarding a reading habit?
Reading and literacy are so important! Start at infancy with board books. Reading to little ones creates that special bonding time together, which is so important in promoting language and pre literacy. Set a bedtime routine which includes a story or two. This will also instill the love for reading in your child for their future. When children are starting to read have them practice with you or read to an animal. Instead of a phone/tablet to entertain or keep your child occupied when out bring a few books instead. Rufus & Olivia is perfect for an adventure out!
Q9. What does literacy success look like to you?
Getting my book into as many classrooms as I can and into the hands of children. I believe in its message, and its ability to build a foundation of acceptance in children’s lives. Success to me is getting all the feedback coming in about how much they love Rufus & Olivia. I have photos, videos, drawings, postings and reviews that mean the world to me.
Q10. Lastly, who is your inspiration in life and why?
My parents are my inspiration. They have always been there loving me unconditionally. Instilling those values in me since I was a child. Always motivating me to go after what I want, and standing by believing in me every step of the way. I am truly blessed.
Live Your Best Life by Julia A. Royston is a worth reading book. Through this book, author is inspiring readers to live their best life. Author has talked about believing in something else also other than the people. Julia believes in faith in God. She is living her best life with God on her side. I totally agree with Julia. When I started having faith in God, my career boosted a lot.
Author is motivating the readers to find their purpose on earth. Below lines has really touched me and are true:
“You were born to live, thrive,
and be loved, but after you have received the necessary things of life to live, there is something that you must return, give back and pull up others from their low places.”
This is a worth reading book. It’s thought provoking. This book inspired me to explore myself and my belief. I am glad to get my hands on this fantastic book. Cover photo is nice and title is suitable. Julia has done great work in this book. I like to strongly recommend this book to my fellow readers.
Collodion written by the author Greg Morgan is the second book in Death Shall Have No Dominion book series. Story is set in the 1840-50s America. Before reading this book, I didn’t have an idea what Collodion is but now I am well aware about it and its uses.
Main characters of the story are Osborn Roche and his nephew Ray. Osborn Roche is a well-respected postmortem and battlefield photographer during the civil war. He and his nephew Ray travel with the Union army photographing battlefields and doing portraits for the soldiers. The way Osborn’s dialogues are written twice gave me the feeling as I watching a movie. Author has captured the perfect essence of a person with autism spectrum disorder in this book. When Osborn met Lou Cattell, for the first time in life he called a woman as beautiful.
Lou has learnt much from her father Henry Cattell, an embalmer of President Lincoln’s son Willy. I appreciate the amazing chemistry between Lou and Osborn. I loved Lou’s character. Writing style of Greg is nice. Language used in the book is easy so I was easily able to follow the story. Cover photo looks amazing. This is an insightful read. I enjoyed the story overall.
Mandy: The Not So Magnificent Helper is a Children’s Book written by the author Karen Christopher and illustrated by Jamel Carroll. Mandy Smithers is a little girl who loves to play house. She loves to pretend that she is doing housework. One day, her mother gave her a to-do list to take care of some household work. Will Mandy be able to do the tasks given to her by her mother?
Grab a copy of this book and find out yourself what gonna happen next in the story. Illustrations are beautiful and I enjoyed this story. Language used in the book is simple so kids could understand it properly. Cover photo of the book looks nice. I was even laughing while reading this book. I am sure you would too laugh after seeing the way Mandy did the work in her own way. Hurry up parents and buy this book for your little ones.
Q1. Hello Maám, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
My name is Teressa Hill I grew up in Oregon, primarily the Columbia Gorge. As a child I spent much of my time outside riding horses, with my dog always trailing behind. We always had pets or fur family as I like to refer to them. When I was not spending time outside in nature, I trained as a competitive figure skater five days a week and travelled extensively. During my downtime from training, I liked to write short stories and poetry. I also loved to sketch and later I enjoyed painting. I used oil as my medium; although I loved the look of watercolours, it was so hard to control, so I stuck with oils. As a young adult I sold several of my paintings. After my competitive figure skating career, I transitioned into a career as a film and television hairstylist in the eighties. That is when I began writing screenplays. In 2005, I wrote a children’s animated series, a Bible if you will, which I have now developed into “The Wildly Whimsical Tales of Gracie & Sniggles,” a series of children’s books. My first, “The Mystery of the Blue Goo,” is available online and through any local bookstore. 100% of my royalties from “The Mystery of the Blue Goo” are being donated to Saint Jude Children’s Hospital. My second “Boo Who?” will release in the fall of 2021, my third “Magical Mo” will be released spring of 2022. There are many more beautifully illustrated books to come of this whimsical series. Ever reminding us of the importance of kindness, acceptance and tolerance above all friendship.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘The Mystery of the Blue Goo’ book?
Never having written a children’s book before. It’s not easy and can be a bit intimidating. There are many great authors past and present who have several degrees from prestigious colleges, who have developed amazing careers, agents and traditional publishers. So I would have to say working through my own stuff, not fitting the mold of a typical author. My children’s books are books are well over the traditional 30 pages, they have lots of illustrations, and they tell a story. So they don’t really fit into the picture book category, and then yet they’re not novels – I consider them story picture books.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
Wow! Good question. So many to name A.A. Milne: Winnie the Pooh. L. Frank Baum: the wonderful Wizard of Oz (my favorite all-time movie). E.B. White: Charlotte’s Web (I never ate pork again). Shel Silverstein, The Giving Tree, A Light in the Attic. Love the whimsical Dr. Seuss, Beatrix Potter, Robert Louis Stevenson
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
Northern California. Specifically Mendocino. I like to think of it as where the redwoods with the ocean. It’s real, it’s serene.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you dive in and start writing a book?
Yes of course. It’s important that the atmosphere in which I’m writing is conducive to helping me stay focus. I have my favorite sweater and my favorite socks that I like to wear. Because I like to be very comfortable when I write. Deciding on storyline, subject matter and how it plays out. I write my endings first. I’ve always done that whether it’s a screenplay, or a book. Character research is important. For instance, if I am introducing a new character like Wise Old Owl I want to know a little bit about owls, so I’ll do research on owls.
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘The Mystery of the Blue God’ book?
From start to finish, first draft, editing, creating and developing the characters-illustrations with my amazingly talented illustrator Karine Makartichan, layout, the cover, to print — about 8 months.
Q7. On what all platforms readers can find ‘The Mystery of the Blue Goo’ book to buy?
Use the ISBN # below and you can order it anywhere
Hardcover | 8.5 x 11in | 74 pages | ISBN 9781665506014 Softcover | 8.5 x 11in | 74 pages | ISBN 9781665505994
E-Book | 74 pages | ISBN 9781665506007
Available at:
Any Local bookstore
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘The Mystery of the Blue Goo’ ?
Going through the process I pretty much envision it, or at least an idea of what the cover is going to look like from the storyline. Of course, it is then solidified once I sketch out illustration ideas with my illustrator. The title of the book, “The Mystery of The Blue Goo,” came from the storyline. Besides, everyone at every age loves a good mystery!
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
I think keeping the storylines interesting, relevant, the adventures whimsical, and the characters lovable and intriguing. Right now I’m just trying to engage my audience and introduce the characters. As the series involves so too do the characters. The characters teach children by working through a situation or problem, showing both their vulnerabilities and strengths. The last book of the series is going to be quite wondrous and very unexpected.
Q1. Hello Ma’am, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
Hi, and thank you for interviewing me. I grew up in the South West of England, close to the ocean, and I’ve always loved reading and losing myself in the pages of a book. I enjoy everything from Jane Austen to contemporary romances, and my first bachelor’s degree encompassed everything from Shakespeare to 20th century Italian literature. I now live in the Pacific Northwest of Canada, which has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. I have a master’s degree in education and for me writing is very much a creative outlet. I find I can lose myself in the creative process in the same way I can when I’m reading.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘Ancient History’ book?
As a part-time author I think one of the biggest challenges is finding a big enough chunk of time to get fully immersed in my writing. I like to have several manuscripts in progress at any one time and that way I can move to a different project if I get stuck. Once things start to flow, it becomes a lot easier.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
That’s a really hard question. I think I am probably influenced by every book I have ever picked up, so it’s hard to pin down just one author or book. I also think it’s really important to find your own voice as a writer. There are so many amazing authors out there, more so now than ever before, but I think I realized very early on that I couldn’t be those authors – I had to be me.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
Well, I spent much of my formative life growing up in England and I always loved visiting the historic homes that looked like they had come straight out of Pride and Prejudice. Here in Canada we are blessed with mountains and forests and coastlines, so we are really lucky. A few years ago we had a sailboat and sailing to a quiet cove and anchoring for the night was very special.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing a book?
It all starts in my head. I start to get ideas and formulate part of the story before I start to write. I’m not someone who tends to plan everything out in intricate detail. I prefer to let things evolve a little more organically than that.
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘Ancient History’ book?
Probably about a year all together. The first draft was finished in a few months, but then it went to my developmental editor and I spent another couple of months re-writing, before it finally went to a copy editor.
Q7. On what all platforms readers can find ‘Ancient History’ book to buy?
It is available on Amazon, Kobo, Nook, Apple, Barnes & Noble, and it will be available from libraries with Overdrive.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Ancient History’ ?
I am very lucky to have an amazing designer from the UK who designs my covers for me. I give her the basic premise of the story and she does her magic for me. She is very talented at interpreting my vision for the book.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
I think the best way to keep things fresh is through characterization. My characters are very important to me and they tend to develop as the story progresses. By the end of the book I’m definitely very attached to them, and it’s sometimes hard to let them go!
Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
I’m not sure I want to give anything away that would spoil it for my readers, suffice to say that all my books have a happy ending and there is definitely a happy ending with Ancient History.
“The De-Coding of Jo: Blade of Truth” penned by the author Lali A. Love is the second installment in the Ascending Angel Academy Series.
Jo is the main character of the story and in this book, we get to read about her struggles and adventures with her friends. The planet Earth is in danger and the survival of the world depends on Jo and her friends. Nisha, Daphne, Zax, and
Flynn helped Jo in rescuing her classmates by vanquishing the Lord of Darkness into another dimension. I appreciate the power with which Jo and her friends overcame the struggle between Light and Dark.
It was amazing to read about Jo’s discovery of her powers. How she could teleport herself from one location to another, how she can travel through time and space. Story is intriguing and kept me on the edge. Jo is my favorite character from the story. If you love reading fantasy stories with strong female characters then this book would be the right pick for you.
“The Miseducation of the Privileged” penned by Nash is a worth reading story. This book explores the limitations of perspective. Taylor killed a guy while driving. Her husband Sebastian managed to pay the judge. Taylor wasn’t given a harsh punishment but she was asked to be a volunteer homeless
shelter counselor for a year.
After entering the shelter, Dr Thomas couldn’t bear the smell of the poor. I liked the way Miss Green, owner and sole investor of the shelter didn’t addressed herself as Dr. It represents person’s nature. As Dr Thomas started talking to the homeless people, she realised her journey here won’t be that easy. In her personal life, Taylor was on birth control pills because she is not ready to get pregnant. Sebastian isn’t happy because Taylor is not the person he fell in love with. He just fell for her character. Grab a copy of the book to know the stories of these homeless people.
Below lines are my favorite from the book. It is totally relatable: “No matter how many degrees you have on
the wall or how much money you have in the bank, when life
wants to screw you, it just bends you over; no warning, no
questions asked, and no sympathy.”
The biggest lesson that I have learnt from this book is “what we see, may not always be as it seems”. Writing style of the author is nice. Language used in the book is easy and I was easily able to follow the story. Cover photo of the book looks simple. Title is suitable to the story and couldn’t have been more appropriate. Everyone should add this book to their bookshelf. I found this book worth my time.
Book: Breathe Dream Soar Affirmation Coloring Book For Kids
Author: Beverly Harris
Available On: Amazon
Language: English
Rating: 5/5
“BREATHE DREAM SOAR AFFIRMATION COLORING BOOK FOR KIDS” is a children’s book written by Beverly Harris.
Breathe Dream, Soar is a coloring book for kids. This book is full of positive affirmations that will help in boosting kids’ confidence and they will believe that they can reach any goal they wanna achieve. Enjoy a fabulous colouring experience with this amazing book. Buy a copy now for your little one.
Kids will definitely love this book. It’s an adorable book that I like to recommend strongly for little readers. Lovely addition to any children’s bookshelf. Kids will have great time coloring the images inside the book.
Sassy Reviews 