Hope and Fortune by Marissa Bañez gives a lost little girl an adventure with a message. As Esperanza must continue through the forest she’s become lost in she meets 12 fairies who teach her lessons each of us could take to heart fora better us and a better world.
First, the art in the book is beautiful. Not in an overly artistic manner but one that should appeal to a younger reader but also give a bit of nostalgia to an adult that might be reading the story to a child. I got the feel of watching certain shows with my own son, when he was little. (Not so little any longer.)
The chosen fairies, each with a certain quality for a better person are appropriate and the fairies are inclusive of all types and parts of society we don’t normally see in the vast majority of children’s books.
The rhyming scheme of the text is fun but also educational. Larger words are used at times but once one gets the first word, then they can easily figure out the second rhyme.
I give Hope and Fortune a 4 out of 5 stars.
You may find Hope and Fortuneby Marissa Bañez at just about every online outlet including:
A first-generation immigrant to the U.S. from the Philippines, Marissa Bañez is a graduate of Princeton University and a lawyer licensed to practice in New York, California and New Jersey. She has published legal articles for the prestigious New York Law Journal and the American Bar Association, but her true passion for writing lies in her children’s stories. She currently lives in New York City with her husband and daughter. Her childhood was filled with many original stories and puppet shows made up entirely by her mom. In her free time, Marissa likes to travel, design and make clothes, cook, binge-watch Star Trek shows and Korean dramas, and occasionally strum a guitar.
She is currently working on her second book, Hues and Harmony (How the Singing Rainbow Butterfly Got Her
Colors), a story about mixed or multiracial children, self-discovery, and respect for others as told through the
life and adventures of a caterpillar. It is scheduled for publication on July 20, 2023.
A child who loses her way seeks help from 12 multi-cultural and multi-generational fairies, who give her practical life advice to get on the right track.
Trying to possess its beauty, Esperanza chases after a butterfly, which inevitably leaves her behind, lost and scared. Then, she meets 12 Fortune Fairies. Among them is the Fortune Fairy of Beauty, who talks about the beautiful butterfly that flew away and comforts Esperanza by saying: “Beauty is not what you see with your eyes but with your heart.” The other Fortune Fairies likewise give Esperanza words to live by to discover her true path.
Hope and Fortune is a children’s book with positive and frank messages about empowerment and self-discovery, designed to stay with a child well beyond childhood.
Hope and Fortune by Marissa Bañez cover.
The 10 Questions
1. What would be your one sentence elevator pitch of what your book is about?
Hope and Fortune is a beautifully illustrated children’s book featuring
multicultural, multiracial, multigender and multigenerational fairies of various shapes
and sizes who give practical life advice to a lost little girl and get her on the right path.
2. What book/author/movie/tv show/song might a potential reader compare your book to in order to get an idea of its feel and why ?
The honest answer is I don’t know. I didn’t take inspiration for my book from any
other book, author, movie or song . . . at least not consciously.
Plus, my book is a relatively short children’s book that most likely would be read
at bedtime, which should be a quiet time without the need for music or other distraction
in the background. I’d want the child to focus on the story and appreciate the beautiful
illustrations without thinking about how it compares to other books, movies or shows.
That all said, in coming up with the Fortune Fairy of Beauty, I was inspired by a
Star Trek, The Next Generation episode in which certain aliens evolved from their
corporeal states into beings of pure energy. I didn’t feel comfortable depicting the
concept of beauty through physical attributes of a human because beauty is a
subjective ideal. So, I illustrated beauty as a life force radiating light and positive energy
from a heart to correlate with what the fairy says: “Beauty is not what you see with eyes
but with your heart.”
3. Why did you choose this topic for your book?
When my daughter was little, I wrote original children’s stories and created
puppet shows from the stories.
One of the stories from those days is the precursor to Hope and Fortune called
The Lost Foal. For my daughter’s 7 th birthday, I wanted to put on a show for her and her
friends at her party. She wanted a story about cowgirls, fairies, and her little stuffed
horse. I came up with a story entitled, The Lost Foal. In The Lost Foal, the stuffed
horse was the one that got lost in the forest and encountered “cowgirl fairies” played by
my daughter and her guests, each of whom wore fairy wings and pink cowboy hats and
gave the horse life advice to get it back on the right track.
Fast forward 16 years later to the pandemic and lockdown in 2020. I felt bad for
my daughter, her peers and those younger, all of whom faced unprecedented
uncertainties in life. Many of them were really lost. I then took The Lost Foal,
modernized it with a diverse cast of characters, and created a message that I hope will
resonate not only with the very young but also with those less so who may feel
rudderless and lost – in however way you want to define and contextualize those terms
– at some point in their lives.
4. What led to your choosing the setting for your book?
I always imagined – rightly or wrongly – that fairies lived in wooded areas, so I
created the world called the Fabled Fairy Forest.
I think more important than the overall setting for the book is how I depicted each
character’s setting within the forest. In writing and illustrating Hope and Fortune, I
learned that numbers, colors, and animals represent or symbolize certain ideals and
principles that dovetail nicely with what I wanted to say in the book. I then incorporated
a lot of that symbolism to make the story as multifaceted as possible. I explain all this in
greater detail in a document I created called the “Backstory of and Guide to Hope and
Fortune,” a copy of which I’m attaching for your background information. Another
blogger in this tour will be writing more about the symbolism that I used in the book.
5. How did you come up with the title of your book and what is its significance?
I finalized this book during the pandemic when everything was so bleak and
dreary. I wanted to put something out in the universe that was uplifting and conveyed
positivity.
Esperanza is my daughter’s middle name, and she is my muse for all my stories.
The protagonist in the book is named after her. Esperanza is also the Spanish word for
“hope.”
I also wanted to pay homage to my late mom, who along with my dad brought my 9 siblings and me to this country from the mountain province of the Philippines with
literally nothing more than the hope that we would all have a better life here. She is
depicted as the Fortune Fairy of Hope.
As for the “Fortune” part of the title, when I wrote the book, I wanted a nice
alliteration with the word “fairy” that has an optimistic feeling. My fairies were
dispensing life advice intended to bring good fortune to Esperanza in her path in life.
Hence, the Fortune Fairies came to life.
6. How has your own experience influenced your writing?
If you’re asking how my life experience/career influenced how I write, writing is
my favorite part of the job as a lawyer. Being a lawyer has made me confident in my
general writing and editing skills.
Children’s illustrated books usually have a limit of 1000-1500 words. It’s often a
challenge to get complex messages and concepts across with that limitation. But, as a
litigator, it’s my job to tell a client’s story in a concise and relatable way. From that
perspective, my experience as a lawyer positively influenced the way that I wrote about
the various principles or ideals discussed by the Fortune Fairies.
If, on the other hand, you’re asking how my general life experience influenced
what I write, I’ve found that as a mom, talking to one’s own kids about certain things can
be very difficult to start, much less sustain. As one reviewer has pointed out, this book
is “a great discussion aid” on topics that deal with self-esteem, self-discovery and self-
acceptance.
I’m also a very “visual” person, with some artistic leanings. I believe that artistic
expressions are simply different forms of storytelling. So, as more fully describe in the
attached backstory and guide, I intentionally curated the illustrations in Hope and
Fortune to supplement the fewer-than-1000 words I used to create a multi-faceted story.
7. What will connect the reader to the story?
The story had universal appeal. For example, in December, I did a reading of
Hope and Fortune at a local library in New York City. After I read the book, a 7-year-old
boy took a copy of the book to read to himself. He then followed me around until he had
my full attention to tell me how much he loved the book and that now he wants to write a
book someday too. Even though the book is about a little girl with a Spanish name and
fairies, the story still resonated with a little Asian boy – which is more than I could’ve
hoped for. How wonderful to be able to touch the hearts and minds of young children
with just a few words and illustrations.
And not only the young. Many grown-ups have told me they wish they had this
book when they were growing up. Also, several early readers have stated in their
reviews that this book should be read by adults as well as kids.
In addition to the story itself, the illustrations add another path through which the
reader could connect to the book. Many people have expressed their gratitude to me
personally for creating such a diverse cast of characters because they could see
themselves and their children represented in the book. When I say “representation,” I’m
not just talking about non-White people. Two incidents brought this home to me
recently.
The first incident involved an early reader of the book who has a little boy to
whom she read the book. She then wrote that the little boy “loves” the book, partly
because the Fortune Fairy of Innocence and Wonder looks like him – a beautiful blond,
blue-eyed boy. That’s precisely the type of reaction and narrative I wanted to create
with the Fortune Fairy of Innocence and Wonder.
Unfortunately, the second incident is far from uplifting but nonetheless
demonstrates the obvious need for diverse representation in children’s books. This is
what happened when I advertised my reading of Hope and Fortune at a local library on
a public page on Facebook:
She deliberately chose to ignore my conciliatory tone and further challenged:
“that doesn’t look like a white fairy.” What is a white fairy supposed to look like?!? Her
combativeness and willful refusal to acknowledge that non-White characters can – and
should – exist in children’s books is exactly why representation matters. In Hope and
Fortune, both Whites and non-Whites are represented. Everyone is exposed to the idea
that people that may look different from us may have something valid to say and
contribute for the betterment of humanity.
8. Did you have difficulty deciding your book was ready to publish?
Not really. I lived with the concept since my daughter was young and it just took
a little tweaking before I submitted it for publication.
9. What genre(s) and reader ages would your work fit best?
Children’s illustrated books, ages 5-10, although as I’ve said, I’ve often been told
that adults should read the book and learn from it as well. Sub-genres include diversity,
multiculturalism, self-esteem and self-reliance, social themes of values and virtues, fairy
tales.
10. What’s your next project idea?
I’m currently putting the finishing touches to my second book, Hues and Harmony
– How the Rainbow Butterfly Got Her Colors. It’s about multiraciality, empowerment,
self-acceptance and belonging as told through the life and adventures of a singing
caterpillar. I use common shapes, primary colors, and basic chemistry concepts to
convey my message.
Like Hope and Fortune, Hues and Harmony is a re-write of story and puppet
show from my daughter’s childhood entitled The Singing Rainbow Butterfly. At that
time, I created the puppet caterpillar in the story out of round silver pot scrubbers held
together by a wire, string, and popsicle sticks, not to mention a prayer. I think I still have
that caterpillar somewhere and intend to use it when I do public readings for Hues and
Harmony.
Esperanza and the Fortune Fairies from Hope and Fortune make a cameo – yet
important – appearance in Hues and Harmony, but it’s not a sequel.
I am using the same illustrator, and the dialogue/songs are also in rhyme so it will
have the same look, feel, and sound as Hope and Fortune. I’m happy with how Hope
and Fortune turned out and I want Hues and Harmony, as well as any other subsequent
books, to have the same quality.
Hues and Harmony is scheduled for official release on July 20, 2023.
You may find Hope and Fortuneby Marissa Bañez at just about every online outlet including:
A first-generation immigrant to the U.S. from the Philippines, Marissa Bañez is a graduate of Princeton University and a lawyer licensed to practice in New York, California and New Jersey. She has published legal articles for the prestigious New York Law Journal and the American Bar Association, but her true passion for writing lies in her children’s stories. She currently lives in New York City with her husband and daughter. Her childhood was filled with many original stories and puppet shows made up entirely by her mom. In her free time, Marissa likes to travel, design and make clothes, cook, binge-watch Star Trek shows and Korean dramas, and occasionally strum a guitar.
She is currently working on her second book, Hues and Harmony (How the Singing Rainbow Butterfly Got Her
Colors), a story about mixed or multiracial children, self-discovery, and respect for others as told through the
life and adventures of a caterpillar. It is scheduled for publication on July 20, 2023.
Genres: Children’s books, Fantasy and Magic, Sword & Sorcery, Science Fiction – Fantasy & Scary Stories
STEVEN IS A BOY WHO PLAYS TO WIN – BUT THIS IS NO GAME.
THIS IS AN ADVENTURE HE CAN’T CONTROL.
“Steven Topcliff loves gaming but doesn’t believe in fairies or magic – until tricky cousin Tracy drags him away from his game console and gets him to press a red button on a mysterious stone they find in the local park. The stone turns out to be a one-way gateway to Fairyland, where nature rules supreme and technology is banned by law.
Lost without his video games, Steven struggles to survive in this scary new world. The inhabitants are dangerous, sometimes deadly. The Land itself is a living being that deals out instant magical punishments to lawbreakers. And the truth about Tracy is terrible indeed. Homesick and horrified, Steven is desperate to escape.
Ignorant of the rules, it’s not long before he breaks them and ends up in the custody of the ruthless Fairy Queen. He learns she’s the living power behind the Land and its creatures, and she has no intention of setting him free. He also suspects she’s not telling him her true reason for keeping him prisoner.
Whatever her game is, Steven isn’t about to play it her way. His only chance of escape is to magic his own gateway home, so he attempts to build up some psychic muscle. The Queen uses all her guile to distract and torment him, and he lives in dread of being eaten alive by gruesome snake-like monsters that live in her garden, but the biggest block to his concentration is his own lack of faith. He still doesn’t believe it’s possible for a human being to do magic.
Can he believe in himself enough to forge the new gateway? And can he rely on the few friends he’s made to help him outwit the Queen?”
*I voluntarily reviewed a Reader’s Copy of this book*
The Gateway to Magic is a delightful fairytale filled with secrecy and intrigue that is sure to delight young and old.
Steven is a young boy who loves playing video games. When his cousin, Tracy, tricks him into pressing a hidden red button found on a stone they discover in the forest, the gates to fairyland are flung open. Steven is thrust into a realm filled with goblins, shapeshifters, and other scary beings. Hang on kids, we’re in for a wild ride.
One of the first entities Steven meets is Nigel, the shapeshifter, who seems to change into different figures that he can’t seem to control. I got many laughs out of the unusual things he changed himself into. However, Nigel’s character has a role. He becomes a friend and confidant of Steven and is instrumental in helping him to find a way out of fairyland. Nigel was my favorite character. Steven treated him badly, and still the little shapeshifter remained loyal.
All Steven wanted to do was to return home. Being a human in fairyland is a foreign experience. He is ridiculed and made fun of by the fairies and the rest of the elemental beings. At one point, Steven is starving because he doesn’t have a job. He steals some sweets to eat, and the Fairy Queen relegates him to the Forest of Pointy Fingers where he must bear his punishment. The only way out is to face up to the error of his ways.
It is when Steven realizes that it was wrong to steal that he leaves the forest of Pointy Fingers and meets Mr. Fildew, the Queen’s Dungeon Master. He is an organic type of creature who suffers from the power of suggestion. Finally, Steven meets the Fairy Queen, and she makes him her consultant. The three characters, Steven, Nigel, and Mr. Fildew have lessons they must learn to proceed in their lives in their fantasy world and beyond.
I guess that’s what I enjoyed most about this tale. You could read it with your younger children, and it would prompt great discussions on values and deep thoughts about growing up. Annabelle Franklin is a children’s writer, and I believe she throws the proper elements in her fantasy novel to encourage imagination in all kids.
If you love fairytales like I do, you will enjoy this sweet and imaginative tale. Take your time, and by all means, read it with your children. They will love it!
Character Believability: 5 Flow and Pace: 4 Reader Engagement: 4 Reader Enrichment: 4 Reader Enjoyment: 4 Overall Rate: 4 out of 5 stars
Author, Annabelle Franklin
About Annabelle Franklin:
“I live on the South Gower coast, in an area of outstanding natural beauty that gives me plenty of inspiration. I hate housework and often wonder if there’s a breed of gruesomely grubby goblin whose sole purpose is to mess up people’s homes. My new book The Slapstyx explores this idea.
I like to think the fabric of material reality is riddled with holes leading to magical dimensions. When my nephew had a phase of video game addiction, I wondered how he would manage in a dimension where technology was banned: would he embrace the adventure or suffer withdrawal symptoms? This is how I came to write Gateway to Magic.
I spent most of my time in school writing stories, whether I was meant to be doing it or not. Since then I’ve had various jobs, played in two bands, taught children to play keyboards, written and performed in plays and made a short film. One of my scripts was shortlisted in a BBC scriptwriting contest, with positive feedback from Tony Jordan.
I share my home with Millie and Pearl, two beautiful rescue dogs who allow me to see the world through their eyes. They are also responsible for a lot of the mess.”
A free copy of the book was provided to me in exchange for a review.
Clement Clarke Moore’s much-loved poem is brought beautifully to life in this gorgeous picture book with a twist – as Santa visits a family of bears on Christmas Eve.
I’ve always loved Clement Clarke Moore’s poem ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas.’ For me, Christmas Eve is my favourite day of the year. So when I was asked to review this book I didn’t hesitate in saying ‘yes’.
Christmas Eve is a magical night and this book is just as magical. The pictures, story, and vivid colour not only help in making the book a spellbinding read, but they captured my heart. I could not fail in taking in every last detail of the illustrations and being whisked away on Santa’s sleigh for the time it took me to read the book.
I thought I was going to get the story of ‘The Three Bears’ but was very pleased to say there were no hints of cold porridge or lumpy beds. I smiled throughout the whole book and could feel it pulling me back to the days of my childhood. Not only will every child enjoy reading this book, but so will any adult who reads it to children.
As I have already mentioned, the illustrations are both beautiful and colourful. Children, young and old, will take a great time in absorbing the whole story not just from the words, but also from looking at the pictures and taking in everything that has been captured in them. They are mesmorizing.
Although the book is aimed at younger children, I’d encourage parents to get older children to read the story to their younger brothers and sisters. Didn’t we all love the magic of Christmas, especially when very young? The book will certainly help anybody reading it to spread that magical feeling to their audience.
The only slight problem I had with the book is that there is a small section of the story which refers to Santa smoking his pipe. The illustration on the particular page also shows this. Given the anti-social attitude towards smoking these days, some may find that they don’t want to promote Santa’s bad habit, as a smoker, to children. I was a little surprised to see it in the book. Had the book been published 30 or so years ago, then I don’t think it would have been considered that much of a problem but, in the current climate, it may raise a few eyebrows.
Genres: Children’s Books (ages 6 – 14), Literature, Fiction, Short Story Collections
**The author provided me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review which follows**
In the Author’s Words:
“Why is all the toilet paper disappearing? Will Kyle escape the banana warriors? Can Marty save everyone from the mushroom zombies? Find the answers inside Willakaville: Amazing Adventures of Astronomical Awesomeness. Follow intelligent children as they solve supernatural issues and find out about themselves along the way. The book is full to the brim with time machines, magic, mayhem, aliens, cats, mystery, secrets, strange lands, rockets, evil villains, and a pencil. If you are into action, adventure and awesomeness, this is the book for you!”
My Recommendation:
My secret is out! I love children’s books and this was one of the cutest kid’s books I have read in a long time. I only wish my own grandchildren were still young enough to enjoy this collection!
The stories are set in the mysterious town of Willakaville. Each tale is filled with humor and descriptions that will have your child hooting with laughter! (I did). While reading, I could imagine myself sitting with my own children and grandchildren on my lap as we read the stories out loud together. I really got the sense the book was meant to be shared as a family. I know it would encourage many family discussions. Anytime you can get your children to talk to you and read at the same time is a plus in my book!
Mathew Heinecke has struck the mother lode in children’s storytelling by writing with a combination of imagination and exciting life lessons skillfully woven into each yarn. I really liked the idea that there was a problem presented within each storyline and the characters had to figure out how to solve the issue. This is a great way to introduce problem-solving skills to young children.
I especially loved the inclusion of numerous poems that I thought would be fun and entertaining to read to a younger child. What a great way to encourage the love of poetry at an early age.
Now, if I can figure out some children to buy these books for…
My Rating:
Character Believability: 5 Flow and Pace: 4 Reader Engagement: 5 Reader Enrichment: 5 Reader Enjoyment: 5 Overall Rate: 4.5 out of 5 stars
About Mathew Heinecke:
Mathew Heinecke is an emerging author of children’s books. He enjoys making up wacky science fiction stories and poems for his children. His Willakaville series books have put these in print for others to enjoy with the goal of tackling the many different issues children will face. (He wants to ensure he is using the full spectrum of his imagination)
As a graduate of the University of Utah with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, he has worked for many years as a mechanical engineer in both the aerospace and transportation industries. This coincides with his passion for learning about new technologies and innovations. (He really wants to be a galactic space fighter)
Mathew grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah where he enjoyed visiting the nearby Rocky Mountains and the colorful landscapes of southern Utah. As a child, he played several sports such as; football, soccer, rugby, basketball, snowboarding, skiing, hiking, fishing mountain biking, golf, and tennis. Now he just plays a little golf and tennis (and has a small protrusion of his belly to show for it) He continues to enjoy sports and time outdoors with his wife, children, and friends.
Some of Mathew’s hobbies include illustration, painting, t-shirt and logo design, gardening, and movies. (He likes to keep busy) His favorite movies are Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings.
Twin brothers, Davey & Derek, are up for an adventure. They want to become junior detectives and solve their first case. With the help of their friend Mickey, they soon have their first case to solve after overhearing a conversation their mother has on the phone.
It’s not long before the three boys are on the case to find a missing cell phone. However, the case is not going to be that easy to solve for the Fifth graders, given that the suspects are all in the Sixth grade at their school. When the police get involved, the whole school can talk about nothing else and the three junior detectives become even more determined to solve the case of the missing cell phone.
It’s been a long time since I read a book that has been written for children, but from the opening chapter I was engrossed in this story and could not put it down. Okay, it only took me two hours to read, but for the entire time I was willing on the main characters to quickly find the culprit(s) so they could be brought to justice.
The main characters are very likable and you can’t but want them to succeed in their first case as junior detectives. For me, the Author’s characters remind me of the works of the great Children’s Author, Enid Blyton. Even the villains are written in a way that you can’t not feel for them and, when you read the book, you’ll get exactly what I mean.
The story moves along at a fast pace and there’s nothing in it that will make the reader wonder if they’ve missed anything. Sure, there is a red-herring, but what’s an excellent detective mystery without the odd red herring thrown in? Given who the Author has written the book for, I firmly believe she’s done an excellent job. It’s a no wonder, then, that the book has already won an award.
I was delighted to hear that there is a second book in the series. Janice Spina is on to a real winner here and I can only see that Davey & Derek are going to become characters that children of all ages are going to love. Now, if only she could introduce a pet dog into the stories like Enid Blyton did with The Famous Five and The Secret Seven, then I think the character selection would be complete.
If you’re looking for a book that has the very real prospects of becoming a great series of stories for Junior School children, then look no further than this book.
Lit World Interviews is delighted to announce that Tales from the Garden, by Sally Cronin, is now available in Ebook versions with the print copies available shortly.
Sally and husband, David, will be leaving their house and garden at some point in the future and when they put the house on the market, Sally realised that it was not only the sunshine that she would miss. She already had many photographs taken over the last sixteen years and she decided to capture as many aspects of the garden as she could to take with them digitally at least.
As Sally photographed the statues, most far too heavy to take with them, it came to her that some of them had been there at least for 60 years and had seen many changes over that time. Also there was the mystery surrounding the missing dwarves? Just exactly where did they disappear to some nights; when the garden seems to be alive with excitement and you can hear the fluttering of many wings in the air?
Sally wrote the stories weekly on her blog but was so delighted by the response from those who read them, that this became her surprise book of the year. Those that were planned will be released in the New Year.
The Ebook is available now, and the print version will be available in the next week. Both are discounted on her publisher’s website, as there are no additional charges as on other online bookstores.
About the book.
Fairy Stories for children of all ages, from five to ninety-five, that will change the way you look at your garden, forever….
With over 80 photos/illustrations, “Tales from the Garden” by Sally Cronin, reveals the secrets that are hidden beneath hedges and trees.
You will discover what really happens at night as you sleep unaware in your bed. Stone statues and those hidden worlds within the earth are about to share their stories.
The guardians who have kept the sanctuary safe for over fifty years will allow you to peek behind the scenes of this magical place. They will take you on a journey through time and expand your horizons as they transport you to the land of fairies, butterflies and lost souls who have found a home here.
Meet Queen Filigree of the Kingdom of Magia, The Last Emperor and The Lost Boy who live in the sanctuary on the Spanish mountain. Ten stories of adventure, magic and love.
Book Trailer.
Find out more about Tales from the Garden and buy the Ebook in Mobi for Kindle Format and Epub at a special 50% discount via the website – £2.48. Print copies are discounted by 23% at £8.42. The photographs in the print copy are in black and white and will be available in the next week to ten days.
Sally Cronin spent a number of years in each of the following industries – Retail, Advertising and Telecommunications, Radio & Television; and has taken a great deal of inspiration from each.
She has written short stories and poetry since a very young age and contributed to media in the UK and Spain. In 1996 Sally began studying nutrition to inspire her to lose 150 lbs and her first book, Size Matters published in 2001, told the story of that journey back to health. This was followed by another seven books across a number of genres including health, humour and romance. These include Just Food For Health, Size Matters, Just an Odd Job Girl, Sam, A Shaggy Dog Story, Flights of Fancy anthology, Turning Back the Clock and Media Training.
For the last two years Smorgasbord Invitation has offered a legitimate excuse to write daily, meet amazing people from around the world and provide a platform to assist any artist, musician or writer to showcase their work.
Any help that you can provide in promoting the book would be most welcome and you can contact Sally on sally.cronin@moyhill.com. She will be doing a series of guest posts on various aspects of the book. Behind the scene stories of the statues, parts of the garden etc. and will of course share any posts on your blog across by social media.
Brian Wu’s approach to teaching children about the immune system in his book, Fort Applegate & The Battle of Wounded Knee, was informative and effective. As Wu states in his opening “tips” section, one of the primary goals in the writing of this book is for it to be used as a means of getting children interested in their immune system, and as a teaching tool. I found this to be true.
Wu is certainly well qualified for the field in which he is writing about. He holds a PhD in integrative biology and disease and is an MD Candidate. But don’t let all of that education intimidate you. Brian’s storytelling is very child friendly.
My eight year old daughter read the book. Afterward she asked me, “Dad, do I have T-Cells and B-Cells like that boy in the story?” A great example of the author’s intent; get children more interested in talking about their health, and get parents more involved in educating their children about their bodies.
Though the book is not very long, Brian does a fine job in touching upon the highlights of the immune system. And he does it by introducing you to Nolan, a young explorer who cuts his knee on a rock. With a little imagination, Nolan takes us to the front lines of the battle going-on inside his body. As the white blood cells attempt to rescue him, it is just the beginning of the attack of the Bacteria Gang.
Editor’s Note: After reading Jason’s review, I wish I had taken this one instead of offering it to him and his family.-RH
ABOUT BRIAN WU
Brian Wu graduated with a Bachelor’s Science Degree in Physiology and Neurobiology. Currently, he holds a PhD and is an MD Candidate (KSOM, USC) in integrative biology and disease. He is also an experienced writer and editor for a large number of prestigious web pages. Brian values the ability of all ages to learn from the power of stories. His mission is to write about health conditions, educational topics, and life situations in an entertaining way in order to help children understand their own health conditions and daily circumstances.
Writing, for Jason Royle, is a way to express the ongoing story of theology. With every book or article, he hopes readers get a sense of the complexity of God and the necessity of faith. Captivated by the spiritual component of life, Jason loves to read everything from the Greek classics to the Sunday comics. Amazon Author Page. @@jeroyle
I’d like to start this, my inaugural blog post for Lit World Interviews, by expressing my gratitude for my friend Ronovan and his invitation to share a wee bit of my perspective on reading and writing as part of his beautiful, Indy author-supporting website and blog. Ronovan does a fantastic job of keeping things lively and focused on a cause near and dear to our hearts: applauding and supporting Indy authors and making sure that we do all that we can to connect readers with great books and new authors. I’m so pleased to be a part of this mission.
As a new children’s author I find myself asking the kids I meet in my life a simple question at every opportunity (I call it market research, for free!). To the friends that sleep over with my kids, to those I meet at the elementary school during my volunteer hours as a reading helper, to the kids I’m shoulder-to-shoulder with on the floor of the kids’ book section at the local library, I ask: What’s your favorite book? I started noticing a pattern in their responses and an idea for this series of blog posts was born.
You see, as an Indy author, we all know how hard it is to compete with the steady stream of titles churned out daily by big publishing houses. As a children’s Indy author, I find it uniquely challenging to market my children’s books because social media – an Indy author’s best friend – is geared towards adults and keeps children just out of my reach. Kids read what they see in stores, on the shelves at Barnes and Noble and Costco, or the books they see in the Scholastic catalogs sent home from school, the books with intriguing cover art that catch their attention and prompt them to beg their adult to buy these books for them. And if you’ve ever tried, as I have, to get a teensy bit of shelf space at Barnes and Noble or Costco or get in Scholastic’s catalog, you know how hard that is. So, it’s no surprise to me anymore when the kids in my world tell me their favorite books are Diary of a Wimpy Kid, any number of Rick Riordan’s books, or the Warriors series. These are the books in front of them, so these are the books they read.
I am thrilled for the authors of successful kids books, I truly am. I’m a fan of Rick Riordan, he is brilliant. My only problem with the fact that kids only read what they see is that I believe kids are missing out on the breadth of creativity that is afforded to them in the world of Indy children’s books. Let me put this into grown up terms for you to illustrate.
Are you a foodie, like me? Sure, we buy our food staples at the local grocery store, but what we really love is the farmers markets. Only in a farmers market can we find the small batch goat cheese from a local farm, local and raw honey carefully crafted by the beekeeper up the highway, the jams that were lovingly jarred from sun-kissed strawberries in the tiny garden of a widower with a big heart. You don’t find those things in the local chain grocery store, but you love those wonderful products just the same. In fact, your palette would be woefully underwhelmed if you didn’t have those artisan-crafted treats to keep things fun and new and exciting.
Books are the same way, I think. Kids don’t know what they’re missing when they read books they see in the big stores. They don’t know that they’re missing out on the small-batch, carefully crafted words of an author who hasn’t made a big name for herself and probably never will. It’s up to the grownups in the world to bring their kids to the farmers market and show them what they’re missing. So, it is my heartfelt passion to be part of the group of grownups that highlights the books kids are missing out on. Your job as grownups is to help unite kids with the wonderful books of no-name authors who don’t have big house publishing contracts.
Starting with this post, I invite you to take a stroll down the lanes of this kids-book-loving farmers market I’ve prepared for you. The authors I highlight here have not compensated me in any way for mentioning their books and I bought their books myself.
This month, I’ve read three books by Indy authors that I think kids will love (I’m a kid at heart, and I loved these books!).
For Dr. Seuss Fans: Go Baby, Go!(Author and Illustrator: Beth Davis)
From a talented author and illustrator comes this super-fun book, perfect for new readers or parents/guardians/teachers reading aloud to young children, ages 4-6. The author’s illustrations are as colorful as the rhyming tale of a baby carriage on the loose. I laughed out loud in many spots and was completely entertained by the witty encounters the runaway baby has with the police, artists, old men and even a band, to name a few. Very clever, very fun, I completely enjoyed this book.
For Laura Ingalls Wilder and Anne of Green Gables Fans: Through the Fields to School, My Life in Montana (Author: Maxine Albro Pogreba)
A heart-warming and poignant story of a woman growing up on a large Montana ranch, this book was every bit as comforting as sitting down with my grandma and hearing stories of the “old days.” Through short vignettes, the author tells the story of running through the fields to school, her large family of nine kids, and some of the stories she recalls from childhood. I particularly loved that this isn’t a long book and it’s written in a simple style that an elementary school-age child would appreciate. This would be a read aloud friendly book for bedtime or classroom story time, maybe as part of a history curriculum. I love giving kids the opportunity to see the truth of what simpler times were like – it’s great for their imaginations to recall that, not too long ago, families didn’t have so many of the luxuries we have to today. This is a priceless perspective that goes a long way towards instilling an appreciation for today’s modern conveniences. This is a well-written, delightful read.
Harry Potter Meets Game of Thrones: Son of a Dark Wizard – The Dark Wizard Chronicles Book 1 (Author: Sean Patrick Hannifin)
This newly published first book in a promising new series caught my eye because of its stellar cover. It intrigued me and I simply couldn’t resist reading the first page…which led to finishing this book in one sitting. Prince Sorren is the son of a dark wizard who has recently been killed by a boy believed to be the Chosen One of prophecy. Intent on avenging his father’s death and retaining his right to the throne, he sets out in search of the Chosen One and prepares for an epic battle. With an array of interesting characters, this book was remarkably well-written, well-rounded, and a page turner. So many times I have seen fantasy books become completely distracted by intricate back story and overly-detailed descriptions of setting, but not this book. For readers aged 9-13, this will be a riveting adventure that leaves them rooting for an unlikely hero. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
I’m so pleased that I found these wonderful new Indy children’s books to share with you, especially because I enjoyed reading them immensely! I look forward to updating you again soon with more books your kids are missing out on! Until then, remember, take your kids to the farmer’s market from time-to-time so they too can experience bounty by reading non-mainstream, excellent children’s literature.
About the author: Monica LaSarre is a ghostwriter and the author of Jasper Penzey: International Boy Detective, an 8-book mystery/detective chapter book series for 8-12 year olds. Read more about her on her website, http://www.monicalasarre.com. She can be reached via email at mlasarre@gmail.com. @MLaSarre
Brian Wu graduated with a Bachelor’s Science Degree in Physiology and Neurobiology. Currently, he holds a PhD and is an MD Candidate (KSOM, USC) in integrative biology and disease. He is also an experienced writer and editor for a large number of prestigious web pages. Brian values the ability of all ages to learn from the power of stories. His mission is to write about health conditions, educational topics, and life situations in an entertaining way in order to help children understand their own health conditions and daily circumstances.
Lit World Interviews 