Princelings of the East Blog Tour

About the Book

Title: The Princelings of the East (Princelings of the East Trilogy, Book 1; 2nd edition)

Author: Jemima Pett

Year published: originally published 2011

Publisher: Princelings Publications

Number of pages: 103

Recommended age: 10+

Summary (Amazon):

The Princelings of the East is the first of a trilogy telling of the adventures of Fred and George. When the King's Birthday feast is ruined by an unnatural power drain, our Princeling heroes leave their scientific experiments to set out in search of answers. They encounter the enigmatic businessman Hugo, the impressive Prince of Buckmore, the wise Lady Nimrod, the irrepressible barkeeper Victor, but find themselves threatened by those with vested interests. The scene shifts from a rural, feudal setting to the towers and heights of the curious Isle of Hattan, but where, or when, are they? Time is of the essence in solving this puzzle, and our heroes must keep their wits sharp and their heads clear if they are to survive. Suitable for good readers aged 10 and over, The Princelings of the East is a fantasy adventure with the charm of the Wind in the Willows in a world reminiscent of Anne MacCaffrey's Pern.

 

Purchase

Amazon (US) * Amazon (UK) * Barnes and Noble * Smashwords

 

The Buzz

"Jemima Pett has woven a suspenseful mystery featuring a cast of memorable characters headed by the two charismatic guinea pigs, Fred and George. Pett dives into the story right away introducing Fred and George and establishing the crux of the plot early in the book - namely, the mysterious Energy Drain. The plot line, with its many twists and turns, is very intricate and complex; thus, making it enjoyable for older tweens and even adults. Science fiction aficionados in particular will be interested in the element of time-travel in this book." ~ Mother Daughter Book Reviews, 5 Stars

"It was easy for me to settle into Pett's writing style; it's been a while since I've read anything by Anne McCaffrey or J.R.R. Tolkien, and Pett's writing is a welcomed reminder of how that style of writing can really add to a good plot-line. I have to say that I was impressed with the novel overall. Although it is for older children, it's still written in a way that will appeal to many adults." ~ Megan, Amazon, 5 Stars

"After reading The Princelings of the East, I felt as if my IQ had gone up a few points with Ms. Pett's vocabulary choices - what refreshing text. This true adventure book which includes a fight, time travel and mysterious strangers is reminiscent of Wind in the Willows - with a twist...I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed it very much and look forward to reading the next book in the Princelings series." ~Christine M. Goodreads, 5 Stars.

 

About the Author: Jemima Pett

I've been writing since I was about 8 years old. When my mum died in 2003, I found a small booklet in her box of treasures, written in a very childish hand, entitled The Little Stream. I've been writing articles and reports for newsletters and magazines ever since, but I couldn't find interesting characters and plot for a novel! I worked in business for many years. I wrote manuals, reports, science papers, blogs, journals, anything and everything that kept the words flowing. Finally the characters jumped into my head with stories that needed to be told, and THE PRINCELINGS OF THE EAST was born. I now live in Norfolk with my guinea pigs, the first of whom, Fred, George, Victor and Hugo, provided the inspiration for my stories. And the picture is me with Fred. That's Princeling Fred, of course!

Book Website: http://princelings.co.uk/

Author Website: http://jemimapett.com/

Twitter: @Jemima_Pett

Facebook: The Princelings of the East

Pinterest: Jemima Pett

Google+: Jemima Pett

Goodreads: Jemima Pett

 

The Princelings of the East Blog Tour Schedule (2013)

September 23

Mother Daughter Book Reviews (Launch)

Black Words - White Pages Kids (Review)

September 24

Brooke Blogs (Review)

Reviews by Karen (Review)

September 25

Fiona Ingram (Review)

Stitch Says (Author Interview)

September 26

Amanda's Books and More (Review)

September 27

Reading List (Review)

September 28

swlothian | author (Review)

Create With Joy (Author Interview)

September 29

Christy's Cozy Corners (Review)

September 30

Black Words - White Pages Kids (Author Interview)

Fantasy Fun With Kirstin Pulioff (Review)

October 1

Houseful of Chaos (Character Interview)

Published Bestsellers (Review)

October 2

Fiona Ingram (Author Interview)

Stitch Says (Review)

Deal Sharing Aunt (Review)

October 3

Donna L. Sadd (Author Interview)

October 4

Magical Middle-Grade Literature (Review)

October 5

Every Free Chance Book Reviews (Spotlight With Excerpt)

October 6

Tales of a Bookworm (Review)

Mommasez (Character Interview)

October 7

My Devotional Thoughts (Review)

The Ninja Librarian (Author Interview)

 

*** The Princelings of the East Blog Tour Giveaway ***

                  Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash + a paperback copy of The Princelings of the East Trilogy by Jemima Pett Contest runs: September 23 to October 20, 11:59 pm, 2013 Open: WW How to enter: Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. If you have any additional questions - feel free to send us an email! a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Review:

Princelings George and Fred leave the safe confines of their home, Castle Marsh, to investigate a mysterious and recurring Energy Drain that ruined their grandfather, King Cole’s birthday feast (and led to a lot of good food being wasted too!). They must find the answers since this situation cannot go on forever. Soon, there might be no power left. Leaving the castle is easier than they imagined; in fact the very mention of how useful a tunnel would be is enough for a tunnel to obligingly appear. A Great Adventure calls. Fred and George, inseparable, find themselves separated but they make the best of it. They meet a number of mysterious and sometimes vaguely sinister characters, particularly the ones with a vested interest in the situation. Is the production of a delicious and popular cola drink really the problem?  And is time getting messed up somehow…?

George and Fred, although twins, are appealing and different characters. George (the Brains – he is a Thinker) and Fred (the Brawn – he is the Adventurer) make a great team, relying on each other all the time. When their adventure separates them, they must learn to rely on themselves and make decisions and choices depending on the circumstances that confront each one. They are inventive, curious, brave, and sharp-witted, no mean feat to survive in a variety of situations where petty politics rule. Both George and Fred go on a real journey of discovery, but in fact, much of the journey is internal as they miss each other’s presence, but make those vital choices alone in the end.

Author Jemima Pett creates a charming and endearing world that is a fantastical mix of medieval with technology. Detailed descriptions sink the reader right into each new location and paint vivid pictures of sights and sounds, and the way the inhabitants live. The secondary characters entertain and amuse as well, with a quaint turn of phrase, or a deep, dark purpose (depending on who it is) to give them definition. Lovely idiosyncrasies such as habits and speech patterns ensure the secondary players are fully rounded in this tale. Ms. Pett’s tongue-in-cheek humour will also give many a laugh to slightly older readers.

There is a useful list of characters and locations in the front of the book, which will help younger readers through the twists and turns of this surprisingly complex plot. The author’s illustrations that preface each chapter are delightful and help cement the reader in the context. A lovely read for all ages, with enough action, adventure, inventiveness, and fun to satisfy the most demanding reader. Fans will be delighted to learn that George and Fred’s adventures continue with the second and third books in the series. PS: George and Fred are Guinea Pigs, extremely clever ones, as you will find out!

Q and A With Cheryl Carpinello

 

 

As part of the Young Knights of the Round Table Blog Tour, I get to ask author Cheryl Carpinello all the questions one usually likes to ask and author: the how/what/when/where. Cheryl has very kindly agreed to spill the beans. So glad to have you visit my blog today, Cheryl and here come the questions.

1. When did your fascination with all things Arthurian begin?

My real interest began in college in my English Lit classes. I fell in love with Beowulf and the early English tales and ballads. We read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, which I liked, but when we read Morte d’Arthur by Malory, I was thoroughly hooked. I love Malory’s description of the pageantry and tournaments, the knights and the court. By the time I read Tennyson’s  The Idylls of the King, there was no stopping me. I started reading whatever I could find, fiction and non-fiction. This carried over into my high school classroom where I taught the King Arthur Legend for over 20 years.

 2. What was your favourite Arthurian book as a child?

I’m a bit embarrassed to say that it wasn’t a book; it was Disney’s animated movie The Sword in the Stone! The movie was my first introduction to the King Arthur Legend. It presented an innocent look at a harsh time.

 

3. What is your favourite Arthurian book as an adult?

That would easily be T. H. White’s The Once and Future King. I’m a romantic, and I love the philosophy of Hope that White displays throughout the book. It’s heartfelt, humorous, thought-provoking, and brutally honest in places, and leaves me energized each time I read it. I’ve read it over ten times in the last 25 years.

 4. I love the research and many wonderful details you put into your books: where do you find these?

 Boy, that’s hard to say. I’ve always had an incredible memory for details. Over the hundreds of books I read relating to Arthur, coupled with my years of teaching a variety of Arthurian literature, some pieces just stick in my brain. The descriptions of feasts and standards in both of my books probably comes from Malory’s influence. Somewhere in my reading I remember coming across a passage that described Camelot as sitting in a high pass, so I used that in Guinevere. I did extensive research on Pembroke Castle, Cardigan Bay, and that part of Wales for Young Knights. In fact, I used The Lonely Planet’s Guide to Wales. Guide books contain lots of gems that textbooks leave out.

5. Young Knights is a truly wonderful tale. At the end of the book, I wished it had been longer because I could see where things could have been developed. Was it always your intention to write a novella?

Yes, it was. I write my Arthurian Tales for a specific audience: reluctant readers. That doesn’t mean I don’t want others to read them because I do. But those readers who can read, but choose to do other things are who I am trying to reach. Their attention span is shorter. Printed page after printed page turns them away, hence in my printed books (and in Guinevere’s eBook) each chapter starts with a picture related to the chapter. I’m a believer in encouraging kids to develop their imagination in a world where every detail is vividly laid out especially in the movies and video games that kids love. I want them to think about what might have happened, or if something else could have happened.

6. And will you be taking the adventures of Bryan, Gavin, and Philip further?

 Definitely. Future installments will probably focus on just one of the three characters at a time. That is kind of set up in the end of Young Knights. It’s also possible that readers may see some new young knights at some point.

 7. How has the reception been towards Young Knights? Are many of your readers actually adults reliving the Arthurian adventures of their youth?

Young Knights has done well since its debut in May 2012. The Children’s Literary Classics gave it their Seal of Approval as a Recommended Read and awarded it a 2012 Silver Medal for YA Fiction. Also in 2012, Young Knights was a finalist in USA’s Best Book Awards for e-Book Children. In 2013, Young Knights received an EVVY Merit Award for Juvenile/YA Fiction from the Colorado

Independent Publishers Association. The cover was also a 2013 Ariana Finalist. From the reviews I’ve read, many adult readers are enjoying the story of the Young Knights. I’ve found in this genre, that people who love Arthurian Legend eagerly devour all books that come their way. It’s nice to see that a Legend so old, still draws people to its stories.

 8. What is the best Arthurian movie ever made, in your opinion?

 I haven’t seen many of the movies out there, and my tastes are a bit eclectic. I’ve always liked First Knight. Most people don’t, but I’m a huge fan of Sean Connery. I also like the courage of Guinevere in that movie. Probably my favorite is one called The Last Legion. It tells the story of Ambrosius/Merlin leading the boy Romulus Augustus out of a defeated Rome and to the isle of Britain. Romulus carries his father’s sword Excalibur. It’s a different look at the legend.

9. Why do kids love stories of knights, quests, adventures, etc. so much? It’s amazing that in Young Knights, the young heroes are immersed (as are readers) in another world. There are no dystopian/apocalyptic scenes, and no whizz-bang SFX - just an historical adventure. What is this enduring appeal?

 Do you have a couple of days?! I can give you my ideas based on what I’ve observed in my classroom and in my workshops with kids.

 Heroes: The Legend is full of heroes not just King Arthur. Every kid wants to be a hero if only to them. Heroes live by certain standards and are not always strong, but they don’t give up or lose hope. Arthurian Legend teaches the boundaries of right and wrong, the limits placed on people’s actions, and the consequences for crossing those boundaries or exceeding those limits. Young people hunger for those examples. Kids also see how the ideals of Arthurian Legend are present in the world today and that leaves an impression on them.

 Adventure: The Legend is packed with adventure, and every kid loves adventure, even the most introverted. And what could be more adventurous that riding into battle to save the castle or the princess and going on quests for fabulous historical objects?

 Magic and Mystery: The Legend holds infinite magic and tons of mysteries. In fact, the greatest magician of all time lives in Arthurian Legend: Merlyn!

 I’m not sure if this answers your question, Fiona, but when all of the above are packed into a book, it is one heck of a story that kids devour.

 10. I just adored Guinevere when I first read it. Straying off the Young Knights briefly, will we

see more of Guinevere when she actually marries King Arthur?

 No, but you will see more of Guinevere before her marriage to Arthur. While she grew up quite a bit in On the Eve of Legend, Guinevere still has more growing to do. I’m planning on another book which focuses on her growth and also has young Cedwyn taking a bigger role in the action.

 11. If you had a time machine and could go back to King Arthur’s time and be someone at his court for a week -- who would you be?

 I’d choose either to be a squire to one of Arthur’s knights or a Lady-in-Waiting to Guinevere. Those positions would allow me to get a better view of life in Arthur’s court. As a squire, I would be able to experience what a knight’s job consisted of and how the knights actually trained. As a Lady-in-Waiting to Guinevere, I would be privy to her thoughts and would come away with a better understanding of her.

 12. Is there anything you’d like readers to know that I haven’t asked?

Yes. Readers may not know that The Young Knights of the Round Table comes with a free 18-page Teacher’s Guide with additional information on items in the story, activities, and a study guide. It is available at the time of purchase from my publisher MuseItUp Publishing, or readers may send me a message through FB, Twitter, or my website Beyond Today Educator.

Also, the Wise Owl Factory developed a free Teaching Supplement with Student Pages courtesy of the talented Carolyn Wilhelm for the book. For the time being, that can be downloaded from the site. As soon as I can take up the battle with my website, I’ll upload the Supplement there for readers.

13. You are offered a choice between Merlin’s wand and Arthur’s sword Excalibur: which one would you use in battle?

Both are appealing. Excalibur would severely test my physical strength, and if the stories are true, I’m not sure I would be able to wield it! Merlin’s wand, on the other hand, is an instrument of the mind. One does not use it recklessly! I would choose Merlin’s wand. What a feat it would be to not only learn the spells, but also to understand when to use each one.

 

For readers who (understandably) want more, take a peek at what went into making the award-winning MG novella Young Knights of the Round Table: The King’s Ransom. Behind the Scenes of The King’s Ransom (Book 1 of The Young Knights of the Round Table) will add to your Arthurian experience. Meet the Young Knights and then take a virtual tour of Wales with them. Get up close and personal with author Cheryl Carpinello. Read Dunham’s Story, an exclusive not found anywhere else! Read excerpts from The King’s Ransom and Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend.

 

By Fiona Ingram

 

Five Top Tips to Make Reading Rock!

With the plethora of gadgets and technology at their fingertips, getting kids to open a book seems a daunting task for many parents. However, as any parent knows, when kids are interested in something, it’s hard to tear them away from it! You can turn your kids into avid readers by making reading exciting and interactive. Creative and interesting approaches to reading will transform this activity into something novel and stimulating. These tips will also enhance your child’s reading experience, encouraging them to think more deeply about the characters and themes in books, while having a whole lot of fun! My guest post today comes from Susan Black, who is a freelance writer and mother of two pre-teens.


FIVE TOP TIPS TO MAKE READING ROCK!
As pleasurable as reading is there are many ways to engage with a book other than simply reading it. Active reading strategies help young readers formulate their own ideas about characters, events and themes in literature. Outlined below are 5 active reading strategies to try with younger readers.

Strategy One: The Treasure Box

Whilst reading a book ask the young reader to choose a character and fill a shoe box with small items that would be important their chosen character. For example, if you were reading the Twilight series and the reader chose Bella they might fill the box with an old keepsake from her mother, a ring or flower given to her by Edward and a photo of her and her father. The idea is that the reader updates the treasure box as the story progresses. It’s almost like physically emptying the pockets of a character to find out what is important to them personally. This gives readers a deeper understanding of the characters at hand and enables them to engage with characters at a deeper emotional level.

Strategy Two: Reader Turned Reporter

Reading is a great tool for writing and a great activity is to get young readers to act as newspaper reporters throughout the story. This could range from getting them to read out a TV style news item to writing a column for the local newspaper based on events from the book. Most books involve dramatic events that would easily be covered by local, and sometimes even national, news channels and encouraging them to report on events from the book might help them look at the book from a new perspective. For example was the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood really the villain? The media’s penchant for twisting facts can make for an interesting perspective on new books.

Strategy Three: Hot-seating

Have young readers step into the shoes of a character and get them to respond to a series of questions. As all of the answers about a character are not always given in the book the reader will have to think imaginatively about their responses and make up believable answers. This works particularly well for stories involving passionate crimes as it can be set up in a court of law situation with the reader having to justify the actions of the character. If this is a little bit advanced for a child the adult may instead step into the shoes of the character and allow the young reader to question them. Formulating questions for a character is a higher level thinking skill as the reader is probing the material and creating a personal line of enquiry.

Strategy Four: Thematic Collages

Young readers who respond well to art projects will enjoy creating collages around the major themes in a book. Looking at the finished collage anybody should be able to tell you what a particular book is about. For example, in the case of Romeo and Juliet there may be images concerned with death, love and violence. This would give anybody coming to the play for the first time an idea of what to expect if they read it, or indeed, watched it. This works well for young readers as it gives them a visual representation of all the major aspects of the text. With complicated texts this can help to break down more sophisticated concepts into simpler terms.

Strategy Five: Create Your Own Ending

When you reach the last chapter of the book it’s always a good idea to stop and digest everything that’s happened. An even better thing to do is to make predictions about how the book could end and to write an alternative ending. The fun of this activity is that it can be easily made as serious or as fun as you want it to be. For fun you might try and get a young reader to write the most unlikely ending to the story. If you’re wanting the reader to take the text more seriously however you might get them to make sensitive predictions about how the book will end and write their own version. Not only is this enhancing their ability to analyse books it is giving them the opportunity to improve their creative writing skills. At the end of it they will have produced a piece of work they are proud of and will probably enjoy reading the end of the book even more to look at the similarities and differences between their written ending and that of the author.

Susan’s other interests lie in photography and amateur interior design. She has written this article on reading with kids on behalf of her favourite recliner sectionals specialists.

Can Books Help Kids Cope with Life?

Can books help kids cope with life? Recently I thought about this because of a slew of articles that have appeared in the press and online, some denouncing the levels of violence and sexuality in YA novels, and others arguing that by reading about YA problems today's teens are able to deal with them.

This article appeared in the Guardian (UK) Writing in the Wall Street Journal, columnist Meghan Cox Gurdon argued that contemporary fiction for teens is now "so dark that kidnapping and pederasty and incest and brutal beatings are now just part of the run of things in novels directed, broadly speaking, at children from the ages of 12 to 18".

This is a thought-provoking argument and it unleashed a firestorm of opinion. My own view is that the average teenager is not likely to encounter the dark and sordid side of life described in some of these novels. However, a sheltered teen from a wealthy family whose worst experience is being grounded or having their pocket money stopped is not the same as a young person struggling to survive in a situation of abuse, rape, incest and violence. I think the point is this: are novelists sensationalizing these real aspects of life in order to sell books? Have we, as a society become so hardened that only the most shocking of descriptions and experiences will move us? Will reading about these terrible experiences help the very young people who are undergoing the same sort of tribulation? One thinks immediately that possibly a poverty-stricken teen would not have access to either books or/and education, but I don't wish to split hairs. How can books help kids cope with life?

Life issues are sometimes a challenge for kids to comprehend. Although most parents wish to shield their children from the tragic side of life, many times reality intervenes and the parent may be powerless to adequately comfort their child when dealing with a sad or traumatic situation. Death, disease, divorce, moving house, loss of a pet, bullying, experiences with alcoholic or abusive parents, and drugs form part of a long list of potentially negative life experiences. The death of a beloved grandparent, parent, sibling, friend, or an important adult can have a potentially devastating effect on a young person. Books can offer the kind of therapy that a child will appreciate and in a format that they can understand.

Stories, either fiction or non-fiction, enable children to identify with characters and sad or devastating events and relate these experiences to their own lives. Children are then able to recognize and understand how other people respond to frustration and disappointment. This helps children develop empathy and understanding of human behavior. It can also enable children to respond to discussing issues with a parent or responsible adult such as a teacher or therapist.

Today’s books also have opened up discussions on a variety of previously taboo topics or at least topics that were avoided. These issues can include:

• bullying at school;

• negative comments regarding a child’s weight, appearance, or lack of athleticism;

• tolerance of differences among peers, such as income levels, religious beliefs, nuclear families vs. broken homes, etc.;

• a parent’s history with substance, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse;

• long term changes in living situations, such as the arrival of stepchildren or grandparents;

• issues such as homosexuality and lesbianism, especially where a parent decides to ‘come out’;

• unique abilities and challenges faced by peers or family members with special needs, i.e., autism or Down Syndrome, debilitating illness, or illness or trauma resulting in disability, etc.

Regardless of the issue tackled or the story composed, a book’s therapeutic effectiveness will be enhanced by:

• age-appropriate language;

• honest and realistic characterizations;

• an avoidance of explicit preaching while allowing the reader to make the moral connection through critical thinking;

• a good, well-written story with relevant illustrations

Books are essential guidelines between covers and the younger kids start reading, the better they will be equipped to deal with the many curved balls that will be flung at them.


Of course, even the best written book embracing a particular problem is not a cure-all, and parents should take note that books cannot replace the expert advice of a health care professional where necessary. However, using books for the purpose of healing will often be a solid step in helping a child understand and accept the realities of life, even when harsh and unpleasant. 

Improve Your Child's Reading Levels

Lately I've been reading some disturbing stuff about the fate of books and libraries, and the decline of children's reading levels. It is ironic that in England the law says prisons have to have libraries, but libraries are closing in schools and boroughs because of spending cuts. I've also been reading how some children never open a book and as a result their grades suffer. On many occasions the reason is that there are no books to open! Believe it or not, there are homes with not a single book to read. Whatever the reasons for a child not reading, this situation can be reversed. Can parents make a difference and turn a non-reader into an avid reader? The answer is yes!

Parents already know that books are vital to their child’s scholastic achievements, and developing life skills. It can be disappointing when your child expresses absolutely no interest in reading. However, you can change that by coming up with new and interesting ways to ‘package’ the art of reading. Reading is a skill, just like any other skill. It has to be introduced, nurtured, and developed. Imagine trying to play championship tennis when you can barely hit the ball? Children don’t enjoy what they can’t do. And when reading is difficult, they shy away from even coming near a book. Turning your non-reader into a reader will require your participation and encouragement every step of the way.


• A good way to begin is to actually assess your child’s reading level. If it’s below par, then that’s one reason why he or she isn’t keen on books—books are the enemy, boring, a problem. Have your child read a page or two from a variety of books. Make a list of the words they find easy/hard/not understood. Once you have an idea of their level, based on vocabulary skills, then you can move forward. In fact, to build your child’s confidence, perhaps begin with a book for a younger age. Your child will skim through it, feeling proud at having finished and understood it, and you can offer praise by saying, “Look how easily you managed that! Shall we try something else?”

• A book can appear quite a formidable object to a non-reader. Begin small. Start with a thinner book, not some great tome, and say, “I bet we’ll finish this quickly.” Then let your child read the book in bite-sized pieces. Don’t try for ten pages—read only four or five pages. Your child will feel this is not a huge task after all.

• Reading aloud is something that all parents should do, regardless of children’s age. Most children really love that special time when Mom or Dad comes in to say good night. You can say, “Hey! I’ve got something really exciting here. Want to hear some?” Anything to delay turning off the light, your child will say (of course) “Yeah!” You can make this session into something really memorable by acting the parts and using your Repertoire of Funny Voices, but more importantly, stop at a really exciting point, just when the hero is about to be plunged into mortal danger. Close the book and say, “Gosh! I hope he survives. We’ll have to wait until tomorrow to find out.” Generally, no kid can go to sleep without confirming their hero is indeed still alive…

• Praise and admiration boost a child’s confidence. You can do this by letting friends and family members know just how well your child is doing. “It’s amazing how many pages (child’s name) is reading every day now!” Soon your child will be the one to suggest reading. Use the time together to understand your child’s thought processes, and structure the book choices around what really sparks their interest.

• Get your child their own library card and encourage them to begin choosing their own material. Buying book vouchers instead of other kinds of gifts will encourage your child to start building their ‘own’ collection of cherished books.

• Go slowly—tennis champions aren’t made overnight….

Escape to An Enchanted World with author Danika Dinsmore

No, there's no mistake. Please follow the link below to my great interview with Danika Dinsmore, author of Brigitta of the White Forest. Danika is an award-winning writer, spoken word artist, and educator. Danika has been working with children of all ages for 18 years. Faerie Tales from the White Forest is her first novel series. Brigitta of the White Forest is Book One of Faerie Tales from the White Forest.

Danika grew up in Northern California. She earned her MFA in Writing and Poetics from Naropa University's Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics (founded by Allen Ginsberg). Her early writing career was built on experimental poetry and collaborative spoken word performances. While living in Seattle, she organized and performed with the 12-person Word Orchestra as well as the performance group FourWord FourTete. Her inspired performances earned her the Washington Poets Association award for Performance Poetry. After moving to British Columbia she turned her attention to film, television, and new media. She has worked as an artist-in-the-schools and media literacy educator for Learning Through the Arts and has taught screenwriting courses in the Writing Department at Vancouver Film School and at Capilano University. She blogs about her multi-disciplined writing life as The Accidental Novelist. She currently lives with her husband and their spoiled cat in Vancouver.

My good friend Shelly  Burns is away for a day and asked me to fill in the gap in her blog schedule. So please hop over to Write for a Reader and browse this fascinating article. Plus you can get to know Shelly as well! http://tinyurl.com/36frqsr

The Rainbow Child & Her Paper Mom

Anyone who has read some of my articles will know that one of my passions in being a children's author is child literacy. I can't imagine any author not being concerned with literacy. Literacy is a skill that has to be learned, and this simple skill can deliver a child from a life of drudgery to a life filled with opportunity. Living in South Africa, I have become so aware of the deficiencies in our education system. The number of final year scholars not making the grade has become worse than alarming. It all starts at home, where children should grow up surrounded by books, and with parents encouraging them to read and discover the wonderful world of books. That's in an ideal world, of course. The truth is that in South Africa, and indeed in many places around the world, "at home" for thousands of children offers no source of education when their parents are either still illiterate, or simply do not have the skills to assist their children with homework. One fifth of South Africa's population is still illiterate. Poverty also means that food comes before books. When South Africa achieved democracy, Nelson Mandela called this country a "rainbow nation." Sadly, there aren't a large number of pots of gold at the end of the rainbow for some children here. But one little girl, my rainbow child, has found her pot of gold. I was recently asked by a great kids' site in Johannesburg, Jozikids, to write about adopting my foster child, Mabel. Here is the story of the rainbow child and her paper mom. I hope it will inspire others to help children read.

The Rainbow Child and Her Paper Mom


I never ever imagined myself as a mother. Growing up with four brothers, three of them younger than me, meant I had my fair share of bottles, nappies, homework, bedtime stories and all the things big sisters do. My studies and career came first for a long time and the men I dated weren’t interested in having kids. Then the biggest drawback of all: I never felt “grown-up enough” to take on the responsibility of my own child. The year I went overseas with my two nephews, the year that inspired my first children’s book, (The Secret of the Sacred Scarab) I suddenly had this desire to adopt a child. Not give birth, please note, but adopt some little mite who needed a home. Two weeks in Egypt with my nephews aged 10 and 12 were enough to rid me of any maternal feelings and make me decide to just stick to being a good aunt. I had changed my mind about children.

About three months after this trip, I had a visit from a domestic worker who had worked for me a few years back—she had a problem. She arrived with her daughter Mabel, now aged eleven. I remembered Mabel as an enchanting child aged six, all arms and legs and a big smile. But I got married, Josephine left my employ, and we didn’t see each other for another five years. Josephine came straight to the point and asked me to foster Mabel so she could get a better education.

Thinking for the briefest of nano-seconds that “nothing would change,” I said yes. Of course, everything changed. I developed maternal feelings worthy of a lioness guarding her cubs from danger. I also became an expert on the shortcomings of our ever-changing education system, the life-cycle of any insect, reptile, or bird you care to mention, and in anything to help my foster child get an education. Mabel had already failed Grade 2, was advised to repeat Grade 4, and was basically illiterate. How is that possible, I asked myself? I began the slow and often painful task of teaching her all over again, supplemented by many extra lessons.

Mabel baulked at first, having never had to apply her mind or develop motivation. She’d been told so many times she was a failure—what else was there to look forward to? I rose to the challenge, and happily for her, so did Mabel. Eight years later, she is scoring 70-80% in most of her subjects, plans to be a writer (just like me!) and is an amazingly well-adjusted, charming, sunny-tempered young lady with a delightful sense of humour. She is a credit to her mother, Josephine, and to me, her Paper Mom (as she calls me, since I am legally her ‘mom’ on paper). I adopted Mabel in February 2009 at the specific request of both her parents, since they believe that with me she will “have a real life.” Those are her mother’s words, one of the bravest women I have ever known, for who else but a brave and unselfish woman would willingly give her child to someone else for that child’s sake. Mabel has a bright future and I am proud to be part of it.

The Importance of Reading Aloud With Your Kids

My review of an enchanting book for (very) young readers (Piggie Wiggie’s Great Adventure) coincided with my finding a great review by Jen Robinson of Jim Trelease’s The Read-Aloud Handbook. This marvellous book should be mandatory reading for all new parents. Kids spend more time out of school (7800 hours per year) than in school (900 hours per year) so it’s illogical to place the burden of creating a love of reading in kids on the teachers’ shoulders. That role should begin with the parents.

Books should be in every household, and reading an entrenched part of family life. Parents can get their kids started while young, showing them just how much fun books can be, and just how much fantastic information is contained in books. But even more importantly, reading with your child will have the most beneficial emotional effects. Kids love doing things with their parents and reading, discovering an exciting story, waiting in anticipation to hear what will happen to the hero, is better shared in an atmosphere of loving familial warmth. Parents can assess their child’s emotional, mental, and spiritual development, and help them learn about life, (and sometimes death), decisions, and choices that will determine who they are in life and build their future. Children learn their moral and ethical guidelines early in life. Be there when they do!

In Jen Robinson's assessment of the book, she has this to say, “Among the many reasons to read aloud to kids, one of the most important is that it helps them to associate reading with pleasure. Human beings are by nature pleasure-centered—we will voluntarily do things repeatedly if we get pleasure from them. And because reading is an accrued skill, spending repeated time reading is what enables us to get good at it.”

Any parent keen to see their child excel in school and indeed in life should heed Jim Trelease’s words: "Reading is the ultimate weapon, destroying ignorance, poverty, and despair before they can destroy us. A nation that doesn't read much doesn't know much. And a nation that doesn't know much is more likely to make poor choices in the home, the marketplace, the jury box, and the voting booth. And those decisions ultimately affect an entire nation—the literate and the illiterate." (Page xxvi)

With that in mind, I’d like to introduce readers (young and old) to a special kind of hero. Aimed at ages 4-6, Piggie Wiggie’s Great Adventure is a daring tale of adventure, heroism, and a ‘never-say-die’ attitude. Family pet and escape artiste extraordinaire, Piggie Wiggie the Guinea Pig is out the cage and on the loose, ready for adventure. What an adventure it turns out to be as Piggie explores a brave new world. First up is a ride in a remote control toy car. Thrills and spills ensue with a happy, soft, safe ending in a pile of pillows. But wait! There’s more. Stuffed to the gills with a delicious (and illicit) feast of fresh veggies, Piggie has a close encounter of the soggy kind in a bathtub of water and more toys. Undaunted, Piggie Wiggie wriggles from one disaster to another, culminating in a sensational showdown with Scruffy the cat. What will become of this intrepid Guinea Pig, who should add ‘explorer’ to its name? Read on…

This book is a great read-aloud for parents and kids. It's a charming story for young children, made even more memorable by the fact that Piggie Wiggie’s adventures are based on the Houdini-like antics of a real family pet, a Guinea Pig owned by author and illustrator, M. J. Daley-Prado. This adds a delightful authenticity and will endear the story even more to young readers, especially those that enjoy a 'this-really-happened' tale. The author also includes some quite ‘big’ words in the tale and it’s an ideal opportunity for parents and teachers to begin expanding a young reader’s vocabulary by explaining the words. This talented author also illustrated the book and her captivating images of Piggie Wiggie in action make the story come alive, elevating this book to another level of enjoyment. An unexpected but excellent addition is a reading guide at the back for parents and children seeking a Guinea Pig as a pet. Topics range from caring for the new pet to dealing with the inevitable.

About the Author: M.J. Daley-Prado lives in Maryland with her beautiful teenage daughter and their newly adopted cat, Millie. M.J. has a genuine interest and love for children's literature. As a mom, she has always tried to instill the importance of books and reading in her own child. Books can take a child to magical places they have never been before. They can stir their imaginations and spark their creativity. She hopes her books will bring as much joy to your children as she has had making them. She has followed the amazing careers of her favorite authors and illustrators, Marc Brown, Robert Munsch, Elizabeth and Victoria Kann. M.J. especially likes to address topics that will help children and families during difficult times. MJ has written and illustrated several children’s books to her credit, including "Grandma What Is Cancer?" and "Buzz". Her favorite quote is: "If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it." (William Arthur Ward)

You can discover more about this author by visiting: http://www.mjdaleyprado.webs.com/; http://www.authorchildrensbooks.webs.com/; http://mjdaleyprado.blogspot.com/

I first reviewed this book for Readers Favorite.

Does Your Child Struggle to Read? Tips for Parents

Does your child struggle to read what you (the parent) consider to be the simplest of words? There could be a very good reason for this!

Parents already know that books are vital to their child’s scholastic achievements, and developing life skills. It can be disappointing when your child expresses absolutely no interest in reading. Reading is a skill, just like any other skill. It has to be introduced, nurtured, and developed. Imagine trying to play championship tennis when you can barely hit the ball? Children don’t enjoy what they can’t do. And when reading is difficult, they shy away from even coming near a book. Your child may not display any interest in reading because they are actually struggling with it. Turning your non-reader into a reader will require your participation and encouragement every step of the way. You can do this by coming up with new and interesting ways to ‘package’ the art of reading.


• A good way to begin is to actually assess your child’s reading level. If it’s below par, then that’s one reason why he or she isn’t keen on books—books are the enemy, boring, a problem. Have your child read a page or two from a variety of books. Make a list of the words they find easy/hard/not understood. Once you have an idea of their level, based on vocabulary skills, then you can move forward. In fact, to build your child’s confidence, perhaps begin with a book for a younger age. Your child will skim through it, feeling proud at having finished and understood it, and you can offer praise by saying, “Look how easily you managed that! Shall we try something else?”

• A thick book can appear quite a formidable object to a non-reader. Begin small. Start with a thinner book, not some great tome, and say, “I bet we’ll finish this quickly.” Then let your child read the book in bite-sized pieces. Don’t try for ten pages—read only four or five pages. Your child will feel this is not a huge task after all.

• Reading aloud is something that all parents should do, regardless of children’s age. Most children really love that special time when Mom or Dad comes in to say good night. You can say, “Hey! I’ve got something really exciting here. Want to hear some?” Anything to delay turning off the light, your child will say (of course) “Yeah!” You can make this session into something really memorable by acting the parts and using your Repertoire of Funny Voices, but more importantly, stop at a really exciting point, just when the hero is about to be plunged into mortal danger. Close the book and say, “Gosh! I hope he survives. We’ll have to wait until tomorrow to find out.” Generally, no kid can go to sleep without confirming their hero is indeed still alive…

• Praise and admiration boost a child’s confidence. You can do this by letting friends and family members know just how well your child is doing. “It’s amazing how many pages (child’s name) is reading every day now!” Soon your child will be the one to suggest reading. Use the time together to understand your child’s thought processes, and structure the book choices around what really sparks their interest.

• Get your child their own library card and encourage them to begin choosing their own material. This will make your child feel important and that their opinions matter. Buying book vouchers instead of other kinds of gifts will encourage your child to start building their own collection of cherished books. Why not get your child a really nice bookcase and say, "We'll fill this soon with great books!" Ownership is important to any child and they will feel they will soon be the proud possessor of "great books."

• Go slowly—tennis champions aren’t made overnight….