Writing for children can be a lot of fun. Creating the perfect story to truly get them engaged and interacting with the story is a gift. Please help me welcome author Cat Michaels who shares her story with us and offering her wonderful book as a giveaway.
What will parents and teachers love most about your book?
Title: Finding Fuzzy
Author: Cat Michaels
Illustrations: Irene A. Jahns
Publisher: Cat Michaels
ISBN: 9780615990026
Review:
Going to the beach can be very exciting for a young kid and their family. And don't forget, kids always like to take some of their favorite things. Jenna remembered to take her back pack and her favorite blue bunny named Fuzzy. Once on the beach, families explore and settle into their new surroundings. But what happens when that favorite item is lost? What emotional roller coaster does a child go through when they aren't able to find their best friend?
Fuzzy was Jenna's best friend. She would snuggle with her, read with her and Fuzzy would keep her company when she brushed her teeth and combed her hair. When Jenna and her family arrived at the beach there was so much to see and do, she had forgotten all about Fuzzy and it was days later that she realized Fuzzy was gone and if she didn't find her soon, she would be gone forever. Since Fuzzy's disappearance, Jenna felt the days were running together. The families routine was the same day in and day out. Jenna was very sad. Her sisters, Kristen and Tara, rallied together to make their beach holiday a more fun and adventurous experience for Jenna, especially since there were no signs of Fuzzy. One day the girls were exploring in the tall grasses and Jenna discovered a not so friendly cat. The cat was hissing and Jenna saw that there were some new born kittens resting on something. That something turned out to be her beloved Fuzzy. The momma cat was protecting her babies and Fuzzy was providing them comfort just like she had done for Jenna so many times. Now there is a dilemma. Jenna has found her long lost friend. Should she take Fuzzy away from the precious little kittens or should she leave her their to continue comforting the kittens?
Cat Michaels has put young readers in a position to solve the dilemma. Readers must brainstorm and utilize their critical thinking skills to write the ending to Jenna's story. This quick to read chapter book has small colorful illustrations that help readers imagine the beach. Readers will also find that the author has created a world where they use all five senses. The back of the book has tips for parents and teachers to help their readers.
Your book is about a family
having fun by the beach. Your words flow so easy and I felt as
though I were right there. Tell us about your book and
illustrations.
Thanks! You know
the adage about writing what you know? Well, the ocean is an old
friend -- I grew up with salt water in my veins, living on the
Connecticut coast and spending every moment I could at the beach.
Today, I live near North Carolina’s coast, and my family has
enjoyed beach reunions there for more than 25 years. Fuzzy is based
on experiences with the eight young cousins who grew up on those
trips (some of whom are now grown up and taking children of their
own!). In fact, the real-life Jenna, who graduates high school this
spring, even packed her well-worn Fuzzy on last year’s stay in the
cozy yellow cottage.
Irene Jahns is a
North Carolinian who also loves the beach, plus she’s an amazing
artist. We’re informal in the way we work together. She looks over
my rough drafts, finds inspirations for her drawings, and creates the
most incredible watercolors in the blink of an eye. She tells me to
pick a few pictures for the book, but they’re all so beautiful, I
wind up using all of them. Then graphic designer Kayte Price does
her magic in making text and pictures flow together. My editor
husband also gets in the act by lending his practiced eye to make
sure we produce professional-grade books.
How long did it take you to get
this idea to where it is now?
I originally wrote
Fuzzy as a birthday gift for niece Jenna, who was in
kindergarten at the time. After deciding to write full time in 2013,
I published Fuzzy, the second of my Sweet T Tales, in the spring of
2014. So after sitting for about a decade, Fuzzy was polished and
published in four months as the book you see today. Its You-Decide
ending was always part of the plot. I wanted readers to think through
options and consequences when finding their story resolution. It’s
great fun seeing the different approaches to solving the dilemma!
What will kids love most about
your book?
Irene’s
watercolors will draw them in; the characters and their beachy
experiences will appeal, too. While there’s enough humor and plot
twists to keep young readers turning the page, my stories have a
deeper layer. (Shhhh, don’t tell the children!) My stories are
about loss, growing up, and moving on that gently nudge young minds
to look at the world in new ways. For instance, in Finding Fuzzy,
kids can relate to Jenna’s special friend that goes everywhere
with her…and what happens when that BFF is lost.
How do you promote kids and
reading?
My career as an
educator and writing coach has been a 1-to-1 journey of helping
people push pass cognitive barriers to reading. Reading is so
difficult for this population. Most want to pick up a book about as
much as they want to walk over hot coals with bare feet! I provided
encouragement and individualized learning strategies and tools that
made it easier for students with learning disabilities to read and
succeed.
Tell us about your website.
The site offers
insights on my books, free chapter downloads, and tips about books
and reading. Irene’s art is sprinkled throughout to make it
visually appealing. I want to add more tabs …. like a place for
showing people reading my books and highlighting You-Decide
endings children create and share with me. A tab for teachers and
parents with tips about reading and books is in the works, too.
Will you be doing any book
tours?
I have a blog tour
coming up in May and will use Skype to offer virtual classroom
visits.
What are your thoughts on the
new technology for reading a book?
To borrow loosely
from “Oliver,” “More, please!” Some people will always
prefer the feel of holding a book in their hands. But others want
new ways and embrace e-readers and mobile devices. Plus,
traditionally printed, text-based books aren’t accessible for those
with visual impairments and reading disabilities. The more
technologies to deliver diverse ways to encourage reading, the
better!
What advice do you have for
parents on getting their kids reading?
- Kids learn by example, so first and foremost, children need to see adults reading and enjoying books.
- Make the local library and the children’s activities it offers a special place to visit together. Librarians are wonderful resources for finding books that appeal to a child’s interests.
- Pair reading with enjoyable tasks --- like reading about a zoo and then visiting one.
- Getting kids hooked on books is more challenging when youngsters have reading disabilities. You don’t want to force-feed reading upon them, but rather nurture it along. And that’s a painful road because often just the thought of reading is painful for these children.
I look for back-door ways to engage this group. For instance, an older student I worked with hated reading until she watched the “Hunger Games” and was motivated to read the book after seeing the film. One mom hooked her hockey-playing sons by playing an audio recording of “The Book Thief” in the car while driving to and from school and games. There’s a variety of free audio services, such as public libraries and the LibreVoix recordings of books in the public domain, for children who are dyslexic or visually impaired.
What will parents and teachers love most about your book?
They’ll
appreciate You-Decide for its discussion and learning value.
One grandparent tells me she wants to use Fuzzy to open dialogue with
her first-grader about leaving the child’s Fuzzy at home more
often.
We added two tip
sheets at the end of Finding Fuzzy to help children determine
the story’s conclusion. Also, if children want to practice their
ending or need more space, adults can download free 8x11 You-Decide
pages from my website. I hope adult family members and teachers will
let me know how You-Decide works with their readers and share
story endings to post on my website, too.
What's your next project?
Now in the
works…
- Offering my books digitally across different e-reading platforms and eventually creating interactive reading apps and books.
- Fleshing out ideas for a third book in the Sweet T tales about middle sister Kristen….maybe something about middle-child magic!
- Noodling over a short story for adults that incorporates my love of choral singing in a Christmas-themed book about a disparate quartet of choir members who come together just once a year for their community’s premiere holiday concert.
Title: Finding Fuzzy
Author: Cat Michaels
Illustrations: Irene A. Jahns
Publisher: Cat Michaels
ISBN: 9780615990026
Review:
Going to the beach can be very exciting for a young kid and their family. And don't forget, kids always like to take some of their favorite things. Jenna remembered to take her back pack and her favorite blue bunny named Fuzzy. Once on the beach, families explore and settle into their new surroundings. But what happens when that favorite item is lost? What emotional roller coaster does a child go through when they aren't able to find their best friend?
Fuzzy was Jenna's best friend. She would snuggle with her, read with her and Fuzzy would keep her company when she brushed her teeth and combed her hair. When Jenna and her family arrived at the beach there was so much to see and do, she had forgotten all about Fuzzy and it was days later that she realized Fuzzy was gone and if she didn't find her soon, she would be gone forever. Since Fuzzy's disappearance, Jenna felt the days were running together. The families routine was the same day in and day out. Jenna was very sad. Her sisters, Kristen and Tara, rallied together to make their beach holiday a more fun and adventurous experience for Jenna, especially since there were no signs of Fuzzy. One day the girls were exploring in the tall grasses and Jenna discovered a not so friendly cat. The cat was hissing and Jenna saw that there were some new born kittens resting on something. That something turned out to be her beloved Fuzzy. The momma cat was protecting her babies and Fuzzy was providing them comfort just like she had done for Jenna so many times. Now there is a dilemma. Jenna has found her long lost friend. Should she take Fuzzy away from the precious little kittens or should she leave her their to continue comforting the kittens?
Cat Michaels has put young readers in a position to solve the dilemma. Readers must brainstorm and utilize their critical thinking skills to write the ending to Jenna's story. This quick to read chapter book has small colorful illustrations that help readers imagine the beach. Readers will also find that the author has created a world where they use all five senses. The back of the book has tips for parents and teachers to help their readers.
CAT MICHAELS
started writing stories in fourth grade and hasn’t stopped since.
After earning an M.S. degree in special education from the University
of Kansas, she spent two decades helping students from kindergarten
to college reach their potential.
She also managed communication
and resource development programs for an international high-tech
company that included writing press releases and articles for trade
journals. After recession and downsizings, she returned to her
education roots, serving at a community college as a writing coach
and learning specialist for students with Asperger’s syndrome and
learning disabilities.
Cat spins tales of everyday
life, with a twist of magic or twinge of mystery, that open young
minds to new ways of thinking and looking at the world.
Illustrations by watercolor artist Irene A. Jahns help bring that
world to life.
Cat and her family live in
North Carolina where she designs playful gardens, dabbles in all
things digital, and writes.
Get social with Cat!
- SiteURLAMAZONFinding FuzzyFacebookGoodreadsGoogle+Pinterest
Twitterhttps://twitter.com/CatMichaelsBook@CatMichaelsBookWebsiteDownload free pdf of chapter 1 and You-Decide pagesYou TubeFinding Fuzzy book preview video, narrated by third-grader Erinhttp://youtu.be/o5ySSAGVeoQ
Blending the sensory delight of visual images and beautiful words adds to the power of this book to delight. Add the "you decide", and it's a natural to engage children. Thanks to Cat and Irene for uploading such charm.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for stopping by. Thanks Cat Michaels for all you do!
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