Holiday Issue 2023
Welcome to our special holiday issue! Our line-up includes interviews with Matt Tavares, Amanda Hanson, Will Hillenbrand, Vida Fernández, Kenneth Braswell, Joanne Telcide-Bryant, Donald Smith, Linda Harkey, Sands Hetherington, Angela C. Santomero, Alan Silberberg, Heidi Woodward Sheffield, and Valerie Bolling!
Conrad Storad tells us why leaves change colors, Judy Newman hosts a pajama party, and Nick Spake reviews Leo and Trolls Band Together!
Check out our newest book reviews and holiday gift guide! It's all inside!
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FEATURES
Matt Tavares
Shares Season’s Readings with a New Holiday Favorite
by Raven Howell
When a little reindeer dares to dream and bravely follows her star, she meets a nice man in a red suit with a horse-drawn sleigh. The subsequent plot in Matt Tavares’ 2019 holiday book, Dasher, is original and delightful. The story leads us to finally finding out how Santa’s team of reindeer came to be.
Now that the holidays are back again, so is Dasher, in Matt’s new book titled Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas. Dasher’s adventures continue as this endearing little reindeer sneaks out before Christmas Eve to check out the city’s festivities. But when night falls, it snows, the North Star is no longer visible, and Dasher needs help getting back to help guide Santa’s sleigh.
“At the end of the first book, I left Dasher in a really good place,” Matt explains. “She was at the North Pole, living happily with her family. She literally had everything she had ever wished for! So it took me a while to think of what could possibly happen next. But then I realized that even though life is pretty great for Dasher now, there is still one night that really stands out—Christmas Eve. Dasher loves everything about Christmas Eve. She loves the lights, and hearing people sing carols, and she loves flying all around the world with Santa Claus, delivering toys to children everywhere. Dasher is a kid really, and just like most kids (and some of us adults), she has a really hard time waiting for Christmas! Once I came up with that idea, the second book came together pretty quickly.”
There are many reasons why Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas is bound to become a favorite book for young readers and their parents. “This story is about the anticipation and excitement that kids feel on the days leading up to Christmas. I think that kids will connect with Dasher because they know just what it feels like when you’re counting down those days and time seems to slow down the closer you get to Christmas. I vividly remember that feeling!”
Amanda Hanson
Empowers Readers with Inspiring Stories
by Raven Howell
Amanda Hanson is not only the writer of the historical adventure series, A Country for Castoffs under the pen name Amanda Cetas, but she is also the publisher of Windy Sea Publishing, LLC. The publishing company partners with authors to produce character-driven stories of adventure, survival, mystery, romance, and has a children’s division.
The original idea to form Windy Sea was Amanda’s. “I am a bit of a control freak and I wanted to have a hand in the final production of my books, so that was the impetus to starting Windy Sea Publishing,” she says, sharing her inspiration.
“Windy Sea Publishing is a young company, and the learning curve has been enormous. It’s important to me that the books we produce have the same quality of content and presentation as any books you would find at the larger and older publishing houses. To that end, I have delved headlong into years of training and have collaborated with experts in the field. It’s been an exciting journey and I am proud of what we have achieved. We have received numerous positive trade and customer reviews. Two of our books have already won awards and we are hoping to see more down the road. There is always more to learn, but I see that as a challenge, not a hindrance.”
Amanda acknowledges, “I did not always make the optimal choices as to covers on the first books we released. I’ve since partnered with professional illustrators, designers, and editors to produce the books we have now.”
Will Hillenbrand
Introduces Readers to a Little Truck with a Big Heart
by Lindsey Giardino
According to Will Hillenbrand’s mother, he was born with a pencil in his hand.
“I have always had a knack for visualizing ideas, as my mind thinks in pictures,” he says. “Drawing enables me to bring forth the vivid worlds within my imagination.”
Growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, Hillenbrand’s background also revolved around his family’s barbershop and his experiences there. As a child, he’d often walk to the shop during the summer to deliver lunch to his father.
“While there, I would take breaks and listen to the customers’ conversations, which were filled with humorous and exaggerated ‘big fish’ stories,” he recalls. “Inspired by these tales, I would draw them at the kitchen table when I returned home.”
Another significant part of Hillenbrand’s upbringing was the public library, just a block and a half away from his home.
“It became my second home, where I met new friends and discovered the power of storytelling through books,” he says. “My love for art flourished as I explored the illustrations in the library’s collection.”
One to Read:
Vida Fernández
by Raven Howell
The multi-talented Vida Fernández is adding published book author to her growing list of accomplishments. Born in New York City, raised in upstate New Jersey, Vida’s love of words, language, and learning led her to a variety of accolades.
As a licensed teacher, she taught at a public school for 11 years. She’s acted and produced, enjoying stage, screen, and comedy. She waited a long time—13 years to be exact—to publish her first children’s book.
“Some might call my schedule insane, but I am sure all parents can relate to that in some way. I waited 13 years to publish my first book and 13 months to publish the second.”
Vida’s debut story, Dog Letter: The First Book in the Misadventures of Scar Fernández, as well as the newly released follow-up, Scar’s Thanksgiving, were both creative projects on her bucket list.
“Thirteen years ago, I wrote a few stories about my dog, Scar,” Vida says. “I wrote them as part of a writing exercise I did with my students. One of these stories was A Letter for Scar, which I rewrote in 2022 and retitled Dog Letter.”
Kenneth Braswell
Is a Champion Changemaker
by Lindsey Giardino
Kenneth Braswell is a visionary social entrepreneur and an unwavering champion of responsible fatherhood. As the architect and heart of Fathers Incorporated, an influential nonprofit headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, he has been a beacon for responsible fatherhood and healthy familial bonds. Fueled by his personal experiences and an unyielding commitment to uplift fathers and their families, Braswell brought Fathers Incorporated to life in 2004. His vision was clear—to construct a sanctuary of support, resources, and training for fathers wrestling with their roles in their children’s lives.
A seasoned author, Braswell’s vast catalog of books, inclusive of children’s literature and adult reads, reflects his profound comprehension of fatherhood dynamics, and he continues to inspire us with his newest titles.
Tell us about your childhood.
Growing up in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights during the ’60s’, ’70s, and ’80s was an experience that shaped me in profound ways. This period was a complex and transformative time, not just in New York but across the United States. The streets of Crown Heights were a mosaic of diverse cultures—a vibrant mix of Caribbean, African American, and Jewish communities, each adding their unique color to the neighborhood’s rich tapestry.
Joanne Telcide-Bryant
Invites Readers to Celebrate the Best Time of the Year
by Lindsey Giardino
As a first-generation Haitian American, a children’s book author, an educational consultant, and a presenter, Joanne Telcide-Bryant promotes cultural sensitivity and provides optimal awareness of cultural diversity as a component of her instructional delivery and her award-winning picture books.
Tell us a bit about your life growing up.
I am the youngest of five children. I am also a twin. My identical twin sister has always been my best friend. As my twin sister was born before me, I am the youngest sibling. My twin and I are proud to be first-generation Haitian Americans. While my family was born and raised in Haiti, my twin sister and I are New York natives. Brooklyn, New York, to be exact. Growing up in Flatbush, Brooklyn, my imagination occupied me as I navigated through American and Haitian cultures. On the streets of Brooklyn, my sisters and I would embrace African American culture by joining sidewalk games such as jumping Double-Dutch, playing kickball and tag, and attempting to break-dance as the 1980s and early 1990s hip-hop music blared through the streetcorner. Haitian culture was never put on hold. It was a constant reminder within my home. From Haitian cuisine, Haitian church services (Catholic Church), Haitian music (I love Kompa), and my enormous Haitian family that would gather at every milestone—first communions, weddings, graduations, birthdays, baby showers, funerals, and every reason to get together and enjoy our Haitian culture.
Donald Smith
Creates a Wild Series for Little Readers
After writing hundreds of reports, cases, articles, and teaching notes over his 60-year business, teaching, and consulting career, Donald Smith started writing just for fun. When his friends and fellow members of his writing group, Marilyn Helmer and Paul Hock, learned about his new project, they joined in and the three have created the Critter a Week series, with the goal of connecting children and adults alike with stories about the amazing critters that share our planet.
Tell us about your childhood.
I was born in 1933, in the depth of the great depression. My dad, a university engineering professor and mathematician, was fully employed as many were not. As a result, we lived comfortably. My mom was a stay-at-home housewife. I attended a university-sponsored boys’ high school where I was a very poor student, taking six years to complete a five-year program. So boring! I started my business career at age 10 by signing up neighbors to organize a magazine route.
What other jobs did you have?
Out of high school I articled with Price Waterhouse, a prestigious firm of Chartered Accountants (now CPAs). That got me away from the formal education system I detested into one where I learned through experience. I married my childhood sweetheart while earning $100 a month and switched firms for a better salary. In the new firm, I was sometimes tapped for consulting assignments and one of them led to me heading up a small manufacturing company.
From there I entered the Harvard Business School’s Doctoral Program and a university teaching career in the accounting area. My specialty was using accounting and other quantitative and qualitative information to make better management decisions, using the case method (vicarious experiential learning). University retirement at age 65 led me to management consulting in the areas of benchmarking and productivity improvement.
Linda Harkey
Brings Heartwarming Tales to Young Readers
by Lindsey Giardino
Linda Harkey has always been a storyteller.
“I grew up in a small town and enjoyed going to zoos and museums in nearby cities,” she says. “I would make up stories concerning these animals and eventually write them in manuscript form.”
Later in life, Harkey shared her knack for storytelling with readers of all ages. Today, she’s published 11 children’s books, all of which are aimed at helping readers enjoy and learn from them.
“I hope they help children transition from highly illustrated books to chapter books,” Harkey says. “I want them to have fun reading and learning about all types of animals in their natural environment and their friendships with each other. The children should have a great learning experience for their own lives.”
Some of Harkey’s award-winning children’s books include the Hickory Doc’s Tales series consisting of Chatty the Hen Pheasant: Travels with The Pack, Solitary Toes and Brown-Headed Cowbirds, and more.
Harkey’s recent book is a second edition of Desert Friends: Travels With the Pack, which includes fun parent and teacher activities to share with readers. Her inspiration for the story came from the hunting experiences of her husband and their dogs.
Sands Hetherington
Pens a New Night Buddies Adventure
by Raven Howell
What would you do with a bright red crocodile for a best friend … one who lives under your bed? Well, John Degraffenereidt has a real cool buddy named Crosley, and as the Night Buddies, they manage to have the most awesome nighttime adventures. In the newest of the series—Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264—the iguanas are back to their stinky shenanigans. They’ve fitted out the flying school bus for real mischief and are marauding all over the Borough. They’ve really got it in for John and Crosley who must sniff out their evildoings before it’s too late!
On your website, you credit your son, John, as being your principal motivator in creating the Crosley crocodile character, who happens to be red. How so?
At bedtime, John and I started bouncing Crosley ideas off each other and making up episodes. This went on for a year or more and Crosley got to be a real family member. Eventually, I decided to put John and him into a genuine story. The problem was, I had to figure out why Crosley was red. I couldn’t just plop him down on readers like that without explaining. I could’ve just dropped the red part, but I didn’t want to deprive our Crosley character that way. Finally, it hit me: Crosley was red because he was allergic to water, of course! If he got any water on him, he broke out doing the Black Bottom dance, which became popular in the 1920s amid the jazz age, and he had to keep it up for hours. Unless he took his antidote pills. But the pills had this side effect: they turned him red! I reminded myself to keep him goofy because all red crocodiles are goofy, aren’t they?
How did it come about that you wrote a series?
I was encouraged by the awards I won on the first title, Night Buddies and the Pineapple Cheesecake Scare and just kept going.
MONTHLY COLUMNS
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Monsters at the Movies
Leo
by Nick Spake -
Monsters at the Movies
Trolls Band Together
by Nick Spake -
Life of a Reader
Sweet Dreams …
by Judy Newman -
Q&A
Angela C. Santomero
by Julianne Black DiBlasi -
Q&A
Alan Silberberg
by Julianne Black DiBlasi -
The Book Bug
Heidi Woodward Sheffield
by Raven Howell -
The Book Bug
Valerie Bolling
by Raven Howell -
Conrad‘s Classroom
Why do leaves change color in the fall?
by Conrad J. Storad -
Liv On Life
To Tell a Story …
by Olivia Amiri -
Teaching Toolbox
Gift Giving in the Classroom
by Larissa Juliano -
Stocking Stuffers
Where in the World is Santa?
NORAD -
Kids Corner
Let’s Dance!
Brick by Brick
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