Over the Rainbow Book Reviews

Children's Book Author Interview: Lee J. Mavin, author of 'The Whispering Witch' & 'Nobody Important'

Lee J Mavin is the author of 11 books. He is also a teacher and father. He has a Masters in Creative Writing and am solely focused on writing fiction (fantasy and horror) and poetry. He is now in collaboration the illustrator Karolina Piotrowski, a Polish artist who has brought many stories to life. He has worked and studied in China and Japan and studied with Dr Xiaohuan Zhao (a master of Chinese poetry) to complete his book Li Bai’s Shadow, at the University of Sydney. He has two children who are both avid readers, so he is always in the loop with trends in children’s fiction. He is married and lives in Sydney, where he teaches English.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ www.Leejmavin.com

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/lee.mavin.925

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223234005-the-whispering-witch

TikTok ➜ https://www.tiktok.com/@leemavin4

Instagram ➜ http://www.instagram.com/Mavin798

Thanks for this interview, Lee. I've always wanted to write children's books. When did you determine that writing for children was for you?

I loved reading Roald Dahl and CS Lewis to begin with when I was young and my third grade teacher asked me to read my short story to the class and told me that I should be a writer. So I took his advice.

What was the inspiration behind your children's books, The Whispering Witch & Nobody Important?

The inspiration behind Nobody Important is the invasion of Ukraine. I wanted to create an unlikely hero, (a poet) who saves the day with his words, not through violence. I also wanted to show the importance of poetry. For The Whispering Witch, I was inspired by the demonisation of strong female leaders and by current events such as climate change. I feel that strong female voices are often deemed as crazy or evil, which inspired the character in the story.

How do you get into the mind of a child to create a fun reading experience?

I watch cartoons, play computers games, I have kids, I am into children's fiction too.

Are you around kids? Are you a kid at heart?

I am a teacher and a parent and an irresponsible child at heart.

What was your favorite book as a child?

The BFG, The Hobbit and Twits

What kind of advice would you give to writers who would like to write children's books?

Try to develop something funny or deeper in meaning. Look for a good illustrator, they are helpful.

What are your goals for the future? More children's books?

Yes, more children's books. My goal is to be a full time author and have my books read by many children.

About the Books:

Title: The Whispering Witch

Author: Lee J. Mavin

Publisher: Tellwell

Publication Date: December 27, 2024

Pages: 50

Genre: Children’s Picture Book (Ages 4 – 12 years)

The Whispering Witch starts with a fading world. The trees are turning grey and the islands are sinking beneath the rising seas. Men of earth continued with their bickering and wars and all hope withered. A young girl came from the soil with one purpose, to heal the sick world. She regrew the glaciers and sprinkled down seeds into the rainforests and even brought the dinosaurs back, hatching from new eggs. The infant reptiles stretch out and play in the modern new world and the children adore them. However, the men cry out in object and gather their swords to bring her down. The leaders of earth witnessed these changes and only wanted to maintain order and control. But the leaders of mankind feared her touch. Distrustful of the power they could not control, they cast her away, determined to maintain their rule. Yet the witch did not come for them. Her message was for their children—the next generation, still untouched by the greed and ruin that plagued the old.

So, the powerful leaders of earth hunted her down and cursed her name. She did not fight them and returned back below, beneath the soil. However, she whispered to all the children of the world and asked them all to put away their father’s swords and look to the gardens, watering the world with hope.

The Whispering Witch is available at Amazon.

Title: Nobody Important

Author: Lee J. Mavin

Publisher: Tellwell

Publication Date: May 16, 2023

Pages: 48

Genre: Children’s Picture Book (Ages 3 – 12 years)

Nobody could have known that the Evil Ones would attack so suddenly from the North. They came with fire and folly, mounted on wild beasts, and the poor Underlings, who were very much undersized and unprepared, cried out for help across the Western Lands. They tried to broadcast the terror to the world and the Higher Elders and Wise Chieftains devised plans to strike back. As the war grew and grew the innocent Underlings watched in horror, hoping for someone to save them. One of those Underlings was Nobody Important (yes that was his actual name), and he came up with an unrealistic plan to stop the Evil Ones.

What was this unrealistic plan and how could somebody named Nobody Important bring an end to the war?

Nobody Important is available at Amazon.

Book Review: Princess Sophie and the Christmas Elixir by Mike Martin

Title: Princess Sophie and the Christmas Elixir
Author: Mike Martin
Publisher: Mezzo Publications
Genre: Children’s Christmas Book

BOOK BLURB:

Princess Sophie and the Magic Elixir is the story of a young girl who loves Christmas. When she sees that the people of Melodica are losing their Christmas spirit, she sets out to help them rekindle their magic. At the end she finds that all we really need is to believe in the power of love.

Princess Sophie and the Magic Elixir is available at Amazon.

Review:

What a fun book this was! And let me start off by saying the illustrations were out of this world. I have read hundreds of Christmas children's books and this has to be my favorite. So, Sophie gets up one morning during the Christmas season just feeling like something was wrong. She just didn't have that Christmas spirit and it seems everyone in the town was feeling it as well. So Sophie along with her sidekick, Hoppy, set out to figure out what is wrong and make it right. Only nothing is doing the trick. And then she finds...magic in the form of a bottle of Christmas Elixir.

I'm not going to give anything away but if you only had one Christmas children's book to buy this Christmas, make it this one. The writing flows and the illustrations as I mentioned were just beautiful. I give this book 5 stars!

Children's Book Author Interview: Michael Dow, author of 'Nurse Florence for Beginning Readers Coloring Book: Why Is Chicken Healthy To Eat?'

Michael Stephen Dow is married to Perla in Arizona and has 3 kids. Michael was on a path to attend medical school and then the events of September 11, 2001 occurred. Michael became angry at the terrorists and decided to join the US Air Force. He went through Officer Training School and then graduated specialized Navigator training to become an Electronic Warfare Officer. Michael deployed 6 times for the Global War on Terror between 2005 and 2009 with the EC-130H Compass Call mission. Michael medically retired in 2010 and then became an US Army contractor serving Wounded Warriors and ensuring they received all of their entitled benefits for 8 years. Michael always had a love for science and the human body so he then used his GI bill to go through nursing school and graduated in August 2020. Michael now works as a Registered Nurse at an inpatient psychiatric hospital. Michael’s education is as follows: B.A. in Psychology from Auburn University in 1999, B.S. in Biology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2001, M.S. in Management from Troy University in 2010, Masters in Health Administration from the University of Phoenix in 2017, and M.S. from the University of Arizona in 2020 through its 15 month accelerated Masters Entry to the Profession of Nursing program. Michael is the Founder and Manager of Dow Creative Enterprises, LLC. His books have garnered the Silver Nautilus Book award in 2020 (Nurse Florence, Help I’m Bleeding) and an Award-Winning Finalist in the Religion category for the 2021 International Book Awards (A Prayer to Our Father in the Heavens: Possibly the Greatest Jewish Prayer of All Time). Michael believes we will need the best of science and religion to successfully navigate ourselves, our civilization, through the future obstacles we will face. More information can be found at www.DowCreativeEnterprises.com and www.NurseFlorence.org. Nurse Florence® is a federally registered trademark by Dow Creative Enterprises. The Nurse Florence® series seeks to promote science and health among children and to help increase the health literacy levels of our society. With teamwork, inclusion, faith and perseverance, we can bravely face our problems and help each other reach our better selves as well as our best collective good.

Author Links

Website | Facebook

Thanks for this interview, Michael. I've always wanted to write children's books. When did you determine that writing for children was for you?

My mom said many years ago, after she saw my love of writing, that if I ever became successful, it would probably be due to a kids book. During the beginning of COVID, I was very concerned about my children’s online education and thought, “What if I write a science book series and my kids have to read it because dad wrote it.” The Nurse Florence series was born and the first published in Sep 2020.

What was the inspiration behind your children's coloring book, Nurse Florence for Beginning Readers Coloring Book: Why is Chicken Healthy to Eat?

I found some great research posted on the National Library of Medicine found in the journal, Food Nutrition Research, and thought that all families should be aware of this info. I thought making the info easily accessed through a first grade book will help our health literacy levels in the country. I also created an original Nurse Florence® title with this book which is for 4^th – 8^th graders. The Beginning Readers edition is for first graders though.

How do you get into the mind of a child to create a fun reading experience? Are you around kids? Are you a kid at heart?

My dad would say as I was growing up, “You can grow old, but you don’t have to grow up.” I would like to think, though, that I have matured into adulthood while keeping my child like curiosity. I love to learn new things and love to share info. It seems I have found a niche with sharing complicated information down to a child’s level.

What was your favorite book as a child?

The C.S. Lewis Narnia books.

What kind of advice would you give to writers who would like to write children's books?

It’s never too late to start and the sooner you start putting pen to paper or typing on your keyboard, the sooner you can help better our world with new perspectives.

What are your goals for the future? More children's books?

Dow Creative Enterprises publishes a new Nurse Florence® book about every 10 days. We have published 92 as of June 2024 and plan to publish 500 in the series. Nurse Dorothea ahs started to publish and that series is about mental health for teenagers. I have about 30 other kid book series in mind and am unsure when those will start to publish. Our company’s trademark phrase is Help Civilization Reach Its Potential® so we have big plans for the future. We need some best sellers to fund out projects, though.

About the Book:

Jean, Condi, and Sonia see Nurse Florence in the cafeteria and ask if they can sit with her so they can learn something new. The nurse is eating chicken, and the girls ask her why it is healthy to eat. Nurse Florence discusses the types of nutrients inside like vitamins, minerals, and protein. The nurse mentions that research shows eating chicken with lots of vegetables is very healthy for you. The girls are amazed at how the body works and how chicken can help them have a healthy lifestyle. They can’t wait to see Nurse Florence again and keep learning new things about the body.

You can purchase your copy at Lulu.

Book Review: Scrapper's Christmas Story by Maria J. Andrade

Title: Scrapper's Christmas Story
Author: Maria J. Andrade
Pages: 36
Genre: Children’s Picture Book

An angel tells the heartwarming story of a small, homeless, dog who wanders through busy streets longing for a loving family. The enchanting Scrapper’s Christmas Story, is a children’s book that is sure to captivate young hearts this holiday season.
Written in a captivating style reminiscent of classic children’s books, Scrapper’s Christmas Story, takes young readers on a magical journey filled with friendship, wonder, and the true spirit of Christmas. Follow the lovable Scrapper, alone, cold, and friendless, as he embarks on an unforgettable adventure, where he is befriended by the kindness of an immigrant man who also knows the need to belong. Both dog and man discover the magic of the holiday season and the joy of giving.
Scrapper’s Christmas Story, is ideal for children of all ages, making it the perfect choice for parents, grandparents, and loved ones seeking a heartwarming story to share during the holiday season!
Buy Links:
Amazon | Buy From the Author with Free Shipping

Review:

Scrapper's Christmas Story by Maria J. Andrade has to be one of the cutest children's books I've read with a rescue as its main character. I'm a big advocate of animal rescue and dogs in particular hold a soft spot in my heart.

A kind old man sees a pack of dogs scrounging for food, but one in particular stands out to him. He would come back day after day looking for food so the kind old man dubbed him "Scrapper." Scrapper is hesitant at first but eventually the kind old man makes headway and gets Scrapper to come to him. What they may or may not realize is that both the old man and Scrapper have a lot in common. Both are basically immigrants looking for their place in the world.

This book gave me goosebumps. I give it 5 rainbows!

Book Review: Grace And The Golden Rule by Negrita Smart

Title: Grace And The Golden Rule
Author: Negrita Smart
Pages: 34
Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Grace loves the Winter season. It is her favorite of all seasons because she loves to play in the snow with her friends. Winter is also Grace’s favorite season because she can wear her favorite purple scarf. Grace wears it every day until she meets Ruth. After meeting Ruth as school, Grace feels differently about playing in the snow and wearing her favorite purple scarf. This is because Grace learns a valuable lesson about how to treat other people.

Review:

What a beautiful story! Let me begin with the book cover. Colorful, whimsical and inviting with the color purple my absolute favorite color to put on a children's book. Don't you just love that hair and freckles??

In Negrita Smart's new children's picture book, Grace And The Golden Rule, we follow little Grace on a magical journey of discovering about other children's feelings. A new girl enters her class and Grace befriends her. She likes her so much that she invites this girl to her house to play in the snow. What should have been a fun time for Grace turned into a life lesson. What a feel good book!

I would gladly recommend this book and give it 5 rainbows.

Grace and The Golden Rule is available at Amazon at https://tinyurl.com/3zh4de8f.

Children's Book Author Interview: Negrita Smart, author of 'Grace And The Golden Rule'

Negrita Smart is a small-town girl from Dadeville, Alabama. She is a wife, sister, believer, and teacher at heart.

The first of her family to graduate from college, Negrita holds a Masters in Business Administration and the insurance designation of Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriters and holds insurance licenses in Property and Casualty and Life and Health. She credits and shares her accomplishments with her supportive family.

Negrita loves spending time with her family and has happily taken on the official role of Event Planner bringing family members together through fun and love.

In her professional life, Negrita utilizes her talent for sharing knowledge and information as a new-hire trainer creating user-friendly webinars, courses, tests, and gauge learning within business areas such as auto, property, and agriculture.

As an author, Negrita is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators always looking to connect, share and grow with fellow writers.

An active supporter of her local church ministry, Negrita is driven to share life lessons with children through story-telling and relatable characters.

Follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/negritasmart/.

Thanks for this interview, Negrita. I've always wanted to write children's books. How did you determine that writing for children was for you?

God gave me the idea and inspiration to write a children’s book. I began writing a personal memoir in 2020 during the pandemic but was later motivated to write a children’s book instead of a memoir.

What was the inspiration behind your children's book, Grace And The Golden Rule?

I wanted to write a book that would teach children lessons based on bible principles. The Golden Rule is a biblical principle that I learned as a child. This is the first book in a series of books that will continue to teach valuable lessons to children. Also, my hope is that the books will serve as a conversation starter between parents/guardians and children about those things that are most important in life.

How do you get into the mind of a child to create a fun reading experience? Are you around kids? Are you a kid at heart?

I approach writing for children by knowing the mind of a child. Children are honest. Children are direct. Children are very intelligent. Children will give you 1-2 minutes to captivate their attention. Since I know these characteristics of a child, I write with a sense of purity, I get to the point, and leave them with a message they can comprehend and retain.

What was your favorite book as a child?

Amelia Bedelia. I thought she was hilarious.

What kind of advice would you give to writers who would like to write children's books?

My advice is to find your motivation for writing for children. Ask yourself, is there something I want to teach a child, impart to a child that will shape them from childhood to adulthood.

About the Book:

Purchase at Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/3zh4de8f

Picture Book Summit 2023 is October 7, 2023

How exciting! Picture Book Summit 2023 has been determined to be on October 7, 2023! Get your ticket here.

Guests include Julie Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton, Nikki Grimes, Philip C. Stead, Erin E. Stead, Angela Dalton, Julie Hedlund and Katie Davis.

Picture Book Summit is a world-class online conference for picture book writers and illustrators. With keynotes and workshops from bestselling, award-winning authors and illustrators, plus other learning and networking opportunities for aspiring picture book authors around the globe, all from the comfort of home, this is the one conference for children’s writers you don’t want to miss!

Not all children’s literature conferences are the same. Our team has invested in a robust, online learning “classroom” so we can bring you award-winning, well-respected speakers and workshops LIVE. This means you’ll have opportunities for Q&A, interaction with other attendees, and live customer service throughout the entire event. Submission opportunities? Of course! We coordinate picture book submission opportunities for our attendees every year.

Picture Book Summit is not only the least stressful and most high-value conference to attend, but the best investment you’ll make in your writing career all year long. Skip the airport lines, travel expenses and stress. Instead, join hundreds of other participants at the Picture Book Summit the first Saturday of October, year after year.