The Magic of Immersive Reading

boy looking at starsOne of my most favorite things to do is spend time with my son. He’s now grown-up and headed off to college to begin his studies and prepare for a career in music. I’m excited for him… yet I’m already missing him and the wonderful memories of his childhood.
When he was young, we read so many wonderful books together. Often his favorite books were the ones I acted out. I enjoyed bringing the story to life through a little added artistic expression, and he loved laughing at and participating in the story. The process we created together gave us so many opportunities to explore the characters and the story more creatively.
That’s the beauty of children’s books, and why I became a children’s author.  Children’s books offer a key to adventure and a unique way to explore humanity.  The stories and illustrations found within provide wonder, life lessons, and a bit of nostalgia. I’m so honored that I can now provide an opportunity for children to take my stories and add their own creative touch. My hope is that my books resonate with both children and the adults reading them, and that the stories keep them coming back for more. After all, a good story is the catalyst that leads to a lifetime of imagination.
Here are some of the books my son and I loved the most:
  1. Gilbert de’ la Frogponde: A Swamp Story by Jennifer Rae, Illustrated by Rose Cowles
    • This is our all-time favorite. Being from the American South, we connected with this story in a way that left Gilbert feeling awfully Louisiana and the chefs sounding straight-outta French culinary school. The contrast between a Cajun French accent and a proper Parisienne accent provided the opportunity for my son to learn more about language and how people who speak the same language can sometimes sound quite differently from one another. Plus, who doesn’t like a bullfrog with a deep silky voice that’s dripping with laid back confidence?
  2. The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, Illustrated by Robert Lawson
    • Ferdinand the bull, or Ferdi as we like to call him, is a beloved character. The story provided the backdrop for our conversations on why being true to self, even when others want you to be something different, is so important. The vibrant red cover, contrasted with the simple black and white illustrations found within, provided a creative hint to the challenge Ferdinand would face. This gave my son a canvas to use his imagination to build upon the story of Ferdinand, with whom he shared a kind and gentle heart. The story and illustrations were so well done that they stood on their own. No silly voices or added drama needed.
  3. Oh the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss
    • Dr. Seuss was a constant childhood companion to both my son and me. The stories contained within his books are classics, filled with amazement and heartfelt lessons on life. This book especially touched my heart. Every time I read it, I knew that one day my beautiful boy would bring the story to life in his own unique way, charting his own course in a new world. I would always emphasize “Oh the places you’ll go,” each time placing emphasis on a different word of the sentence. At times my voice would crack, imagining the “goodbye” that would come years later. But I always held tight to the heart string of the story in order to spur my son to dream about what places he would one day go. And now, years later, the book becomes reality in a way we all knew it would. Happy tears are always good tears, even when “today” becomes their day.
What are some of your favorite books?


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