The Story Behind Too Many Visitors for One Little House by Susan Chodakiewitz

The picture book –Too Many Visitors for One Little House – is based on a true story about the crazy summer we moved into our new house in Beverly Hills and ALL THESE VISITORS came to stay.

First my sister drove in from Miami in a GIANT camper with her husband, four kids, and housekeeper. For a surprise they brought my parents and uncle from Russia.

Then I got a call from my sister-in-law in Houston. She was getting a divorce and was moving to LA.  She and the 3 kids needed a place to stay until she found a new house. She arrived with 3 children and a housekeeper.

Soon after that my mother-in-law got out of the hospital. She moved in — together with her nurse.

All together 23 people lived in our house that summer. Every evening the invaders… oops, sorry… visitors — would congregate on the front lawn. On occasion my uncle from Russia led the group in a Russian folk song. On some nights my dad joined in with Klezmer on the clarinet.

Our formerly quiet little neighborhood buzzed with music, noise from children at play, and the barking of a scraggly dog — who adopted our family that summer too. Our not-so-quiet little house began to bust at the seams. On various occasions the neighbors summoned the police to check out the “suspicious activity” at the house of the new family on the block!

I always thought I would write this story as a screen play or musical yet sixteen years later it finally manifested itself as the children’s picture book.

Susan Chodakiewitz is a writer, composer and producer. She is the founder of Booksicals Children’s Books- Encouraging the love of reading through the arts. Through her company Booksicals she has created the Booksicals on Stage literacy program which is currently presenting musical performances of the picture book Too Many Visitors for One Little House at schools, libraries, and special events.

Susan lives in Los Angeles in a lively household filled with music, three sons, a husband, a Dalmatian and lots of visitors. Susan loves picture books and when she wrote a musical based on one of her favorites, she realized it was time to start writing her own picture books. Too Many Visitors for One Little House is Susan’s debut book. You can visit her website at www.booksicals.com.

The Story Behind ‘Colonel Trash Truck’ by Kathleen Crawley

Throughout my life, I have been fascinated with watching people and trying to understand why they do what they do…from what they eat to what they watch on TV, wear on their bodies or even believe.  I absolutely love to people watch and kids are no exception.  For example, why do a lot of boys like dinosaurs and trucks and many girls like dolls and pick dresses at an early age?  For years, I noticed how kids, especially boys, go bonkers when they see a garbage truck coming down the street.  One of the first words my nephew said was trash truck.  I also noticed there weren’t many books or toys about trash trucks that tell kids how they pick up the trash we create.  I thought, “Someone needs to write a book”.  It did not occur to me at the time that the someone I was thinking of was me!

Then one morning when I had slept late, I was awakened by the sound of the garbage truck in my neighborhood.  I opened my eyes and suddenly saw a clear image in my imagination of Colonel Trash Truck, just the way he looks on the cover of my book.  He had a friendly but determined look on his face and seemed to be telling me to write something.  I then reached for a pad of paper and began writing the poem that is now the majority Colonel Trash Truck.  It felt like I was taking dictation because it seemed like the Colonel had a lot to say about telling kids to pick up trash and recycle.

Colonel Trash Truck is a fun, likeable but admirable character, determined to fulfill him mission to win the garbage war.  What is so exciting about Colonel Trash Truck is that he appeals to kids and parents on so many levels:

• Kids love trucks, especially garbage trucks so the Colonel will get their attention.
• He is a fun, sometimes silly character that will make kids giggle.
• He is a hero that kids will look up to and want to mimic…”Karunch!” is his favorite phrase.
• Plus, he is teaching kids at an early age one of the most important positive habits they could possibly learn – to pick up trash and recycle.

At a time when so much is being discussed about the future of our planet and its natural resources, it can be challenging to get kids to understand how important their part is in saving the planet.  Colonel Trash Truck is the perfect book to get their attention and convince them to ‘join him in his quest.”

Kathleen Crawley has been an advertising executive for over fifteen years.  She resides with her husband Ronald Thomson in Redondo Beach, California.  She is a native Californian having graduated from UCLA with a B.A in sociology.  Colonel Trash Truck is her first book.  About writing for children, Kathy says, “I have a number of books I want to write for kids because I think children are fascinating.  They are open, creative, and interested in everything; they bring out the kid in me.”

You can visit Kathleen online at www.coloneltrashtruck.com.

Buy Colonel Trash Truck at Amazon.com today!

The Story Behind Charlie and Mama Kyna by Diana Rumjahn

Charlie and Mama Kyna is an award-winning charming book with beautiful illustrations for children. The story and illustrations are based on my internationally acclaimed film, Going Home, which was shown worldwide, including 45 film festivals and London Film Festival.

The story is about a little stuffed animal frog, named Charlie who runs away in fear after accidentally breaking his mother’s favorite vase. Charlie makes his way to the city and meets a stuffed animal Lion, named Leo and a stuffed animal giraffe named Joe outside Mrs. Cupcake’s Bakery. The three become best friends and live inside a little orange tent outside the bakery.

After awhile, Charlie becomes homesick, misses his mother, Kyna, decides to go home and invites Leo and Joe to live with them. On the next sunny day, Charlie, Leo and Joe, journey to find Mama Kyna’s home.

The book was written because I received so much positive responses for the film, Going Home. My passion is to tell you this story.

My inspiration for writing the book comes from my love of animals and stuffed animals. They are so cute! In addition, when I am listening to new age music especially music by Enya, I am so inspired to be even more creative.

Diana Rumjahn earned a bachelor’s degree in social science from San Francisco State University where she currently works at the College of Creative Arts . She wrote and directed the film Going Home which has been screened at venues worldwide. She is also the author of the new children’s picture book, Charlie and Mama Kyna. Rumjahn resides in San Francisco and is currently at work on film and book projects.  You can visit her website at www.dianarumjahn.com.

The Story Behind the Emily the Chickadee Series

I moved to the Portland area in 1999. It was during that first year when I met a wonderful woman named Mary, who quickly became my best friend. Mary had cancer, as did my own mother, and was one of the most giving and special people that I had ever met. Before she died, she made me a wonderful birdhouse from twisted driftwood branches she found on our Oregon coast. Making things was just one of her many gifts. I’ll never forget the morning I woke up to find one of her beautiful birdhouses that she had apparently placed in my garden without my knowledge. It seems that Mary was making them for all the special people in her life and I was blessed to be one of them. Mary died a few months later, but ever since the day her birdhouse appeared in my garden, the magic began to happen. 

I soon noticed that the birdhouse was attracting all varieties of colorful birds to my yard. I delighted in watching them every day from my kitchen window, but it was one special little chickadee that really got my attention. She made her nest in unusual places like the big flower pots on my deck, my window box and even the artificial wreath on my front door. I eventually came to realize that this wasn’t normal chickadee behavior. I wanted to share all the wonder and amazement that I was experiencing as I watched her on a daily basis. I named her Emily and, putting my pen to paper, began the task of telling her story in my first attempt at writing a book for children. The words came out in a simple rhyme that seemed to flow out effortlessly. In one sitting, my very first children’s book was written, which I titled Emily Waits for her Family. 

I started asking friends who had young children or grandchildren to read my story to them. I valued their opinion and the reactions of their young audience. Friends and family continued to encourage me. Eventually, my mother also passed away and I found myself writing lots of poetry after her death. I soon realized there was more of Emily’s story that could be shared. I also wanted to teach children how to take care of the chickadees in their yard, which resulted in the writing of my second book, Caring for Emily’s Family. Somehow I always knew I would write one more book for this to be a three-part series, but had to wait a few more years for the inspiration to finish the story of Emily, the chickadee. 

After my mother’s death, my husband and I built our very first home and we moved to the country, where birds and deer were daily visitors. It was in the following spring that my husband opened our front door and couldn’t believe what he saw. He wouldn’t tell me what it was, but rather called me there to have a look for myself. There appeared to be a pile of straw on the floor and some sticking out from a bird nest in the artificial wreath hanging on the door. I was even more amazed to learn it was a chickadee nest, when I later saw the familiar little bird flying from it. Finally I had the inspiration for the third book, and sat down to write Emily’s New Home.  People always ask how I can be sure it was Emily, the same little chickadee. I tell them that even though I can’t be certain, the little girl telling the story had no doubt at all that it was indeed her little friend who followed her to her new home!

That summer my uncle passed away and I was gifted with some inheritance money. With my husband’s support, I now had the funds to hire a local artist to do the illustrations for all three books. Six years had passed from the time I wrote the first book until May of 2008 when it was finally published. The second book was released in August, followed by the third book in November. It has been quite a journey, but one well worth taking. I originally wrote these books with the hope of increasing children’s awareness of nature and its precious gifts that can be found as close as our own backyards. I never realized the important role they would soon play in my own personal life. My husband passed away suddenly of a heart attack in late November while we were vacationing with our family in Mexico. Had it not been for these books that I’d written and the local children charities they led me to, I never would have been able to get through the month of December. It was important to me that I fulfilled my previous commitments to donate my books to Doerenbecher’s Children Hospital as well as the Children’s Cancer Association before the holidays. I realized that I still had so many blessings left in my life to be grateful for. Even though I miss my husband every day, I am so grateful that the work I’m doing with my books continues to give me a greater purpose, gently reminding me to keep looking outside of myself and connecting with others. That is what is truly important and the gift they bring to me.

Carol Zelaya is a former nurse, recently widowed, and mother of two grown children. She grew up in the Chicago area, where she eventually met and married her husband and where they raised a family. Having relocated to Oregon in 1996, Zelaya began her love affair with nature and its beautiful creatures.  Inspired by her surroundings, she started taking pictures and writing. Writing poetry led to writing three children’s books, of course, in rhyme.  Zelaya’s Emily the Chickadee books are the true story of the special bond between a tiny bird and a little girl and the true meaning of family.

 Carol is now moving to the San Diego area to be near her children.  You can visit her online at www.emilythechickadee.com. 

The Story Behind CHARLIE AND MAMA KYNA by Diana Rumjahn

Charlie and Mama Kyna is an award-winning charming book with beautiful illustrations for children. The story and illustrations are based on my internationally acclaimed film, Going Home, which was shown worldwide, including 45 film festivals and London Film Festival.

The story is about a little stuffed animal frog, named Charlie who runs away in fear after accidentally breaking his mother’s favorite vase. Charlie makes his way to the city and meets a stuffed animal Lion, named Leo and a stuffed animal giraffe named Joe outside Mrs. Cupcake’s Bakery. The three become best friends and live inside a little orange tent outside the bakery.

After awhile, Charlie becomes homesick, misses his mother, Kyna, decides to go home and invites Leo and Joe to live with them. On the next sunny day, Charlie, Leo and Joe, journey to find Mama Kyna’s home.

The book was written because I received so much positive responses for the film, Going Home. My passion is to tell you this story.

My inspiration for writing the book comes from my love of animals and stuffed animals. They are so cute! In addition, when I am listening to new age music especially music by Enya, I am so inspired to be even more creative.

Diana Rumjahn received her bachelor’s degree in social science from San Francisco State University and has worked at the university for over the past two decades. She is currently an administrator at College of Creative Arts, where she received the “Star of the Month Award.” She wrote, directed, filmed, produced and edited the international award-winning film Going Home, which has been shown worldwide. This is her first book.  You can visit Diana on the web at www.dianarumjahn.com.

MISS L’EAU by T. Katz

Working as a television Production Associate for hundreds of children’s animated TV shows does something to a person. Thousands of hours working on shows with cowboys in space, dinosaurs brought back to life in the modern world and a rubbery yellow man living in the walls of houses causes you to have moments in a day where you’re thinking like cartoon characters or privately hearing sound effects to accompany what you see (junky-clunky cars or shopping carts with wheels that wobble, etc.)

However, one show in particular about a young alien sent to earth to protect its’ creatures touched my heart and I haven’t seen another show like it since in went of the air a decade ago. Feeling that kids could still use colorful characters to keep the message of “Save the Earth” alive I decided to write the book Miss L’eau to help kids learn more about the planet’s seashores and the inhabitants who could use our assistance and care.

I grew up in Northern California not far from the ocean and all that salt air and fog instilled a deep love of the sea it has never been far from my thoughts, even after I moved to sunny, bone-dry Southern California’s high desert … saltwater still ran in my veins. Every chance I had, I would turn my car in the direction of the nearest beach and spend as much time as I could, but seeing the ocean slurp up and spit back so much litter made me weep. I didn’t remember seeing all that trash as a young person, so I decided to write Miss L’eau, in an effort to make kids aware of the help our shores needed and that anyone could help, no matter how small their hands. If one page of Miss L’eau makes a reader want to investigate more about helping the waters surrounding us, then a good deed was done.

Miss L’eau tells the tales of two kids in a coastal town who discover a secret about their elementary school teacher, Miss L’eau, which changes their lives forever. The kids had always known there was something unusual about her, but they could never quite put their finger on it. Even though they’ve have always lived near the ocean, they never thought about its importance, power and certainly never its vulnerability. Through Miss L’eau, and her unexpected relationship to the sea, they develop a love and understanding for the great body of water covering nearly 75% of the earth’s surface. With their teacher’s help, they become involved with a nearby aquarium and organize an annual clean-up event in their community and hope to inspire others to do the same.

T. Katz, a resident of Southern California has been involved in the children’s entertainment industry since the early 80’s working on hundreds of episodes of animated television and as a music instructor to hundreds of very animated children. She is also the honorary conductor of a four-part harmony household, consisting of her two children (three if you count the spouse on a bad day) and Alice the cat. The people that surround her help her to continue seeing the world with all its magic, beauty and potential. She lives by the motto “a good book, a cup of tea and somehow all is right with the world.” Her adventures in life are adding welcome lines of character to her face and scattered optimistic silver linings all over her head. You can visit her website at www.tkatz.com.

LETTER OF LOVE FROM CHINA by Bonnie B. Cuzzolino: “…I wanted to delve into the hearts and souls of the birth moms of our children.”

I am the adoptive mom to a beautiful 7 year old daughter from China.

I wanted to write a book dedicated to my daughter to help her and other children adopted from China understand why their birth families were not able to keep them but yet loved them.
I also wanted the nonadopted child to understand this too about their adopted friends, classmates, neighbors and family members.

To write “Letter Of Love From China” I needed to delve into the hearts and souls of the birth moms of our children.

I came up with the idea that the best way to express feelings is to write a letter to the person.

That’s It! My book will be a letter from a birth mom to her birth daughter explaining her love for her, reasons for not being able to raise her and hopes of a new forever family for her.

How does one do this without knowing the person?

How do I know to tell my daughter sincerely that her birth mom and family loved her?

I turned to my stepfather for help, a retired homicide detective.
After all her had the training to come up with a profile of a crime suspect without knowing who they are.

“Clues”, he told me. It’s all in the clues left behind at the scene. Thats how lawinforcement gets a profile for the personality of the person they are seeking.

“So lets look”, he said at the clues left behind by birth moms in China since it is a crime to abandon ones child. If a child is left in a public place with possibly a note and money this tells him birth mom is a person who loves and wants her child cared for.

If the child were left in a remote field, woods or dump yard then this would tell him the parents were looking for the elements to take the childs life for them so they would not have to commit the act themselves.

If I look at the reports of the places children in China have been abandoned then the majority are left in a public place. The children left in remote places are in the minority.

As parents we need to look at the information we have as to our child’s finding place. For most it will have been a public place.This is good news. If the news is grim and your child were left in a remote place unlikely to be found I believe it is still better to portray a positive image of birth mom and family.

This is my own personal opinion.

I feel it is not healthy for a child to think they were unloved by their birth family as they grow. This is sad for the child.

Our daughter had been found in a very public place with a note of her birthdate and money. Had she not been found under these circumstances than my husband and I would approach her story in this way and my book would have read a bit different.

We would tell her that her birth mom and family had problems that made it difficult for them to feel love but the love was there for you deep inside their hearts. They just didn’t know how to make it come out. Lets often think of them and pray they will get the help to learn how to express love. We would ask our child to forgive them as we have forgiven them.

With my stepfather’s expert advice under my belt I sat down and wrote my book to my daughter about her story of her loving relinguishment.

Jillian Mei loved my book from the moment I read it to her. There were tears and a mourning period for birth family but the tears have dried now and she only smiles now when I read the book.

She has come to terms with it and is secure in her thoughts.

We believe that the preteen years will bring on another time for grieving her birth family as all the changes begin to occur. At that time I believe I will write another book with a more in depth look at China’s customs as this will be an age appropriate time for Jillian to understand more about China than she needs to know now such as the preferance and need for boys and government practices.

I hope my book is a useful tool to open up discussions with your child about their beginnings in China. It is also my hope that my book will become reading material for the mainstream multicultural children’s market. I look forward to introducing it to schools and libraries in my local hometown area.

Our book has won the Moms Choice Silver Award for Best 2008 Children’s Book in Family Life and winner of the Pen Of The Writer Award for Children’s Books.

Please visit our website
http://www.plumblossombooks.com.

Award winning author Bonnie Cuzzolino and her family live in New Jersey. Bonnie and her husband Ray are the parents to a beautiful daughter adopted from Hubei, China in November of 2001 at 12 months old. She and her husband are now waiting for a referral for their second daughter from China through Holt International Children’s Services. Bonnie has had a lifelong passion to write children’s books. This book is her first and is dedicated to her daughter, Jillian Mei. You can visit her website at http://www.plumblossombooks.com/.

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JOEY GONZALEZ, GREAT AMERICAN by Tony Robles

I had no idea I was going to write a children’s book, much less a children’s book addressing affirmative action. But the story was inside me, waiting for the moment to be born. That time came when I learned about World Ahead, a publishing house with a line of conservative theme children’s books. I was intrigued by the idea of teaching conservative values through children’s literature. I decided to write and submit a story teaching my mother’s lessons of ethnic pride and self reliance.

When I sat down to write, I had only one solid idea and that was Joey’s response to affirmative action. That would be the centerpiece, and I would build the story around it. I figured all I would have to do was lay the groundwork, introduce the backup characters, get Joey to school and set up the confrontation. I had a feeling that Joey would take it from there. That’s exactly what happened. The characters instantly came alive and, from that point, the story wrote itself.

There’s a wonderful part in the story when the character, Sandy talks about her heroes, the Buffalo Soldiers. That was not in the original manuscript. The Buffalo Soldiers came in later when I met with Jim Pryor, the illustrator. Jim has a beautiful painting of a column of Buffalo Soldiers riding two by two up a steep ravine. I really liked the painting and I said I wished I could put it into the book. Jim suggested that I add the Buffalo Soldiers, and he would do the painting. Reading the story now, it seems as though the Buffalo Soldiers had been there from the beginning, as if they had been meant to be there. Maybe that’s true. Maybe Sandy was just waiting for her cue.

The book is beautifully and lovingly illustrated with exquisitely detailed watercolors. Jim Pryor has always painted with oils and acrylics. For this project, he taught himself to paint with watercolors. The quality of the paintings in Joey Gonzalez, Great American show that Jim Pryor is truly a master of his art.

Tony Robles is the author of the children’s book, Joey Gonzalez, Great American.  You can visit his website at www.joeygonzalez.us.