Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.
Today, we're teaming up with The Children's Book Review to shine a spotlight on a storybook set to rekindle the spark in each of us while taking us on a magical ride filled with colorful illustrations to boot! For those that want another level of immersion, there's even interactive aspects in the book to allow for online fun which will expand the adventure even further! So, up, up, and away we go, for it's time to get to know today's title in the spotlight...
by
Chris Parson
Illustrated by
Mike Motz
9781735145501
Zuroam Media
Release Date: October 1, 2020
Audiobook Narrated by
Brandon McGinnis
Music by
Bruce Faulconer
About the book...
When the survival of their hometown is threatened, two unlikely comrades join forces on a quest to defeat a dangerous enemy and bring back the only one who can save them all.
Beyond the frozen mountains there lies an oasis from the frigid cold and the howling winds. A place the animals call Lake Zuron. What a wonderful place, happy creatures of all kinds, living in harmony and warmth thanks to their very own fire-breathing dragon named Daniel.
But one day everything changed when the unthinkable happened. The Dragon fire goes out and immediately the air begins to chill. Things were not looking good but just when all hope was lost, an unlikely hero steps up. Join Spark the mouse on an adventure of a lifetime as he and his friends do their part to save their town from an icy demise.
With the magical power of Daniel, the Dragon there could be hope. But first, they must face and defeat a dangerous enemy, the vile beasts who own these mountains where nobody passes through.
Along this journey maybe you will discover that it’s that little Spark in each of us that really matters, and that a little Spark could save them from the coming cold. The story reminds us that we all need something in life every day to ignite our passion and spirit – to help the world be a “warmer” place and to look for ways to “Be That Spark.”
Before October 1st, pre-order your copy, email the team at Zuroam Media, and they’ll give you the audiobook free so you can enjoy it while you wait for the book to arrive. You can find all the email address and links to your favorite bookstore here: https://bethatspark.com/shop/.
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~~~ GUEST POST ~~~
How
Books Can Light a Child's Inner Spark
I was surrounded by storytellers growing up in my little remote fishing village of Flatrock, Newfoundland. I wanted to learn more about the world, the places, the people they spoke of. The books that I read at an early age gave me a window into the world around me. I credit my mom and my kindergarten teacher, Miss Kehoe, for introducing me to A Little Bear, Where the Wild Things Are, Charlotte’s Web, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, and many more. These books lit my inner Spark and set me on a course of adventure, discovery, and learning that continues today!
When our kids were small, we read the classics to them and they began their own journey. Those books instilled a sense of adventure and a desire to dream of what could be.
Books certainly lit a Spark, if not a fire, in me and I see that opportunity for all kids:
Reading transports a child’s imagination to a broader world
When authors write books, they’re not limited to simply the world around them. When we – and our children – read those books, we also are transported to faraway lands. Sometimes those places are real, and we can travel to them later. Sometimes those places are imaginary, and we can only visit them in our minds. Either way, our worlds are expanded into learning and thinking about things we might not have otherwise considered.
Challenges their beliefs / expands their thinking
Because the main purpose of books is to pass on an idea to other people, children can learn a great deal by reading. The things that they are presented with will often be something they’d never thought of. By having the idea planted in their mind, they are encouraged to expand their own perspectives as they read with a critical eye.
Engaging with characters’ struggles can encourage empathy, understanding and tolerance
Because characters are often fictional authors have the ability to give them problems that can seem outrageous to the reader. By reading about these scenarios, children can empathize with the characters in the stories and by extension to the people around them in real life.
Introduces them to new experiences
Similar to transporting readers to a broader world, writers can use their books to introduce children to new experiences. Perhaps a child has grown up with no pets; a book can instill in them a love of animals. Or maybe a child has no siblings. Books can show them what large family life is like.
Instills self-confidence
By seeing how main characters overcome difficulty, children can develop their own sense of self-confidence. “If she can do it, so can I!” The other aspect here is that reading builds knowledge and that’s is a key driver of self-confidence.
Motivates them to try new things – to take that first step
Characters in books are often much braver than real people (after all, the stakes aren’t as high when you’re not real!). For that reason, they’re almost always willing to do the hard thing – to take a step that might seem impossible. By reading about characters who do that, children are encouraged to do the same.
I believe that children’s literature is a powerful force to shape and nurture the minds of kids. The combination of a great story, beautiful illustrations, and rich characters, combined with music, can truly engage young minds. It can inspire young audiences in a way that will help them develop critical thinking skills and encourages a sense of adventure and the confidence to take that first step. The stories that our children are reading have the ability to shape who they will become. Do we want them to become good leaders? Then we need to focus on nurturing their minds to be such.
Many important themes and values are incorporated into the book “A Little Spark”, but I was careful as I wrote not to make these life lessons “overbearing” or “hit you over the head obvious.” I wanted to plant seeds – or light sparks, if you will – in children’s minds. I wanted those lessons to be included, but I wanted children to find them for themselves. Too many books these days sacrifice story for the sake of moral lessons; Spark does not. I believe that children are smart enough to find these things in the story for themselves. Rather than direct the thoughts of the readers, we need to encourage discussions.
I hope when you read this book with your children (or pupils), you encourage the children to discover these lessons, for themselves. The importance of personal character and one’s value in society are vital, but the lessons stick better when children find them on their own. Let’s trust them to do so.
Flatrock may have been remote, but the books I read connected me to that bigger world, giving me my NorthStar and a sense of being part of something much bigger. These books also helped me decide who I wanted as a role model – in my case it was “Little Bear,” which was a good thing.
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About the author...
Chris Parsons grew up in the small fishing village of Flatrock, Newfoundland where he was surrounded by storytellers. When he became a father, he began creating his own children’s stories, and soon he was sharing them with a wider audience.
Over time, his audience grew up, but he continued to create his stories and colorful characters mostly for his own enjoyment. One day he had a flash of inspiration about a little mouse named Spark and began to create the world of A Little Spark.
Today, Chris lives in Dallas. He has left the high-tech world of innovation and business development behind and is focused on his real passion – to create new meaningful experiences for children centered around powerful and engaging stories like ” A little Spark.”
Together with his wife, Kathleen, daughter, Maggie, and son, Kealan, they share a love for all God’s creatures.
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About the narrator...
Brandon McInnis is a voice actor and singer known primarily for his work on animation and video games. He voices Sir Nighteye in My Hero Academia, Ganos in Dragon Ball Super, Finral Roulacase in Black Clover, Asagiri Gen in Dr. Stone, Yuna D. Kaito in Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, Frodo Baggins in Lord of the Rings Online, Patrick Phelps in Black Butler, Sonosuke Izayoi in Danganronpa 3, Erlang Shen in SMITE, and many more.
With a deep love for music production and originally trained as an opera singer, Brandon also produces music for release on YouTube and Spotify. He can be followed on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram: @BranMci
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About the illustrator...
Mike Motz is a children’s book illustrator and publishing professional based out of Toronto, Canada. Motz has helped writers around the world fulfill their dreams of publishing their works. To date, Motz has been responsible for the creation of the artwork for over 300 self-published children’s books.
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About the music producer...
Bruce Faulconer is a musician, composer, and record producer based in Dallas, Texas. He is the owner and founder of Faulconer Productions Music, and CakeMix Recording Studio. Faulconer writes music for orchestra, various instrumental and choral groups, along with the music for feature films, and TV series, including the anime Dragon Ball Z. He recently completed twelve songs for A Little Spark, included in a new audiobook, an interactive children’s book, and an animated feature film in development.
He resides in Dallas with his wife Lisa and is the father of two sons.
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Enter for a chance to win the A Little Spark prize pack.
One (1) grand prize winner receives:
A hardcover copy of A Little Spark, autographed by author Chris Parsons.
A downloadable audiobook of A Little Spark.
A Little Spark USB drive with the A Little Spark music album.
One set of Apple AirPods Pro for listening to the outstanding audiobook and music!
Two (2) winners receive:
A hardcover copy of A Little Spark, autographed by author Chris Parsons.
A downloadable audiobook of A Little Spark.
Giveaway begins August 24, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends September 24, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. MT.
to access the Rafflecopter form!
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Special thanks to The Children's Book Review for the chance to bring this tour to you! (THANKS!) For more information on this author, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links above. Be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun!
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
Gina this sounds positively delightful. I am always on the lookout for books/audios for the grands and Nonna's Corner.
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