Hello there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers. Today, we welcome The Children's Book Review as we host a stop along their current AWARENESS TOUR featuring Milo...an incredibly cute little doggo that gets to do some traveling, and we get to come along for the ride! It really is an adorable story...couldn't help but give it a read through...but I digress, I'm not here for a review post. I'm here to bring you a special GUEST POST from the author herself all about the trip of a lifetime. Curious? Good because it's ready and waiting for you, so let's jump right in as we welcome today's blog tour guest...
by
Kristina Tanso
Illustrated by
Sofie Engstrom Von Alten
9781738414000
Life Unfiltered Books
About the book...
Join Milo – an adorable French Bulldog – as he embarks on his very first adventure! Simply by clapping his little paws together and jumping on his magic skateboard, Milo takes flight and explores Europe! This fun, heart-warming adventure will charm children and adults alike, while exploring different iconic places and cultures!
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~~~ GUEST POST ~~~
If you could Build a trip of a lifetime, where would you go and with who?
... with author Kristina Tanso
In the movie, Shall We Dance, Susan Sarandon’s character eloquently says, “We need a witness to our lives. … You're saying, ‘Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go un-witnessed because I will be your witness.’” While this stellar line was delivered in the context of a life partnership, it resonated deeply with me.
Growing up where relocation on a regular basis was par for the course, I always felt like I was dipping in and out of someone else’s experience—witnessing their beautiful lives, knowing that in a year’s time, or even less, I would’ve fallen deep into the crevices of their memories. The only witness to my participation in these little moments in time were my own words that filled journals, carried in a portmanteau that followed me from one place to the next. And, while I am grateful that I was able to see some incredible places, and learn about foreign cultures, I always felt like something was missing—and I didn’t quite know why…
This sentiment is the heart and soul of Milo’s story in Milo and His Magic Skateboard, where his character is lucky enough to have a magic skateboard that takes him wherever he wants to go. All he needs to do is think of the place he wants to visit the most, clap-clap-clap his paws, and there he is! Yet with each passing moment, the excitement and novelty fade. He cannot fully enjoy the beauty, history, food, and all the magical things that each place he visits offers, because he feels as though something is missing.
I wanted to subtly capture the emptiness one can feel—and that I have felt—amidst the most exciting of times and in the busiest of places. That phantom feeling of having someone next to you, whom you can turn to, to say, “wow”, to crack an inside joke, or share knowing laugh. Little big things that are constructed and conditioned by our social habits. And, so when I think of taking a trip of a lifetime, I immediately think of going somewhere with the people I love: life-long friends who share and bear witness to our lives. For me, those would be my closest girl friends with whom I’ve travelled with before, and share a similar travel style to.
Our trip of a lifetime looks like this: we get a camper van at the northern tip of South Island in New Zealand, where our first stop is Marlborough Sounds. We swim with dolphins and close the day out with a visit to the famed Cloudy Bay winery, for a sophisticated meal and delicious New Zealand wine. Then, we make our way towards Christchurch to hike Kaikoura Range, and scale its highest peak, Tapuae-O-Uenuku, which is MΔori for “footprint of the rainbow.” From there, we cut across the island to Arthur’s Pass, and make our way down to Queenstown where we ditch our camper van for one of those stunning design lodges Queenstown is known for. We taste all of New Zealand’s culinary offerings and offset our indulgences with daily hikes on one of the many collection of trails available to us. The adrenaline junkies amongst us may decide to paraglide, or bungy jump of Kawarau Bridge. Of course, a trip to the South Island is not complete without visiting the stunning Fiordland National Park, where we are treated to the sights of incredible nature and wildlife… and if we are lucky enough, the ever-elusive kakapo bird, a ground-dwelling parrot, that looks like a fluffy, green chicken.
It’s of the utmost importance for me to give back, whenever I take a trip. So, throughout the journey, we will find ways to volunteer, whether it is working with children or doing something in the conservation space. And when it comes time to say goodbye to New Zealand, and to each other, we create space for gratitude. Gratitude for the fact that we shared a chapter of our lives together, filled with new stories, new inside jokes, and memories unique to us—reaffirming that this moment of our lives will not go un-noticed, because we have noticed it, and will carry it with us forever.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kristina Tanso is an animal lover whose life changed the day she rescued Milo from the streets of Hong Kong in May 2019. Milo and His Magic Skateboard is inspired by the real-life adventures the duo have had since: prompted by Kristina’s affinity for travel, and Milo’s curious personality. Kristina is also the author of the critically acclaimed psychological thriller, Bad Things (2023); and is a producer on Searching/or Chinook, a documentary about the future survival of the last remaining Southern resident orcas, starring Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones).
An advocate for mental health and spiritual well-being, Kristina’s articles on the topic are regularly featured on Medium. Outside of writing, Kristina works at the University of Oxford, and serves as a guest professor at a university in Asia.
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~~~ GIVEAWAY ~~~
Enter the giveaway for the chance to win a signed hardcover copy of Milo and His Magic Skateboard and a customized sketch of Milo!
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Special thanks to Bianca at The Children's Book Review for the chance to bring this tour to you and to the author for sharing a bit of themselves with the guest post. (THANKS!) This post is sponsored by Kristina Tanso. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view. For more information on this title, the author, the publisher,
this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. Be sure to check out the rest of the stops on the tour for more bookish fun!
TOUR SCHEDULE
Monday, March 25, 2024
Book Review of Milo and His Magic Skateboard
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Book Review of Milo and His Magic Skateboard
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Author Interview with Kristina Tanso
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Book Review of Milo and His Magic Skateboard
Friday, March 29, 2024
Author Interview with Kristina Tanso
Monday, April 1, 2024
Book Review of Milo and His Magic Skateboard
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Book Review of Milo and His Magic Skateboard
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Book Review of Milo and His Magic Skateboard
Thursday, April 4, 2024
Author Article by Kristina Tanso
Friday, April 5, 2024
Book Review of Milo and His Magic Skateboard
Monday, April 8, 2024
Book Giveaway of Milo and His Magic Skateboard
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Book Review of Milo and His Magic Skateboard
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Book Review of Milo and His Magic Skateboard
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Author Interview with Kristina Tanso
Monday, April 15, 2024
A Book Activity to Pair with Milo and His Magic Skateboard
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Author Article by Kristina Tanso
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Book Review of Milo and His Magic Skateboard
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
