Allison M Boot's Blog, page 4
December 17, 2017
A Little Bit About the Inspiration Behind Misty Denison’s Character
December 16, 2017
Examine This
Toys are an important part of childhood. For many children, toys help to engage imagination and increase creativity. Apart from that, toys generally help to make life more fun for kids. Often times when children search for a new toy, they look for something that they can identify with. A doll that looks like them or a toy that represents what they want to be with me when they grow up such as a police badge or fireman’s hat. Unfortunately, there are not very many toys that represent children with disabilities or toys that children with disabilities can identify with in the toy aisles today. For this edition of Examine This, I will discuss that lack of presence as well as how and why it should be rectified.
As I have said time and time again, I wrote and published Just the Way You Are because there is a lack of characters with disabilities in young adult and children’s literature. Unfortunately, literature is not the only commercialized industry in society that lacks a presence of or influence from people with disabilities. As I mentioned in previous blogs, to me, it seemed crazy that we hit 2015 without Disney, Dreamworks, or some other production powerhouse introducing a princess with a disability to the world. Naturally, I did my part to help fix that. Just the Way You Are has not really taken off yet, but I’m still hopeful that someday it will. I don’t have hopes of becoming rich and famous from the book, nor do I want to, but I do hope to see a Misty doll on the shelves of toy aisles someday so the children of the world can be introduced to an awesome princess with the disability. Not only would it be awesome to see Misty come to life in that way, but her becoming a doll would help to fill a void in the toy industry.
Back in 1997, Mattel, the creator of Barbie, introduced Becky, Barbie’s friend who just so happens to be in a wheelchair. Sales were good and many young girls in wheelchairs, myself included, enjoyed finally seeing a Barbie that look like then on the shelves. However, overtime Mattel begun to hear complaints of Becky not being compatible with Barbie’s accessories because said accessories are not built to be accessible. Earlier this year, 20 years after Becky was introduced to the world, Mattel announced that she was being discontinued because it would cost too much to make all Barbie’s accessories accessible. I became very angry when I heard this for a couple reasons. Firstly, I heard on the show The Toy Box recently that although Barbie sales have gone down in recent years, a Barbie is still sold every three seconds. With that said, I find it hard to believe that a company whose sales total 10.5 million dollars per year based on the sales of Barbie alone would not have enough money to make the accessories to one of its most popular toys accessible. Secondly, the discontinuation of Becky took away some of what little representation people with disabilities have on toy shelves. With all due respect to Mattel as a company, discontinuing Becky was a stupid decision. According to www.worldbank.org, approximately 1 billion people, or 15% of the world’s population experience some form of a disability. Moreover, in America alone one in every five people has a disability. I point that out to also point that people with disabilities have approximately $175 billion buying power around the world, according to www.ada.gov. Had Mattel taken the time to make even just a couple of Barbie’s accessories accessible then the company could have not only expanded its product line, but also opened itself to that billions of dollars worth of buying power. Instead, the company closed itself off and discontinued a toy that represented millions of its customers.
Does it make sense for a powerhouse company to cut itself off from million of its customers? Of course not. However, Mattel did just that. So it is up to businesses like mine to make sure customers that do have much representation in toys and other consumer products get seen. Fortunately, I am not alone in my belief that all children should be able to find something that represents them on toy shelves. A few months back, I saw a Facebook post about a young woman named Crystal Kay, who makes dolls that represent a full spectrum of beauty, including everything from dolls with freckles to dolls that look like those diagnosed with albinism. I love hearing about businesses that have a purposes like the one Crystal Kay has behind her business because I believe we need more representation of all people, not just people with disabilities, in literature, the toy industry, and all other commercial industries. After all, this world is such a beautiful place in part due to all of the different kinds of people who live in it. Shouldn’t we all be represented in the commercialized industries of society?
It is my hope and belief that if differences are accepted and represented in society then eventually our differences will stop being the things that separate us from one another in society. Instead, our differences will be nothing more than differences. With that in mind, in closing, I ask you to remember this edition of Examine This the next time you purchase a service or a product for yourself or that special child in your life and ask yourself, is it better to support a company that potentially alienates itself from millions of its customers or a smaller company that believes all the world’s people should be represented?
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December 15, 2017
My 2018 Reading List
1. The Secret Circle books by L. J. Smith.
2. The Happily Inc series by Susan Mallery.
3. In This Moment by Karen Kingsbury
4. Wonder by R, J. Palacio
5. Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen (an oldie, but a favorite)What about you? What books do you plan or hope to read in 2018? Are Just the Way You Are and The Magic Within on the list of books you have to read next year? I hope so! Until next time… happy reading and as always, don’t forget to love yourself just the way you are.
December 14, 2017
A History of Trolls
As many of you know, I love troll dolls. I have been collecting them since I was 3 years old and now I have a collection of over 300 of them featuring trolls of all different sizes and colors. With that said, today I thought I’d write a blog on the history of troll dolls. According to a 2011 Time magazine article on the 100 greatest toys of all time, troll dolls were invented by Danish woodworker, Thomas Dam, who made the first troll doll, which he said had magical powers and loved to make people happy, in 1959 as a present for his daughter Lila. The first was made of wood and have glass eyes, but soon after Lila’s friends begun asking for their own trolls Dam had to come up with the way to mass produce and sell them. The solution was to make trolls out of natural rubber and then eventually to make them from vinyl, which many trolls are still made from today.
Throughout the early 1960’s, the troll doll gained international popularity as imitation troll dolls made of plastic popped up in America. These trolls were allowed to be made because Dam was an artist and not a business man. Therefore, he did not think to copyright the troll doll. Although Dam took many companies who copied his design to court throughout his life, he would never see anything come of his efforts.
According to a Youtube video on the history of trolls, the troll doll was first voted toy of the year by the American Toy Association in 1963. Sadly, even after being voted toy of the year that, as the 60s faded out, the popularity of trolls did as well. However, trolls became popular again in the 1990s after the troll doll was once again voted toy of the year by the American Toy Association in 1991. By 1992 the sale of troll dolls and related merchandise had swelled to about 700 million dollars which is the equivalent of approximately 1.2 billion dollars today. By the end of the ’90s the troll craze had once ended, but they were still beloved by many collectors such as myself.
The 2000’s brought about some changes for trolls. In 2003, the Dam finally was awarded rightful ownership of the copyright on the original troll doll. In 2010, the family decided to partner with DreamWorks Animation Studios to produce an animated movie and related television series about trolls. Three years later, the Dam family and their company, Dam Things Establishments, gave up their rights to trolls and related merchandise to DreamWorks for an undisclosed amount. In 2016 the movie Trolls was finally released, followed by a holiday themed episode of the related television series, entitled Trolls Holiday in 2017. A movie sequel entitled Trolls : The Beat Goes On is expected to hit theaters in 2019. Whether you’ve recently discovered trolls or you are a seasoned collector like me, you can probably agree that the future of trolls is very bright.
I hope that you enjoyed learning a little bit about the history of troll dolls. Until next time, as always… happy reading and don’t forget to love yourself just the way you are
December 13, 2017
My Favorite Character in Just the Way You Are
Secondly, Kara has more spunk and tenacity than the other characters in the book and was therefore more fun to write and explore. Moreover, I believe that Kara’s spunk adds to the fact that she is good example for kids. I hoping that her character helps to show kids the importance of going after what you want in life.
Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, Kara’s character helps bring attention to two very vital issues. Her character not brings about disability awareness, but also highlights the fact that there are many children out in the world who do not have families and are in need of love, care, and a real home. I hope that reading about Kara’s in Just the Way You Are will encourage more people to consider adoption.
Who is your favorite character in Just the Way You Are and why? Comment on this post and let me know! As always, happy reading and always remember to love yourself just the way you are.
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December 12, 2017
The Top 5 Reasons I love troll dolls
As many of you know I am a troll enthusiast. I have collected troll dolls since I was 3 years old and, although I don’t play with them anymore, I still collect them and love them very much. The majority of my collection is actually currently on display in my and my husband’s kitchen lol. Anyway, today I thought I’d write a list of the top 5 reasons I love troll dolls.
1. Trolls bring good luck!
I begun collecting trolls when I was little because my father told me they brought good luck. I realize many people believe this is just something made up by advertisers and retailers to push the sales of trolls but I believe it’s true. I wore a troll charm bracelet while defending my Master’s thesis and I truly believe that it brought me luck and that I would not have done as well defending my thesis had I not worn it. Some people probably think that iss just the musings of a naive
woman, but regardless I see nothing wrong with believing that my troll bracelet brought me a little magic that day.
2. Trolls are always smiling!
I don’t know about all of you but, no matter what kind of mood I am in, I can’t look at my trolls without smiling.
3. Trolls are timeless.
The first troll was made out of wood in 1959 by a gentleman named Thomas Dam as a present for his daughter. They were popular for short period of time in the 1960s following the creation of the first, but did not enjoy popularity again until the 1990s and have recently gained popularity again since Dreamworks Animation Studios put out an animated movie about trolls in 2016. I truly believe the trolls are something that will be enjoyed by both collectors and children for years to come.
4. Trolls are known for having crazy hair.
In my opinion, as a troll collector who spent many hours of her childhood styling troll hair, the crazy hair the troll dolls are equipped with and the many ways that hair can be styled promotes creativity and self-expression among children who play with them. Furthermore, they come in all different shapes, colors, and sizes like people and have had just as many if not more careers than Barbie. To me, this again shows, that trolls are timeless toys that promote creativity among children who play with them.
5. Trolls make great characters for the fantasy books that I write. Both Just the Way You Are and The Magic Within have characters who are trolls. I believe that including trolls at characters brings a certain element of fantasy to my books that I would likely not have achieved were the trolls not included as characters.
What is your favorite toy from your childhood? Is it something you still collect? Comment on this blog and let me know. Until next time, happy reading and don’t forget to love yourself just the way you are!
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December 11, 2017
How Can I Reach More Young Readers?
I need your help. As many of you I know I write books that I write to spend disability awareness and promote a message of self-acceptance to young kids. I am very passionate about it, but I have come to the realization that no matter how passionate I am, my books will never make a true impact unless I am able to get them in front of young kids and young adults and tell my story. With that said, I’m asking you, my readers, if you have any suggestions as to groups of kids that I may be able to talk to about my books. Perhaps you have connections with your local schools or maybe you know the leader of a boy or girl scout troop. Over the last couple years I’ve given very successful presentations at schools and summer camps in or near Urbana Illinois where I’m live. I really enjoy doing so and wish I could give presentations more often. Again, I’m open to any suggestions you as my readers may have as to groups that I can speak to about my books and the mission behind writing them. I’m willing to travel within reason and I promise to work out a discounted rate and send books out to anywhere I cannot travel to. Please comment on this post or on my authors page on Facebook or Twitter with any suggestions that you may have. I appreciate your help more than you know and can’t wait to hear your ideas. Until next time, happy reading and always remember to love yourself just the way you are!
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December 10, 2017
Happy Holidays!!!
Happy Holidays from the Denison family to yours…may your home be as blessed and happy as our castle.
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December 9, 2017
Top 5 reasons that Just The Way You Are should be on Your E-reader or Bookshelf
Hey Readers,
Today I thought I’d list 5 reasons why Just The Way You Are should be on your e-reader or bookshelf.
It’s a unique fairy-tale that promotes disability awareness.
It has a message of self-acceptance and encourages readers to love themselves just as they are.
The unique fairy-tale has classic elements of beloved stories like A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, and Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid.
Not only is the book entertaining, it is also educational.
It’s a feel-good story that your entire family will enjoy!
What could be better? I hope you all will keep these reasons in mind when deciding what gifts to give your loved ones this holiday season. Trust me when I say that Just The Way You Are makes a great gift. I will write a personal note to anyone for whom you purchase the book for this holiday season. Just drop me a note when you purchase it here on my website. Until next time…happy reading and always love yourself just the way you are!
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December 8, 2017
The Inspiration for My Next Book…The Magic Within
After I wrote my first book, Just the Way You Are, in 2015 I joined several disability and cerebral palsy specific Facebook groups in hopes of advertising the book to my target audience. My Newsfeed morphed into something that disappointed me daily. I read post after post of people requesting miracles that would cure children with disabilities. I also saw article after article promising that new treatments or s surgery had the potential to cure someone of his or her disability.
One afternoon I spotted an article advertising robotic onesies for babies who were unable to crawl and/or walk properly. To say that I became angry would be a gross understatement. The fact that someone had created something to make even babies, quote on quote normal, and the fact that parents were being encouraged to use this equipment to get their children to conform to societal standards, left me outraged. I wrote a Facebook post sharing the article detailing my feelings on the subject and, to my dismay, no one responded. After a couple of days, I decided to share my feelings on the subject with people in a different way and the idea for The Magic Within was born. Right now, I am on track to publish it in March. Please look to my future blogs for updates.
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