Suzy Davies's Blog: Book News - Posts Tagged "luna-the-moon-pig"

Tune in to U.K Talk Radio - Jonathan Hines approx 11.45 a.m -12.15 G.M.T United Kingdom Time, on Friday 8th December or on Sunday 10th December (times are estimated) to hear Jonathan Hines chat to me about Luna The Moon Pig - my new Children's Book illustrated by Sheila Graber of Paddington Bear fame.

.

I would never have dreamed up the idea of "Snugs The Snow Bear," my first Children's Book, without the image of "The Polar Bear on The Isle of Wight" which first inspired me to put pen to paper.
And, once the character of "Snugs" was born, my thoughts turned to something very serious, which has been preoccupying me in recent years.
People in certain areas of the world struggle to survive. They struggle for food. They struggle for water. Every day is a battle.
It seems likely that, in the future, more and more places on earth will become, at best, inhospitable places to live. At worst, they will be places where no human being can survive. I am talking about the phenomenon of Global Warming, a phenomenon that destroys life; it makes the survival of endangered species fragile, and survival of humans in certain areas almost impossible. This is a war - the war against Global Warming. And every day, we ignore the dangers at our peril.
How much more evidence, from the top scientists on this planet, do we need? How many more World Summits will we hold, before we listen, and take action?
The world is hot - too hot. And we need to take measures before it is too late.
We have seen record temperatures across The States, and this is taking its toll on people far and wide across the country.
The idea behind my Snugs Children's Series is to drive home this message in a way that is compelling, engaging, entertaining and inspirational. Colorful illustrations by Peter Hall capture the landscape of The British Coastline and Iceland. It is important that we preserve these landscapes for our children's children to enjoy.
My second Children's Book, "Luna The Moon Pig," illustrated by Sheila Graber of Paddington Bear fame, echoes the environmental concerns in my first book.
Behind a cute story of a little pig, is a message about caring for all animals and about the beauty within us. It speaks of the natural world, of which we, and animals, are a part. Remembering our roots is a metaphorical theme. The story is based on the stunning woodland areas in The Lakes Area of Florida. Captured to perfection in Sheila Graber's stunning illustrations, the book shows Florida animals, flora and fauna.
By showing our children fabulous natural world landscapes in picture books and middle-grade readers, we are bringing into focus one of the most important things in
life; the knowledge that the world is wonderful!

Tune in to my author reading of "Luna The Moon Pig" Illustrated in color with hand-drawn cartoon-style illustrations by the celebrated Sheila Graber, award-winning world-acclaimed Artist, Animator and Educator who drew Paddington Bear for B.B.C Children's Television Paddington Bear Programmes!

https://twitter.com/birdwriter7/statu...

When Luna dances in the moonlight,
she makes us want to join in,
her feet have a rhythm as she takes flight,
like a little bird in the spring!

When Luna dances in the moonlight,
her eyes have a special glow,
her pretty face is always smiling,
she’s the loveliest piggy that we know!

When Luna dances in the moonlight,
her snout nods to the tune,
she swishes her tail,
like a sailboat sail,
gliding under the moon!

When Luna dances in the moonlight,
we all like to clap and sing,
as she sways to the music,
everything is magic -
and it’s all such a wonderful
all such a magical,
all such a beautiful thing!

Copyright Suzy Davies 2018. All Rights Reserved. No Copying. A Song about “Luna The Moon Pig: The Pig Who Hid” on Amazon Worldwide!

Pigs are gregarious, magic and fun,
Luna's excited now Springtime has sprung,
snuffling and snorting, going for a dig,
that's what it means to be Luna, The Pig!

Some of the best qualities to cultivate in children are: patience, resilience, perseverance, courage, loyalty and kindness.
In these challenging Covid times, these qualities are all the more important and will effect outcomes for everyone all over the world.
In my opinion, and one which is backed by scientific studies, in order to succeed in life, children, and of course, their adults, need to practice deferred gratification. This means having the wisdom and good judgement to wait for what we may feel we want now, if this means a better outcome in the long run.
So, many of us are doing just this, sacrificing "normal everyday life" by wearing masks, adhering to lockdown bubbles, social distancing, and, more often than not, simply staying at home for the greater good.
Children are feeling lonely and isolated, cut off from friends and family and missing the freedom of play outdoors.
One of the most healing things to do is to make home a haven, and to bring in nature and outdoor activities indoors. And we can do this by reading adventure stories.
One of the most natural things about childhood is that kids have an innate sense of wonder and curiousity about the world around them.
I am fortunate to have had a happy childhood, which I remember vividly. One of the things I remember most is reading adventure books. And I also remember the real-life adventures, and today I'm going to share a snippet of information about The Boot Camp in Kendal in The Lake District. I went there when I was eight years old.
On this residential camp, every day was an outdoor adventure. I recall one particular day walking on nature trails that led to a wooded area. In this wood were all kinds of "ungirly," (for want of a better word,) things to do - at least they were considered tomboyish - in the 1960's. There were climbing frames, tyres swinging from trees, wooden horses, rope ladders and the like - a giant obstacle course to negotiate in teams. It was such fun! At the end of the day after hot showers and a change of clothes, we all chatted together about what we had achieved, how we problem-solved, what worked and what didn't, and how we felt about the challenges we had overcome. All this at a long trestle table, where we ate dinner together, washed down with mugs of hot tea. In our dorms, some of us had stashed away Kendle Mint Cake for a midnight feast.
When I reflect on this wonderful adventure today, I can remember how it boosted my confidence, and made me feel I could succeed at anything on which I had set my heart, mind and soul. I also learned how great it was when a team pulled together for a common goal. When a member of our team got stuck, we would help them.
And so, this was one small beginning that got me hooked on adventure, and now I am a writer who writes about this taste for adventure, this openness to new experiences, that has never ever left me. I am passionate about the value of adventure quests.
Adventure books, as you will know, follow the familiar pattern of Home-Away-Home, where the protagonist or hero starts out on an adventure, and the process of overcoming challenges and difficulties makes them "more than" they were before.
The quest narrative is a metaphor for life itself; and the emotional, physical and mental challenges the heroes meet bring out and develop qualities and character traits that were latent, and, perhaps, unknown before.
Of all the qualities a human being can have, it is my belief that courage is the greatest of all. For it is from this quality that all other qualities flow. By reading adventure books, children emulate role models who have the courage to be themselves - their best selves. But, perhaps even more important, they learn camaraderie and teamwork; the ability to reach out in a non-judgemental way to others. They learn not to fear reaching out to a fellow human being, and how by putting their needs before their own, they elevate themselves. In other words, bravery and kindness are a win. Through reading adventure stories, children learn about the world with those who are, in some ways, different than themselves. It takes courage to take the imaginative leap that is empathetic understanding; a quality every good hero has in their love for humanity.

Bringing up kids and doing it right is difficult. Parents and significant others are just humans, wonderful carers doing their best.

We often talk about the best way to prepare children for their lives, and what will help them best.

When reading and books are part of children’s lives, part of their routines, and the love they are shown on a daily basis, children begin to associate reading with pleasure and happy emotions. It doesn't really matter what they read, as long as it does no harm and your child enjoys it. They will gain from reading. Let me count the ways!

Reading creates building blocks for Literacy. Literacy is a key, essential skill that unlocks many pathways to learning, whether academic or practical. I once taught a child of 17 who was illiterate when she came to me. She had difficulty finding things in the supermarket because she did not understand social sight words - common words that most people take for granted. She had never attended formal school, and her sole experience in life was caring for her widower father. I taught her step by step by creating age-appropriate learning materials from scratch. She was with me for over a year. I saw her transformation from an anxious little girl to a woman who had confidence that she could navigate the world! After she left my class, she came back to see me and proudly showed me an engagement ring. She has also landed a job! Literacy is a life skill that is not an option. You owe it to your child to read to them, and when they are able to read for themselves, to encourage a love of reading and books.

So what else does reading do? Well, it creates empathy. Children learn social skills, and the ability to put themselves into another person’s shoes. Empathy is something that is underestimated in this world of analysis. But a good listener is a good conversationalist because they can read the messages behind what someone is saying and respond with compassion and understanding. Children’s books with rich characterization and a colorful, natural conversational style are memorable to young children, and help them cultivate their communication skills.

Moreover, reading expands the mind, and in particular, the imagination. As Einstein suggested, the imagination is far greater than a knowledge bank since it is all about the ability to think laterally, to create, and invent. In life, we often have to adapt our approach and improvise, even in our everyday routines. For instance, what if an item in a recipe is missing from our cupboards or fridges. What do we do? We improvise! Invention and improvisation help us navigate difficulties and challenges with a Can-Do attitude.

Children’s books, of course, should do something more than simply entertain and should have educational value.

What else do children’s books do? They promote curiosity. Again, drawing on Einstein, we all know that cleverness is more often than not developed by a passion for inquiry, and we can stimulate this passion by showing children a world that is bigger than the world with which they are familiar.

Reading books that “go beyond” allow children’s minds to expand, they develop new vocabulary, and we know that our capacity to think, to perceive, and to express our thoughts depends directly on our stock of words.

In this “get by” culture why do we short-change our kids, and why are some people content to leave education to teachers and schools alone? This is like putting your child’s destiny in the hands of a stranger or at best, trusting that destiny to someone other than yourself.

Children's lives are precious! In these troubled times, we can encourage friendship with others by encouraging children to read with us at home. Sharing stories with siblings and peers will help create bonds between children, and they will learn that friends often have similar interests and tastes.

In addition, diverse books, which celebrate differences, for instance diverse cultures, will teach children mutual respect and understanding, so essential to build a better world. Happy World Book Day!

I'd like to thank Bob The Romance Bloke for hosting me as Guest Author on his excellent Book Blog.

You can check out my article:
https://tinyurl.com/SuzyDblogs

There are piggies of The Woods,
there are piggies of The Sea.
Not all piggies are equal;
this is clear to me.

There are piggies who sing -
and they make a lot of noise.
There are piggies - stuffed animals;
it's clear they're simply toys.

There are piggies who are GLAM,
there are piggies who are DRAM,
there are piggies who simply are TRAGICAL.
But of all the piggies in The Piggy Universe -
Luna - The Moon Pig is most MAGICAL!

With the WIGGLIEST of tails,
and a heart that's full of LOVE,
LUNA - THE MOON PIG's
guided by the STARS above.

Yes, Luna's the piggy
with CHOCOLATE-DROP EYES,
and wherever she wanders,
there's a SHINING MOON on high!

There are piggies of a season,
when the summer is here,
there are piggies of the springtime,
when the flowers all appear,
there are piggies of the autumn,
when the tumbling leaves turn brown -
and piggies just for Christmas,
when Santa comes to town.

But, whatever the weather,
LUNA is THE ONE!
She's happy and clever,
full of OINKINESS and FUN!
So, I'd like to invite YOU,
without further ado,
to have a friend in LUNA;
she's here the whole year through!

Just to let you know that there is a video/audio recording of "Luna The Moon Pig" read-aloud children's picture book posted on this Goodreads Author Page in the Video Section. You may purchase a copy of "Luna The Moon Pig" on Amazon Worldwide to add to your home library. Enjoy!