B. Roman's Blog: Inspiration From Unexpected Sources - Posts Tagged "children"

If you have my children's book, "Hubert in Heaven" on your To Read list, watch for the 99cent Kindle promotion coming February 21 and 22.
And to inspire you further, here is the latest review, this one from Reader's Favorite. Happy reading - and reviewing!

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Hubert in Heaven: A Hi-tech Angel Gets His Wings by Barbara Roman begins with the newest group of Soon-to-be’s sitting on their cloud pillows and listening to the Grand Transition Master on rules of conduct in heaven. He tells them being an angel is a responsible task and they have many tasks to perform before they earn their wings. As the Master is pointing to the screen and explaining, a four-star collision causes the screen to go blank. A little fellow comes tumbling in. The Master is annoyed that his lecture has been disrupted. The little fellow introduces himself as Hubert and tells them that he is a hologram in a video game and he wants to get back to his rightful place. The Master tells Hubert that, for the time being, this is his place and gives him some tasks. Will Hubert be able to perform the tasks, find his purpose, and finally get his angel wings?

The story is magical and has a lot of good messages for children, that life can be lived without always punching the keys of a computer, accepting that everyone is different, and that we need to value the abilities we have. The illustrations are beautiful and they add to the whimsical element of the story. It is a good story to help children understand about being unique and different, and the author does it with expertise using Hubert. It is a good bedtime storybook for children and can be given as a gift during the Christmas season. Tutors and educators can use it in classrooms and school libraries for read aloud sessions during the Christmas season as well as any time of the year.

We all have a love/hate relationship with our books. An idea germinates and then flourishes. We are in love with the plot, the characters, the whole idea of putting them into a manuscript. At last we are done. It's a book. But did it truly say what you wanted it to say? Did you express eloquently the vision in your head? Ah, yes, you say. I'm so happy with the result. Shortly thereafter perhaps when it's finally in print and out into the world you might say, "OMG, did I really write that?" (love it or hate it)

Then there are times that we have a book that so resonates within us it doesn't matter what the world or reviewers say (good things, we hope...). It's our favorite book. Somehow it just flowed from our consciousness to our fingers as we type (or write long hand). It is transformative and inspired and says exactly what we wanted it to say.

For me, "Alicia and the Light Bulb People in Star Factory 13" is my favorite book. It began as an inspired essay of mine "Reaching for the White Light" (found on my blog) which compares the colorful personalities of people to light bulbs and the influence they have on our lives. They can be dim or twinkly, glaring or annoying. But there is only one true white light: "Stumbling in the darkness, all you need do is remember it, envision it as it once was, and its radiance will be there, white and pure and all encompassing. Yes, there are many different kinds of Bulbs in the world, but only One True Light. If you are lucky enough to find it, reach out and touch it, unafraid."

That is what I express in "Alicia and the Light Bulb People in Star Factory 13." Through friendship, courage, and the magic of believing we can all reach our Star Potential. I chose to put this into a children's fantasy to demonstrate the whimsical nature of the story and inspire children to overcome any obstacle or challenge in their lives. But there is no age limit to its message and I encourage adults to read it as well. As one reviewer said, "Your life will be forever changed."

I wrote my newest children’s book, “The Prince Who Was a Piccolo,” decades ago, before the struggle for “identity” was widespread and infiltrated society’s psyche. In those days, if we struggled with who we were it mostly referred to self-esteem or searching for meaning in our lives. Just as I wrote “Hubert in Heaven - a hi-tech angel gets his wings” long before there were hand-held computers and smart phones, the Prince story’s significance as it is revealed today takes on an entirely new dimension which, when first written, was purely a sub-conscious - or prescient - notion.
The Prince Who Was A Piccolo teaches children about self-esteem, asserting independence, attitudes, and being comfortable with their own identity. They will also be informed about different musical instruments and the influence of music on our lives and emotions. There are mystical qualities in the story as it metaphorically touches on meditation, intuition, and spiritual guidance. In a whimsical and colorful way, it also addresses dealing with authority figures, compassion and compromise - and not a little bit of faith in a higher self.
For young children, the story of a Prince being terrible at his musical experiments yet willing to keep on trying until he finds his happiest, most personal “sound,” is a fun reading experience. Yet for parents and teachers it is an opportunity to help them joyfully discover who they are in this world, and that whoever they choose to be they are perfect.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...