Maria J. Andrade is an author and licensed Marriage, Family Therapist. She has been writing books for children and adults on the themes of love, relationship, and earth stewardship, for over twenty years. Her novel based on a true story about three women’s lifelong friendship, Defiance and Redemption was recently published.
She believes peace in the world, begins under our own roof. Therefore, she wrote, Heart Magic, Keeping Love Alive & Well, a small guidebook for individuals to help them succeed in healthy, long-lasting relationships. These books are available in Spanish.
Her five books for children, including the eco-social book, Youngen Finds Her Song is an important and hopeful book for families to read together during these challenging times. It has been loved and enjoyed by children, parents, grandparents, and teachers across America.
You can visit her website at www.booksasfriends.com and connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and LinkedIn.
Welcome, Maria! Your children's fiction, Youngen Finds Her Song: An Inspiring Adventure From the Heart of Nature, sounds like quite an adventure! Can you tell us how you came up with the idea?
Many children do not know what is special about themselves. They often lack confidence and it can get worse in the teen years. So I wrote about a small, sad. bird named, "Youngen,"who lacks confidence in herself but goes on an adventure with her mentor and friend an owl, named "Rufus," who suggests she find her song. "Every bird has their unique song" Rufus tells her. By inference, every child has something that is special about them. Therefore, I wanted the young reader to relate on that level. The adventure is filled with humor, drama and pathos.
For example, in the chapter, "The Fancy Birds," children are invited to consider the values of friendship over selfishness and materialism. The main characters visit a place where fancy birds live and where eventually those birds loose all their material goods in a storm but friends help them survive. In the "Valley of Smoke" the two birds go over a war zone and Youngen finds out "humans" can be destructive which angers her. But she is informed by her owl teacher that birds descended from dinosaurs and they once were most feared on earth - but they evolved. The hope is that humans will too. In the chapter, "First Bird," Youngen's life is saved by a child. So she learns that humans are also loving and while close to death, she sees the world of spirit and her soul in the beauty of the "first bird."
I also thought it would be fun to introduce children to the worlds of botany, biology, archeology and physics!
So I created characters such as birds, insects, an alligator, flowers and experiences with outer space in order to open the doors of curiosity about nature and its wonders.
Can you tell us a little about the main characters?
The character, "Youngen" is like most children curious, playful, vulnerable, and not very secure in herself. But she is open to learning and to the excitement of an "adventure." Rufus her owl caretaker and friend is as many owl characters are, a wise creature, who teaches her many things, including the process of aging. In the chapter, "Old Friends," Youngen learns that although we must all age, it can be a time of having time to relax, still have fun, and where the community of long standing relationships can be satisfying.
They say all books of fiction have at least one pivotal point where the reader just can’t put the book down. What is one of the pivotal points in your book?
There are many such points. "The Valley of Smoke" is very dramatic and how upsetting an violence is for a child to learn about. But two different pivotal and beautiful scenes are when Youngen leaves her body and sees
"The first bird" and another is when she sits at the top of a tree one night looking at the stars around her and she is filled with wonder and gratitude for all that she has learned on her adventure and a beautiful song is released from her throat which awakens Rufus who is sleeping lower down in the same tree.
What did you want to become when you were a kid?
I wanted to be a famous singer. But I used to write stories, poems and songs so unconsciously, I was a writer.
Does your book carry a message?
There are many messages which I have described to you but the most salient is that there is hope for us in this world of hard knocks. There is spirit, love, and beauty all around us and if we can get in touch with those forces we will prevail against all odds.
Is there anything you’d like to tell your readers and fans?
I would say that books are great friends to us. They can inspire us, teach us, entertain us and give us the opportunity to see unmanifested worlds waiting for us to create. For that reason, I call my website,
booksasfriends.com and I invite readers young and older to visit and pick a book to read!
Title: Youngen Finds Her Song: An Inspiring Adventure From the Heart of Nature
Author: Maria J. Andrade, M.F.T.
Publisher: Clara Publishing
Pages: 108
Genre: Children’s Fiction
Book Blurb
A young thrush named Youngen is having trouble finding her song. As she spends time with her friends who have beautiful feathers and nicer nests than her own, she starts to doubt herself and her parents. Rufus, a wise old owl, notices her discomfort and decides to take her on a journey to learn about the world.
As she travels with Rufus, she learns many things about the animals in the forest and about Humans – those strange animals that make war with each other, but also build magnificent cities. And she learns that Humans can also be loving and compassionate, when she finds her own life in danger. As Youngen learns about herself and the world around her, she spontaneously bursts into song – her own unique and very beautiful song.
Author Maria J. Andrade has written a sweet novel of a young bird coming of age. She shares tidbits of wisdom about animal life and their habits along the way, to educate while telling her story. Respect for the earth and all animal and plant life is demonstrated through Youngen’s words and actions. An uplifting book with a positive and timely message. Youngen Finds Her Song is a delight to read!
—Alice Berger, Berger’s Book Reviews
Book Information
Release Date: October 7, 2008
Publisher: Clara Publishing
Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-0970634733; 108 pages; $29.59, Hardcover $12.01; E-Book, $7.99
Book Website: https://booksasfriends.com/books/
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3B2Xmme
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for your message!