I am thrilled to be hosting a spot
on the THE GOLD BOWL by Valerie Bolling & Kai Robinson Blog Tour hosted
by Rockstar
Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About The Book:
Author: Valerie
Bolling & Kai Robinson (Illustrator)
Pub. Date: September 5, 2023
Publisher: Scholastic
Inc.
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook
Pages: 48
Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/THE-GOLD-BOWL
Zoya makes Coco a golden birthday
present in this full-color book perfect for beginning readers!
Pick a book. Grow a Reader!
This series is part of Scholastic's
early reader line, Acorn, aimed at children who are learning to read. With
easy-to-read text, a short-story format, plenty of humor, and full-color
artwork on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and fluency.
Acorn books plant a love of reading and help readers grow!
It’s Coco’s birthday and Zoya wants
to give her pup the perfect present. She tries out a few ideas -- including a
yarn necklace and colorful frosted treats. But she finally decides to paint
Coco’s bowl gold. With some paint and LOTS of glitter, Zoya creates a gift Coco
is sure to love!
With Kai Robinson's vibrant,
full-color artwork and Valerie Bolling's engaging, easy-to-read text
throughout, this sparkly series is perfect for beginning readers!
Interview:
How long have you been writing, and
why do you write for children?
I’ve been a writer all my life, but I started writing children’s books in
Dec. 2016. My nieces were visiting, and I thought of an idea for a story in
which each girl was the main character. After their visit, I wrote those
stories.
I then decided to write other stories and investigate the possibility of
getting them published. My first book, LET’S DANCE! was published in 2020. I’ve
since published four more picture books: TOGETHER WE RIDE; TOGETHER WE SWIM;
RIDE, ROLL, RUN: TIME FOR FUN!; and BING, BOP, BAM: TIME TO JAM!. RAINBOW DAYS
is my first foray outside of the picture book genre. I’m also interested in
writing other genres for children, like board books, chapter books, and,
eventually perhaps, middle grade.
I write for children because I’m passionate about creating stories in
which all children can see themselves and feel seen and heard, valued and
validated. This is especially true for children who may not often see
themselves and their experiences reflected in books. It’s also equally
necessary for children to read and learn about others’ experiences. On my
website and on my business cards, I say: “I write because I want all children
to feel at home in a book. I want them to smile, laugh, think, and question.
Most of all, I want them to celebrate the diverse world in which we live.”
As a 30-year educator, I know how important it is for children to have
access to a variety of quality books. I want my books to be among those that
they are able to read to develop their love of reading and to inspire them to
write their own stories. I hope my books will spark conversations about things
children notice and question around them and will help them make sense of our
world, create connections, and become more empathetic. I consider it an honor
to be a contributor to the powerful, prolific children’s literary canon.
What do you think about Kai
Robinson's illustrations?
Kai Robinson’s illustrations are rainbow-fabulous and bring Zoya and
Coco’s stories to life! I love the vibrant colors they use and the way they’ve
illustrated Zoya with her beautiful, dark skin, wonderful facial expressions,
and rainbow-themed clothing and bedroom. Coco is also adorable. I can imagine
how soft his fur must feel based on how Kai has drawn him, and it’s clear he
loves being by Zoya’s side and helping her create art – especially with a
SWOOSH of glitter.
For newly independent readers, the art in the book is integral to helping
them comprehend the text. Kai is such a talented artist, and I appreciate how
their gorgeous illustrations complement and elevate the words I wrote for the
stories in this series.
Did you
enjoy making art as a child?
I was very
creative as a child. In addition to writing stories and poems, I loved art. I’d
illustrate my stories, and I enjoyed drawing and painting. I especially loved
using papier maché to create art. Nowadays, I solely use my words to create
images.
How does
RAINBOW DAYS connect to your other books?
Zoya is a
creative girl who loves to make art with her puppy, Coco. LET’S DANCE! is about
dances from around the world, and BING, BOP, BAM: TIME TO JAM! is about a
neighborhood block party that features instruments from around the world.
Therefore, these two picture books connect to RAINBOW DAYS because they also
celebrate the arts.
Perseverance
and resilience are qualities that Zoya possesses, and TOGETHER WE RIDE and
TOGETHER WE SWIM both feature main characters who persevere to achieve their
goals of learning how to ride a bike and how to swim. Even when there’s a bit
of a blip – a moment when they could give up – they are resilient. Zoya takes
the same approach whether she’s figuring out how to make art inside when the
weather ruins her plans for an outdoor project in THE GRAY DAY or trying to
make the perfect birthday gift for Coco in THE GOLD BOWL.
Finally,
RIDE, ROLL, RUN: TIME FOR FUN! is about the timeless outdoor games that
children love to play. Some of these games involve creativity and imagination
which are obvious connections to creating art.
Do you
like glitter like Zoya and Coco?
This is a
yes and no answer. I like the sparkle of glitter but not the mess it creates.
Glitter gets everywhere! I enjoy living vicariously through Zoya and Coco’s
“SWOOSH”es of glitter without having to worry about cleaning it up.
Can we expect more books in this
series?
I’d love to publish more books in this series. In fact, I’ve written more
manuscripts. However, publishing is a business, which means whether or not more
books are published depends on sales. Hopefully, Scholastic will deem that the
sales of the current books are successful enough to warrant more books about
Zoya and Coco’s artistic adventures. You can help by purchasing these books,
telling your friends about them, and making sure they’re available in your
local library and bookstore.
What projects
are you currently working on?
I’m currently working on two new picture books. One is a style I haven’t
written before (dramatic irony), and the other is a story about a sensitive,
highly politicized topic. I don’t know if either of these books will end up
being published, but I’m having fun. I’m also working on a chapter book and
several board books. A lot to keep me busy!
Finally, I’ve been working on edits for two books I’ve sold within the
past year. One, Hope Makes a Better Future, was announced in July. The
other hasn’t been announced yet, but I hope it will be soon.
Next up is the
release of RAINBOW DAYS: THE ORANGE WALL on March 5, 2024 (both illustrated by
Kai Robinson). I SEE COLOR (co-authored with Kailei Pew, illustrated by Laylie
Frazier) is slated for May 28,2024.
About Valerie Bolling:
Valerie
Bolling is a graduate of Tufts University and Columbia University, Teachers
College and has been an educator for over 25 years. Her debut picture
book, Let’s Dance! is a 2021 Crystal Kite Award winner.
Rainbow Days, illustrated by Kai Robinson, is her debut early reader series.
Bolling and her husband live in Connecticut.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
| Goodreads
Kai Robinson is a digital illustrator and designer with a BFA
in Illustration from Montserrat College of Art. Rainbow Days, written by
Valerie Bolling, is their debut early reader series. Kai is based in New
England.
Website | Instagram
| Goodreads
Giveaway Details:
1 winner
will receive a finished copy of THE GOLD BOWL, US Only.
Ends September 19th, midnight EST.
a Rafflecopter giveawayTour Schedule:
Week One:
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9/4/2023 |
IG Post/TikTok Post |
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9/4/2023 |
IG Review |
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9/5/2023 |
Guest Post |
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9/5/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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9/6/2023 |
Guest Post/IG Post |
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9/6/2023 |
TikTok Post |
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9/7/2023 |
Excerpt/IG Post |
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9/7/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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9/8/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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9/8/2023 |
IG Review |
Week Two:
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9/11/2023 |
Review |
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9/11/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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9/12/2023 |
IG Review |
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9/12/2023 |
IG Review |
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9/13/2023 |
Review |
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9/13/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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9/14/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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9/14/2023 |
IG Review |
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9/15/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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9/15/2023 |
Review |
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