Book Review by Michael H. Lester of Will You Still Love Me: A Puppy Haiku Story, published in the Quills Issue 7 (January 2021)
Although I have known Christine L. Villa for a relatively short time, I can confidently say she is in love with Haiku (her fun-loving, dedicated, and mischievous Maltipoo) and with haiku (a type of short poem from Japan, as Sarah Welch describes it in her easy-to-understand, charming, and well written introduction to Chrissi’s wonderful new children’s picture book, Will You Still Love Me: A Puppy Haiku Book, published by Chrissi’s own Purple Cotton Candy Arts). From the very first page of the book, which features Haiku in a pirate’s hat, you can tell that Chrissi’s book will be a great adventure.
The illustrations by the talented artist, Jiliane Vilches, beautifully capture Haiku’s antics with crisp, clean, and simple drawings, rich with vibrant colors and subtle shading. Her illustrations of the scenery and furnishings look familiar and inviting, like any dog lover’s environment might look.
Chrissi dedicates her book to Haiku, dressed in her favorite outfit . . . aptly, a pinkish purple cotton candy colored turtleneck sweater set against a beautiful turquoise throw pillow. She looks great! The introduction by Sarah Welch, the young daughter of Michael Dylan Welch, Chrissi’s haiku mentor, bears another mention for its simplicity and clarity. She begins with a haiku from one of Japan’s most famous poets, Issa . . .
雪とけて村一ぱいの子ども哉
yuki tokete mura ippai no kodomo kana
snow melting . . .
the village is flooded
with children!
As you can see, this haiku contains a season word and is written in two parts. The author uses his sense of sight to describe the moment. What I like most about this haiku is how Issa cleverly uses the season word to show us how the snow melting floods the village with children.
I also like the last haiku in Sarah’s introduction . . .
breezy morning--
a Yorkie puppy
catching cherry petals
I can easily picture Haiku jumping up to catch the falling cherry petals. What a beautiful scene this creates!
The first illustration jumps out at me. I think it is a purple cotton candy tree! The text reads as follows: Will you still love me if I pout until I get what I want. Every dog owner knows that one of the most used and most effective tricks in the puppy’s bag of tricks to get its owner’s attention is the sad-eyed pout. The cotton candy tree makes it to the next page, too, where Haiku, with a ribbon in her hair and those sad, pouting eyes wants in on the ice cream. This clever haiku reminds me of the Issa haiku in the introduction . . .
puppy eyes
my heart melts faster
than ice cream
only this time, it is the heart that is melting!
Puppies love toys and Haiku certainly has an ample share of them. The illustration here is a great example of the simple, crisp, and clean lines Jiliane uses to create a warm and familiar scene, complete with little touches that bring it to life, like the tiled floor, the plant in the corner, and the wardrobe with several of Haiku’s frilly dresses and a good supply of doggie treats. A couple of pages later, we find ourselves in the kitchen where it looks like something is missing! Sure enough, Haiku has run away with the sausages!
cooking dinner
the pitter-patter
of puppy paws
I am not sure what the season word would be in this haiku, but I like it a lot, anyway! Once a puppy has what she wants in her mouth, she will slink off to her secret place, hoping she will not be noticed, where she will closely guard her prize.
Will you still love me if I mess up your carpet? I got a nice laugh out of this one! If you cannot handle watermelon juice on your carpet, you might want to get a goldfish instead of a puppy! I love the dishes in the cabinet in this illustration. I wonder if I can order some through Purple Cotton Candy Arts.
Puppies love shoelaces. I know from my conversations with Chrissi that she has actually had a tug of war with Haiku over her shoelaces. Chrissi sent me a photo as proof. I do not remember who won the tug of war, but as a mother once told me . . . let the kid win this time! There is that pirate Haiku flag again on the treehouse, and Haiku looking dashing in his purple cotton candy pirate head scarf. To me, it looks like Haiku is winning this tug of war!
Dressed as a witch on Halloween, Haiku takes the lead. The haiku for this scene meets all the conditions Sarah Welch describes in the introduction, if you think almost dusk is a season word. The thing about season words . . . they do not have to be explicit. You can use words that suggest a season.
almost dusk . . .
my puppy takes me back
the long way home
Sometimes, you just have to let the puppy go where she wants to go, even if it means a few extra steps out of your way. It is Halloween in this illustration. Chrissi and Haiku are taking us through the seasons.
Puppies love attention and they love to be with their owners, but sometimes something distracts them, like a squirrel or a fly. Then, we realize how much we love their attention and how hard it can sometimes be to get them to come inside when it is time for dinner. I love the illustrations of the porch and the yard, and those purple cotton candy flowers along the fence!
evening chatter
my puppy listens
to the buzz of a fly
Will you still love me if I love to chew? It is Christmas! Haiku looks like she is chewing a tube of toothpaste, and Chrissi found a sock with a hole in it. Hmmm! Who could have done that?
laundry day
I find holes
in my missing sock
Now we come to one of my favorite parts of the book! Will you still love me if I stick to you like glue? The illustration with the tent and dancing by the light of the lamp on the floor is such a happy scene! It reminds me of the games children play at night when they are supposed to be sleeping! The haiku on the next page is precious. Haiku likes to go wherever Chrissi goes and follows her like a shadow.
winter night
the color of my shadow
is white
Digging up the yard is another favorite puppy pastime. Will you still love me if I dig up the yard? Jiliane’s illustration perfectly captures the moment, as does the haiku . . .
rush hour
my puppy takes her time
to smell the tulips
One technique Chrissi uses to good effect is the play on words. In this haiku, Chrissi contrasts rush hour with the puppy taking her time. This gives the haiku an extra dimension, which puts it a notch above the average haiku.
Finally, as we come to the end of this lovely children’s picture book tribute to Haiku, Chrissi make the ultimate pun . . .
If you asked me, “Will you love me no matter what you do?”, I would answer, “I will love you always and paw-ever!”
Chrissi ends the book with a series of puppy haiku for all four seasons by some of her favorite haiku poets. Many of these haiku illustrate the puppy characteristics Chrissi writes about in her book. She also acknowledges the people who helped her and encouraged her to write this book.
Chrissi’s children’s picture book, Will You Still Love Me: A Puppy Haiku Book, is beautifully and lovingly done from the first page to the last. All haiku lovers and dog lovers would be proud to have this book in their library and will enjoy reading it over and over to the little ones, who will be enchanted and delighted with Chrissi’s book.
Although I have known Christine L. Villa for a relatively short time, I can confidently say she is in love with Haiku (her fun-loving, dedicated, and mischievous Maltipoo) and with haiku (a type of short poem from Japan, as Sarah Welch describes it in her easy-to-understand, charming, and well written introduction to Chrissi’s wonderful new children’s picture book, Will You Still Love Me: A Puppy Haiku Book, published by Chrissi’s own Purple Cotton Candy Arts). From the very first page of the book, which features Haiku in a pirate’s hat, you can tell that Chrissi’s book will be a great adventure.
The illustrations by the talented artist, Jiliane Vilches, beautifully capture Haiku’s antics with crisp, clean, and simple drawings, rich with vibrant colors and subtle shading. Her illustrations of the scenery and furnishings look familiar and inviting, like any dog lover’s environment might look.
Chrissi dedicates her book to Haiku, dressed in her favorite outfit . . . aptly, a pinkish purple cotton candy colored turtleneck sweater set against a beautiful turquoise throw pillow. She looks great! The introduction by Sarah Welch, the young daughter of Michael Dylan Welch, Chrissi’s haiku mentor, bears another mention for its simplicity and clarity. She begins with a haiku from one of Japan’s most famous poets, Issa . . .
雪とけて村一ぱいの子ども哉
yuki tokete mura ippai no kodomo kana
snow melting . . .
the village is flooded
with children!
As you can see, this haiku contains a season word and is written in two parts. The author uses his sense of sight to describe the moment. What I like most about this haiku is how Issa cleverly uses the season word to show us how the snow melting floods the village with children.
I also like the last haiku in Sarah’s introduction . . .
breezy morning--
a Yorkie puppy
catching cherry petals
I can easily picture Haiku jumping up to catch the falling cherry petals. What a beautiful scene this creates!
The first illustration jumps out at me. I think it is a purple cotton candy tree! The text reads as follows: Will you still love me if I pout until I get what I want. Every dog owner knows that one of the most used and most effective tricks in the puppy’s bag of tricks to get its owner’s attention is the sad-eyed pout. The cotton candy tree makes it to the next page, too, where Haiku, with a ribbon in her hair and those sad, pouting eyes wants in on the ice cream. This clever haiku reminds me of the Issa haiku in the introduction . . .
puppy eyes
my heart melts faster
than ice cream
only this time, it is the heart that is melting!
Puppies love toys and Haiku certainly has an ample share of them. The illustration here is a great example of the simple, crisp, and clean lines Jiliane uses to create a warm and familiar scene, complete with little touches that bring it to life, like the tiled floor, the plant in the corner, and the wardrobe with several of Haiku’s frilly dresses and a good supply of doggie treats. A couple of pages later, we find ourselves in the kitchen where it looks like something is missing! Sure enough, Haiku has run away with the sausages!
cooking dinner
the pitter-patter
of puppy paws
I am not sure what the season word would be in this haiku, but I like it a lot, anyway! Once a puppy has what she wants in her mouth, she will slink off to her secret place, hoping she will not be noticed, where she will closely guard her prize.
Will you still love me if I mess up your carpet? I got a nice laugh out of this one! If you cannot handle watermelon juice on your carpet, you might want to get a goldfish instead of a puppy! I love the dishes in the cabinet in this illustration. I wonder if I can order some through Purple Cotton Candy Arts.
Puppies love shoelaces. I know from my conversations with Chrissi that she has actually had a tug of war with Haiku over her shoelaces. Chrissi sent me a photo as proof. I do not remember who won the tug of war, but as a mother once told me . . . let the kid win this time! There is that pirate Haiku flag again on the treehouse, and Haiku looking dashing in his purple cotton candy pirate head scarf. To me, it looks like Haiku is winning this tug of war!
Dressed as a witch on Halloween, Haiku takes the lead. The haiku for this scene meets all the conditions Sarah Welch describes in the introduction, if you think almost dusk is a season word. The thing about season words . . . they do not have to be explicit. You can use words that suggest a season.
almost dusk . . .
my puppy takes me back
the long way home
Sometimes, you just have to let the puppy go where she wants to go, even if it means a few extra steps out of your way. It is Halloween in this illustration. Chrissi and Haiku are taking us through the seasons.
Puppies love attention and they love to be with their owners, but sometimes something distracts them, like a squirrel or a fly. Then, we realize how much we love their attention and how hard it can sometimes be to get them to come inside when it is time for dinner. I love the illustrations of the porch and the yard, and those purple cotton candy flowers along the fence!
evening chatter
my puppy listens
to the buzz of a fly
Will you still love me if I love to chew? It is Christmas! Haiku looks like she is chewing a tube of toothpaste, and Chrissi found a sock with a hole in it. Hmmm! Who could have done that?
laundry day
I find holes
in my missing sock
Now we come to one of my favorite parts of the book! Will you still love me if I stick to you like glue? The illustration with the tent and dancing by the light of the lamp on the floor is such a happy scene! It reminds me of the games children play at night when they are supposed to be sleeping! The haiku on the next page is precious. Haiku likes to go wherever Chrissi goes and follows her like a shadow.
winter night
the color of my shadow
is white
Digging up the yard is another favorite puppy pastime. Will you still love me if I dig up the yard? Jiliane’s illustration perfectly captures the moment, as does the haiku . . .
rush hour
my puppy takes her time
to smell the tulips
One technique Chrissi uses to good effect is the play on words. In this haiku, Chrissi contrasts rush hour with the puppy taking her time. This gives the haiku an extra dimension, which puts it a notch above the average haiku.
Finally, as we come to the end of this lovely children’s picture book tribute to Haiku, Chrissi make the ultimate pun . . .
If you asked me, “Will you love me no matter what you do?”, I would answer, “I will love you always and paw-ever!”
Chrissi ends the book with a series of puppy haiku for all four seasons by some of her favorite haiku poets. Many of these haiku illustrate the puppy characteristics Chrissi writes about in her book. She also acknowledges the people who helped her and encouraged her to write this book.
Chrissi’s children’s picture book, Will You Still Love Me: A Puppy Haiku Book, is beautifully and lovingly done from the first page to the last. All haiku lovers and dog lovers would be proud to have this book in their library and will enjoy reading it over and over to the little ones, who will be enchanted and delighted with Chrissi’s book.
Written by Christine M. Oriel, Klarize Medenilla, and Malou Bledsoe, this was published in The Asian Journal SF Magazine on December 11, 2019. You can read the whole article here or download the file below.
| asian_journal_sf_magazine_december_11_2019.docx |
Below is the portion regarding my book, Zoobooloo: With Filipino Translation.
NOTE: There are typos on my email address and website url.
For signed copied you can email me at chrissivilla@gmail.com. You can check out Purple Cotton Candy Arts at
www.purplecottoncandyarts.com.
For signed copied you can email me at chrissivilla@gmail.com. You can check out Purple Cotton Candy Arts at
www.purplecottoncandyarts.com.
Written by Malou Liwanag-Bledsoe, this was published in The Asian Journal SF Magazine on April 26, 2019. You can read the whole article here or you can download the file below.
| asian_journal_sf_magazine_april_26_2019.docx |
This is the longer version of Kathy Uyen Nguyen's book review. It was published in FilAm Star (January 21-27, 2016), the newspaper for Filipino in mainstream America.
Mud Spots and Candy Sprinkles by Christine L. Villa is a charming book for all girls across the lifespan. Whether young or old, beauty comes in different shapes and sizes. The book takes us on an “ugly duckling to a swan” transformation kind of story in which we can all relate to through the eyes of our adorable red-headed protagonist, Molly.
Upset at how ugly her freckles are, she goes through all the “beauty” methods to get rid of her freckles or “mud spots” as she calls them, but to no avail. She encounters teasing from her classmates and wishes she was more beautiful without those “mud spots” on her face. Molly’s parents were always there to reassure her how beautiful she is and how much they love her for who she is.
This book can be instrumental in teaching young and older readers about building self-esteem and dealing with beauty and self-image and how these concepts are comparable to society’s unrealistic standards of beauty as seen in airbrushed photos in magazines and the catwalks of the modeling world. Bullying from peers is another subject addressed in the book, in which children can relate to when they learn about the importance of being polite and kind to others around them. Readers can then learn the concepts of sympathy and empathy through Molly as she interacts with her peers and parents.
Furthermore, I find that this book can be used as an educational tool when teaching young children how to read and understand facial expressions in order to help them express their emotions effectively. Role-playing this book could be an exciting opportunity for children to express themselves in similar situations.
We can also learn from this book in that words do more harm than good and create negativity in our lives that we do not need or have time for! Finally, this book teaches us about self-acceptance. It reminds me of the song, “Try” by Colbie Caillat, an American pop singer-songwriter. Underneath the layers of makeup and beauty regimen we slather on our faces and skin every day, we are inherently beautiful inside and out. We do not have to TRY hard to impress anyone or be someone we are not, but instead, accept and love who we are authentically, which Molly then realizes and learns at the end of the book.
I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages and backgrounds. Villa’s Mud Spots and Candy Sprinkles is paired beautifully with the vibrant and richly dynamic illustrations of Kathleen Sue L. Mallari. Each page invites the reader to engage with the illustrations throughout the storyline as after all, Molly’s story becomes every girl’s story because we all have been told at least once in our life that we aren’t pretty enough, beautiful enough, or good enough. But you know what? No matter what others say, they can’t take away our inner beauty, our inner strength, or even our inner courage to define and love ourselves.
Mud Spots and Candy Sprinkles is available to purchase online through Createspace and Amazon. If you want a signed copy of the book, you can purchase it on the author’s website – http://christinevilla.weebly.com .
Christine L. Villa is the author of two other delightful children’s books – The Magic Paintbrush and The Eskalets. Both are also available through Createspace, Amazon, and her website. An award winning poet, her haiku and tanka have been published in various international journals and e-books. You can read her collection of poetry on her blog – blossomrain.blogspot.com.
She is the founder and editor of Frameless Sky (framelesssky.weebly.com), a collaboration of haiku and tanka poets, visual artists, and musicians. When she isn’t writing, one of the things she loves to do is making jewelry. Her unique products are available to purchase on purplecottoncandy.etsy.com.
Mud Spots and Candy Sprinkles by Christine L. Villa is a charming book for all girls across the lifespan. Whether young or old, beauty comes in different shapes and sizes. The book takes us on an “ugly duckling to a swan” transformation kind of story in which we can all relate to through the eyes of our adorable red-headed protagonist, Molly.
Upset at how ugly her freckles are, she goes through all the “beauty” methods to get rid of her freckles or “mud spots” as she calls them, but to no avail. She encounters teasing from her classmates and wishes she was more beautiful without those “mud spots” on her face. Molly’s parents were always there to reassure her how beautiful she is and how much they love her for who she is.
This book can be instrumental in teaching young and older readers about building self-esteem and dealing with beauty and self-image and how these concepts are comparable to society’s unrealistic standards of beauty as seen in airbrushed photos in magazines and the catwalks of the modeling world. Bullying from peers is another subject addressed in the book, in which children can relate to when they learn about the importance of being polite and kind to others around them. Readers can then learn the concepts of sympathy and empathy through Molly as she interacts with her peers and parents.
Furthermore, I find that this book can be used as an educational tool when teaching young children how to read and understand facial expressions in order to help them express their emotions effectively. Role-playing this book could be an exciting opportunity for children to express themselves in similar situations.
We can also learn from this book in that words do more harm than good and create negativity in our lives that we do not need or have time for! Finally, this book teaches us about self-acceptance. It reminds me of the song, “Try” by Colbie Caillat, an American pop singer-songwriter. Underneath the layers of makeup and beauty regimen we slather on our faces and skin every day, we are inherently beautiful inside and out. We do not have to TRY hard to impress anyone or be someone we are not, but instead, accept and love who we are authentically, which Molly then realizes and learns at the end of the book.
I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages and backgrounds. Villa’s Mud Spots and Candy Sprinkles is paired beautifully with the vibrant and richly dynamic illustrations of Kathleen Sue L. Mallari. Each page invites the reader to engage with the illustrations throughout the storyline as after all, Molly’s story becomes every girl’s story because we all have been told at least once in our life that we aren’t pretty enough, beautiful enough, or good enough. But you know what? No matter what others say, they can’t take away our inner beauty, our inner strength, or even our inner courage to define and love ourselves.
Mud Spots and Candy Sprinkles is available to purchase online through Createspace and Amazon. If you want a signed copy of the book, you can purchase it on the author’s website – http://christinevilla.weebly.com .
Christine L. Villa is the author of two other delightful children’s books – The Magic Paintbrush and The Eskalets. Both are also available through Createspace, Amazon, and her website. An award winning poet, her haiku and tanka have been published in various international journals and e-books. You can read her collection of poetry on her blog – blossomrain.blogspot.com.
She is the founder and editor of Frameless Sky (framelesssky.weebly.com), a collaboration of haiku and tanka poets, visual artists, and musicians. When she isn’t writing, one of the things she loves to do is making jewelry. Her unique products are available to purchase on purplecottoncandy.etsy.com.
The article below was published in Philippine News (October 15, 2015), the premiere Filipino-American newspaper in North America. The full issue may be found here.
Mud Spots and Candy Sprinkles by Christine L. Villa is a charming book for all girls across the lifespan. Whether young or old, beauty comes in different shapes and sizes. The book takes us on an “ugly duckling to a swan” transformation kind of story in which we can all relate to through the eyes of our adorable red-headed protagonist, Molly.
Upset at how ugly her freckles are, she goes through all the “beauty” methods to get rid of her freckles or “mud spots” as she calls them, but to no avail. She encounters teasing from her peers.
This book can be instrumental in teaching young and older readers about building self-esteem and dealing with beauty and self-image and how these concepts are comparable to society’s unrealistic standards of beauty as seen in airbrushed photos in magazines and the catwalks of the modeling world. Readers can then learn the concepts of sympathy and empathy through Molly as she interacts with her peers and parents.
Finally, this book teaches us about self-acceptance. It reminds me of the song, “Try” by Colbie Caillat, an American pop singer-songwriter. Underneath the layers of makeup and beauty regimen we slather on our faces and skin every day, we are inherently beautiful inside and out. We do not have to TRY hard to impress anyone or be someone we are not, but instead, accept and love who we are authentically, which Molly then realizes and learns at the end of the book.
Villa’s Mud Spots and Candy Sprinkles is paired beautifully with the vibrant and richly dynamic illustrations of Kathleen Sue L. Mallari. Each page invites the reader to engage with the illustrations throughout the storyline as after all, Molly’s story becomes every girl’s story because we all have been told at least once in our life that we aren’t pretty enough, beautiful enough, or good enough. But you know what? No matter what others say, they can’t take away our inner beauty, our inner strength, or even our inner courage to define and love ourselves.
If you want to purchase a signed copy of Mud Spots and Candy Sprinkles and/or Christine's other books, you can visit her at http://christinevilla.com. They are also available at CreateSpace and Amazon.
Mud Spots and Candy Sprinkles by Christine L. Villa is a charming book for all girls across the lifespan. Whether young or old, beauty comes in different shapes and sizes. The book takes us on an “ugly duckling to a swan” transformation kind of story in which we can all relate to through the eyes of our adorable red-headed protagonist, Molly.
Upset at how ugly her freckles are, she goes through all the “beauty” methods to get rid of her freckles or “mud spots” as she calls them, but to no avail. She encounters teasing from her peers.
This book can be instrumental in teaching young and older readers about building self-esteem and dealing with beauty and self-image and how these concepts are comparable to society’s unrealistic standards of beauty as seen in airbrushed photos in magazines and the catwalks of the modeling world. Readers can then learn the concepts of sympathy and empathy through Molly as she interacts with her peers and parents.
Finally, this book teaches us about self-acceptance. It reminds me of the song, “Try” by Colbie Caillat, an American pop singer-songwriter. Underneath the layers of makeup and beauty regimen we slather on our faces and skin every day, we are inherently beautiful inside and out. We do not have to TRY hard to impress anyone or be someone we are not, but instead, accept and love who we are authentically, which Molly then realizes and learns at the end of the book.
Villa’s Mud Spots and Candy Sprinkles is paired beautifully with the vibrant and richly dynamic illustrations of Kathleen Sue L. Mallari. Each page invites the reader to engage with the illustrations throughout the storyline as after all, Molly’s story becomes every girl’s story because we all have been told at least once in our life that we aren’t pretty enough, beautiful enough, or good enough. But you know what? No matter what others say, they can’t take away our inner beauty, our inner strength, or even our inner courage to define and love ourselves.
If you want to purchase a signed copy of Mud Spots and Candy Sprinkles and/or Christine's other books, you can visit her at http://christinevilla.com. They are also available at CreateSpace and Amazon.
This was a review written by Kathy Uyen Nguyen from Texas, USA, which was published in Filipino Fiesta (November 28 - December 28, 2014), a Filipino-American newspaper based in Elk Grove.
The Magic Paintbrush by Villa is a genuinely heartwarming story for children of all ages. I had the pleasure of reading Villa's story when it was originally published online via knowonder!, which won the People's Choice Award in 2011. Readers will get a chance to meet a magical paintbrush named Picasso who has genie-like powers to grant Alexa, the female protoganist, three wishes per day. Through her lively painting adventures, Alexa discovers the power she has with Picasso by her side and learns the true meaning of goodness and beauty through her artwork.
In this book, Villa captures the essence of childhood joy and innocence, which serves as a simple reminder to all of us who are artists throughout all walks of life (e.g., poets, writers, musicians, etc.). Furthermore, this book taps into our intentions of doing good in the world through the gifts we are given. Not only this, we are oftentimes faced with obstacles or people like Alexa's best friend, Nikki, who can lead us astray. And then again, when things do go awry, this book teaches us that there is always something we can fall back and rely on as therapy, a form of self-healing and self-reflection to find that silver lining, or in this case, "a sun peeking from the clouds," in the darkest moments of our lives. This book can be used as an educational tool for children as it teaches multiple life lessons in which I only mentioned a few here. Really, the interpretations are endless with this book.
As a yoga teacher who teaches children's yoga, I would say that Villa's book is a great addition to children's literature because I always incorporate and emphasize the values and themes of peace, loving kindness, goodness, adventure, and play, etc. into the games and stories I tell to the kids during yoga classes.
The Magic Paintbrush is written in a clear and concise manner with a simple yet effective storyline for all ages and backgrounds as mentioned earlier. Villa's childlike and vibrant spirit is captured within the pages of this book, and the storyline is enhanced further by the whimsical and adorable (and equally vibrant) illustrations by Kathrina Iris. Both the storyline and illustrations complement each other well.
To conclude, if you are a parent looking for a good book for your little bookworm, I highly recommend Villa's book, The Magic Paintbrush.
The Magic Paintbrush is available to purchase online through Createspace and Amazon. If you want a signed copy of the book, you can purchase it on the author’s website - http://christinevilla.weebly.com On her website, she is also selling The Magic Paintbrush t-shirts, notebooks, and necklaces. These are great ideas as gifts or stocking stuffers for your little ones this Christmas season.
About the Author:
An animated story teller and an artist by nature, Christine L. Villa dabbles in children's writing, short form poetry, and photography. Her first children story is a DVD entitled The Eskalets. The story follows four American robins from birth to first flight, and includes true-to-life photos, video clips, and music background. An award-winning poet, her haiku and haiga (haiku and artwork) have been published in various international journals and e-books. You can read more of her poetry on her blog http://blossomrain.blogspot.com.
She is the founder and editor of Frameless Sky (http://framelesssky.weebly.com), collaboration of haiku and tanka poets, visual artists, and musicians. The premier issue will be available this December.
When she isn’t writing, one of the things she loves to do is making jewelry. Her unique products are available to purchase on Etsy - https://www.etsy.com/shop/PurpleCottonCandy
The Magic Paintbrush by Villa is a genuinely heartwarming story for children of all ages. I had the pleasure of reading Villa's story when it was originally published online via knowonder!, which won the People's Choice Award in 2011. Readers will get a chance to meet a magical paintbrush named Picasso who has genie-like powers to grant Alexa, the female protoganist, three wishes per day. Through her lively painting adventures, Alexa discovers the power she has with Picasso by her side and learns the true meaning of goodness and beauty through her artwork.
In this book, Villa captures the essence of childhood joy and innocence, which serves as a simple reminder to all of us who are artists throughout all walks of life (e.g., poets, writers, musicians, etc.). Furthermore, this book taps into our intentions of doing good in the world through the gifts we are given. Not only this, we are oftentimes faced with obstacles or people like Alexa's best friend, Nikki, who can lead us astray. And then again, when things do go awry, this book teaches us that there is always something we can fall back and rely on as therapy, a form of self-healing and self-reflection to find that silver lining, or in this case, "a sun peeking from the clouds," in the darkest moments of our lives. This book can be used as an educational tool for children as it teaches multiple life lessons in which I only mentioned a few here. Really, the interpretations are endless with this book.
As a yoga teacher who teaches children's yoga, I would say that Villa's book is a great addition to children's literature because I always incorporate and emphasize the values and themes of peace, loving kindness, goodness, adventure, and play, etc. into the games and stories I tell to the kids during yoga classes.
The Magic Paintbrush is written in a clear and concise manner with a simple yet effective storyline for all ages and backgrounds as mentioned earlier. Villa's childlike and vibrant spirit is captured within the pages of this book, and the storyline is enhanced further by the whimsical and adorable (and equally vibrant) illustrations by Kathrina Iris. Both the storyline and illustrations complement each other well.
To conclude, if you are a parent looking for a good book for your little bookworm, I highly recommend Villa's book, The Magic Paintbrush.
The Magic Paintbrush is available to purchase online through Createspace and Amazon. If you want a signed copy of the book, you can purchase it on the author’s website - http://christinevilla.weebly.com On her website, she is also selling The Magic Paintbrush t-shirts, notebooks, and necklaces. These are great ideas as gifts or stocking stuffers for your little ones this Christmas season.
About the Author:
An animated story teller and an artist by nature, Christine L. Villa dabbles in children's writing, short form poetry, and photography. Her first children story is a DVD entitled The Eskalets. The story follows four American robins from birth to first flight, and includes true-to-life photos, video clips, and music background. An award-winning poet, her haiku and haiga (haiku and artwork) have been published in various international journals and e-books. You can read more of her poetry on her blog http://blossomrain.blogspot.com.
She is the founder and editor of Frameless Sky (http://framelesssky.weebly.com), collaboration of haiku and tanka poets, visual artists, and musicians. The premier issue will be available this December.
When she isn’t writing, one of the things she loves to do is making jewelry. Her unique products are available to purchase on Etsy - https://www.etsy.com/shop/PurpleCottonCandy
Let's keep in touch! Contact me at chrissivilla@gmail.com.
