Within my picture book series, Sandbox Creations with John Peter, I chose to use a six-year-old boy as the main character, hence the title. One might ask why, why not a little girl? I suppose the simple answer is I am a male and recall childhood experiences from that perspective. And although I remember many imaginary friends, I know I shared experiences with both male and female children. With those thoughts in mind, I began to pen my ideas.
In book 1, Meet Chaw, which is currently under revision, I decided to focus on imagination because it plays such a significant role in a child’s development. Succinctly put, Rainer Marie Rilke hits the nail on the head. “To have a childhood is to live a thousand lives before the one.” While playing in the sandbox, John Peter carries on conversations with imaginary friends. In book one, he leads them on a journey to meet a fire-breathing dragon. In doing so, life lessons about friendship and differences are presented.
In book 2, Settin’ Sail, tentative publication to take place late fall or early winter 2025, a six-year-old girl joins John Peter in the sandbox. Penelope's family is from Puerto Rico, but her father has retired from military service and decided to remain in the States. The family recently moved into the house next door to John Peter's home and a friendship developed. Penelope prefers to be addressed as Plp (as in pill with a p at the end) her nickname. The story behind her nickname presents lessons about family.
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