Creating Children Books that Adults will Love… plus Novels, Plays and so much more…
Help us make Kids Scream… (with Joy, that is)
A is for Aaaaah! • A Halloween AlphaBeastiary
Thank for you taking the time to explore our project: a fun, inclusive book designed to be read to children and be enjoyed by both the child and the adult whose reading it. (Yes, the adults should enjoy it too!)
Its playful rhymes will bring a smile to both your faces, and its deliberately not dumbed-down text is designed to inspire your child’s love of language and reading, while keeping you amused and engaged in the process.
Well, since pictures are worth a thousand words, please watch the video below and all will become clear!
If you’re smiling right now–and honestly, how could you not be?–consider supporting this project!
The artwork by Alexis St. John is rich and whimsical, with a host of little details in the pictures that you and your child can discover together. And this very richness will also offer us the potential to turn this into a dynamic, interactive iPad app filled with little surprises and discoveries… such as shown in this animation of the first page below.
Furthermore, the images and the text will often juxtapose against one another, such as the statement that “there’s no one around” against the visual of the hidden giggling ghosts, inspiring critical thinking skills in your child as they bring alive the adventures of a bunch of kids on a journey through one Halloween night.
A MULTI-CULTURAL CAST OF CHARACTERS
We believe in multiculturalism and inclusion, and our images will reflect that, ensuring that almost every child can find someone who they can see themselves as, while at the same time showing them the world as we’d like it to be: one where it doesn’t matter who you are or what you look like; we’re all in it together.
GET YOUR CHILD DRAWN INTO THE STORY…
Literally. All you have to do is become one of our two top tier sponsors, and your child will find themselves drawn in as a major featured character on at least one page of the book. There are only two of these sponsorships available, and more won’t be added, so don’t delay.
DON’T HAVE A CHILD?
We can also do you, your dog, cat, or significant other… or perhaps even your significant other as a dog or cat? Imagine the possibilities.
WHO WE ARE
The text is written by Ken Schafer, a represented screenwriter who has done work for Disney, ABC, Paramount, and others; he’s written two full length novels, one of which–a YA novel–is currently being shopped around to publishers right now. The other novel was under a hold-back provision until very recently because its story was in active development in the UK as a television series.
His work for Disney on a prequel to Sleeping Beauty inspired him to start writing lyrics, and his daughter, of course, inspired him to start writing children’s books. (Click the image below if you don’t see some miraculous transformation in process)
Truly, my Inspiration
The artwork for this book is being created by AlexisSt John, an established painter and illustrator, who has done several other children’s books, though this will be her first one collaborating with Ken, despite the fact that they’ve known each other for well over thirty years!
WHY SPONSOR US?
If we were to go the traditional publishing route and present the completed text and only a few sample illustrations, whatever publisher we’d find would immediately want to replace Alexis in favor of one their stable of illustrators that they use again and again. It wouldn’t matter how amazing her art is, or how well it suits the story; it is simply a standard practice in the children’s book publishing industry to insist that authors use their approved illustrators.
However, if we show them a fully completed book that could be published as-is, or with only minor modifications, then it’s a different ballgame, and we’ll be able to ensure that the book gets made with Alexis’ and my own shared vision of what it should be.
WHERE THE MONEY WERAISE WILL GO
Mostly to the college tuitions of our respective kids… well, at least indirectly.
The bulk of the work left to do is for Alexis to spend the time completing the artwork. She already did the first two pages as an investment in the book, but she can’t afford to simply take the time off to do the rest due to ongoing financial commitments.
