Something for the 4th
Last week I told you that we had two books coming out the July 4th weekend this summer, one adult and one children's. The children's book is titled The Life of a Firework. Fireworks are so beautiful in real life, that I can't wait to see the outcome of a book like this coming from an artist like my sister, Sandy. From the very beginning, I imagined how colorful and vibrant a book about fireworks would be.
Unlike the book I talked about last week, this one I wrote much more recently, only last year, and I do remember the inspiration behind it.
Last year for the 4th of July, my family all gathered at my cousin, Christina's house for a big 4th of July party. We had good food, good company, and a lot of fun! Christina and her husband, Landon had a huge slip and slide set up for the kids, and I think I had as much fun watching the kids as the kids had sliding.
That night after the sun went down, it was time for fireworks! As it turned out, Landon had been working hard on his plans for the fireworks. He had chosen patriotic themed music and set the fireworks show to the music. He started with the Star Spangled Banner, in which we were all to stand (of course!). He started the fireworks partway through the Star Spangled Banner. He did such an amazing job with his fireworks show that I was still thinking about it the next day.
As I pondered the exciting fireworks, it occurred to me that it would make a magnificent children's book to follow the life of a firework, because as we all know illustrations can make or break a children's book. The illustrations are the very life of a children's book; that is all your young kids are really worried about after all.
