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Five Free Children’s Books Available on Amazon

by Angela Muse

I thought I would pass along some interesting children’s books that are are listed as FREE currently on Amazon. Here is just a sampling of some of the great selection that are available daily:

1). Petal the Nature Owl by Joy Findlay

Petal the Owl has fun learning all about summer. Come and learn with her in this beautiful children’s ebook and see what she discovers about the warmest season.

2). Middle School, The Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson

Rafe Khatchadorian has enough problems at home without throwing his first year of middle school into the mix. Luckily, he’s got an ace plan for the best year ever, if only he can pull it off: With his best friend Leonardo the Silent awarding him points, Rafe tries to break every rule in his school’s oppressive Code of Conduct. Chewing gum in class-5,000 points! Running in the hallway-10,000 points! Pulling the fire alarm-50,000 points! But when Rafe’s game starts to catch up with him, he’ll have to decide if winning is all that matters, or if he’s finally ready to face the rules, bullies, and truths he’s been avoiding.

3). Goodnight Farm Animals by Sharlene Alexander

This is a fun twist on the classic story, “Goodnight Moon.” As the sun sets on the farm, it is time for the animals to say goodnight. With beautiful illustrations and fun rhyming text, this book will surely be a favorite.

4). Ella’s Toys by Karen Kilpatrick

Ella’s toys are beyond compare, but playtime’s more fun when she learns to share! Flaunting her toys but keeping them to herself is not much fun after the other kids lose interest. Left alone, Ella decides to make it up to her friends. Children will learn an important lesson in this endearing ebook about sharing, generosity and friendship.

5). Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Rudyard Kipling

This is the story of a boy and his weasel, a bird and a snake, India and the British Empire. Rudyard Kipling’s dramatic tale, here excerpted from the greater volume of The Jungle Book, is the story of the loyal mongoose, Rikk-Tikki-Tavi, and the lengths to which he must go to protect his adoptive human family.

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi was one of my favs growing up!

Enjoy sharing them with your little ones!

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Author Spotlight on Laura Yirak

by Angela Muse

This week we are featuring another children’s book author, Laura Yirak. Laura grew up in Scotland and moved to the United States when she was eleven. She says, “I had the best childhood, playing my days away in the lowlands. There was always something to get up to, whether it was exploring some old ruins or running down to the sweet shop for a bag of treats, I won’t forget it.”

She spent her first two years in college writing poetry and started publishing in 2011.

Writing is her passion. She is always creating children’s books drawing inspiration from her two little ones.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I started writing in journals as a teen which progressed to poetry when I started my creative writing classes in college. I took them out of curiosity.

Do you have any interesting writing habits or quirks?

I sometimes write in the kitchen. It’s where I create poems and a fancy meal! Or I write by the fire, but as summer approaches, I’ll write outside on my swing bench.

Where do your book ideas come from?

They just randomly pop in my head at random times. I always have to have a pen and paper nearby. It’s not forced or predictable.

What age groups do your books target?

18 months and up. I don’t cap the age. I have had ten year olds email me saying that they enjoyed some of the stories as well as their grandmothers 😉

Who are some of your favorite children’s authors?

Roald Dahl.

What are the elements that you think make a good children’s story?

I prefer sweetness in the story, or just simple fun.

Of all your children’s books which is your favorite and why?

Bumble Babees. Every time I look at the little guy in the sunglasses it makes me smile. He’s too cool! I want to do another story with them.

Do you have any upcoming releases? Tell us about them.

My next release is Puppy Come Here! This is story about a rainy day and the little puppy who does not want to come out of his kennel, so the little boy tries to coax him out. The puppy stories are inspired by my Dad’s dog, Charlie. He is a character—a black dachshund. The actual puppy is the illustrator’s dog, Buddy. That’s probably why I haven’t formally named the dog in the story. The readers can choose.