Introducing a new blog series on MaiStoryBook:

Independent & Self-Published Book Reviews

*Highlighting up and coming illustrators and authors from independent publishing houses and self-publishers*

The amount of hardwork, dedication, and creativity that goes into creating a book is inspiring! I want to recognize all of the authors and illustrators out there who’ve found alternative ways to publish their work and share their imaginings with the world! Please reach out to MaiStoryBook through Instagram, FB, or by commenting on my blog, and *share or tag* books, authors, or illustrators who would fit into this category of independent/self publishing! I’m excited for the wonders we will find!

Now without further ado~

Featuring the first 2 books in this new series:

I Want to Be by Yvette Pais

Published by Mercadolivros: Providing children’s literature and educational books in several languages

A delightful ABC book focusing on diversity/multiculrualism, this children’s book encourages little ones of all backgrounds to dream big, and to aspire to grow up to be whatever and whomever they want to be. Brightly illustrated paper puppets model a diverse group of children in a range of different careers, none of which are gender derived.

Through clever alphabetical alliterations, Yvette Pais motivates children to explore a wide variety of different career options, ranging from F for Fabulous Fashion Designer to X for Xenodochial Xylophonist. The careers are highly relevant to today’s generation of children, offering dreams they can relate to such as I for Inventor,  Y for YouTuber, and G for Game Designer.

The perfect book to spark conversations and ideas with students and children of what they want to be when they grow up, and all of their future job and career options, every elementary classroom, library, and home-library would benefit from this dream-provoking book.  Flipping through this book myself, I couldn’t help but exclaim that I wanted to be *every single thing* in this book when I grow up! Below are some of my own dream careers:

A bit about the Author: Meet Yvette Pais

Yvette Pais is an author and illustrator of 2 children’s books: Gus the Traveler and I Want to Be. Born in Mexico, she graduated from university in the United States. In addition to her children’s books, she has written poems, short stories, and educational papers both in Spanish and Portuguese. To learn more, please visit her site mercadolivros.net.br and follow her on instagram @mercadolivros.

Eighty-Otter Teeter Totter by W. U. Ming

Published by  CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform: Providng free tools to help you self-publish and distribute your own books

Teeter totters are not much fun without an otter, and one otter on a teeter totter is rather dull without another. But 20 otter friends is better than 2, and twice as many as 20 is 40 times more fun. But how many otters can fit on a teeter totter before it topples over? Watch as this group of otter friends grows larger and larger, balancing precariously on their one teeter totter. A lively book told in delightful rhyme, children will chuckle over the richly colored illustrations, and laugh out loud at the colorful expressions and outfits of the wriggly, giggly cast of otters.

A perfect book for a rhyming read aloud, this book will charm audiences with its humorous illustrations and playful tale. Can 80 otters fit on one little teeter totter? Check out this book to find out! Additionally, author W. U. Ming provides fun worksheets of step-by-step instructions on how to draw an otter from the story. Print these out for your kids, and watch them create their own otter tales! Plus, cool character stickers add an exciting extension of the book. *Every kid loves stickers*

A bit about the Author: Meet W. U. Ming

W. U. Ming is actually the pen name for author and illustrator Emily Israd. As an author of a current shapeshifter fantasy series for teens and young adults, the Wildheart Series, Emily Israd wanted a different pen name to keep the genres separate. Working as a graphic designer during the day, Israel writes and digitally paints during the night, working to create magical content for her readers. To learn more, please visit her site and blog emilyisrad.com and follow her on Instagram @emily.israd.art

*~Support these independent/self-published authors and illustrators and check out what they’ve been writing and creating.  Please share any books, authors, or illustrators that fit into this category by tagging me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary,  posting on MaiStoryBook’s FaceBook page, or commenting on the blog below! I’m always looking for new treasures to read, support, and share with all of you!~*

*Plus, checkout out a read aloud of one of my current Halloween favorites here. *

*~Until Next Time, Happy Reading~*