Hello all, and welcome to my last newsletter of the year. I want to share with you my new children’s picture book Samba in Switzerland. The cover design and the illustrations by Joshua Miller. Well, all I am sharing now is the cover reveal.
1. The back cover text for: Samba in Switzerland, written by Paul Yanuziello with illustrations by Joshua Miller, is a story of adventure, fun, fantasy and beauty. In book 3 of the series, Samba the Bernese Mountain Dog and his best friend, Ariela, visit Switzerland and stay in the Ice Hotel. Samba has the adventure of a lifetime. He skis the Swiss countryside and goes up and down the mountains — a fantastic family vacation that only a “Berner” like Samba could dream up. Joshua Miller has created a magical fairy-tale land with his wonderful illustrations.
2. How do you spend the holidays? I spent my time watching Xmas classics, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Home Alone and A Christmas Story. I spent time with loved ones and enjoyed some great meals.
3. Have you visited Ripley’s Aquarium? We did a family outing on boxing day and toured Ripley’s Aquarium. Fantastic! I really wanted to get in the water and swim with the sharks. The staff seemed to think it would not be good for the sharks.
4. Someone recently asked me why I write children’s books. There are a few good reasons, but the one that came to mind first was the opportunity to share a great artist’s illustrations. I believe Joshua is a great artist and I want as many people as possible to enjoy his beautiful art.
Other authors and author-illustrators had similar motivations, Maurice Sendak, author of Where the Wild Things Are, Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) author of The Cat in the Hat and so many other great children’s books. Thornton W. Burgess wrote his books, Old Mother West Wind, his first, so that people could enjoy the artwork, and illustrations of Harrison Cady
Gyo Fujikawa, I have added her to this list just because she inspired me with her books and her beautiful, inclusive artwork. Babies is her 1st book, published in 1963, she wrote & illustrated all her books.
Beatrix Potter is another author-illustrator who inspired me and whose books I have fond memories of reading and viewing. Peter Rabbit, is perhaps my very first book.
5. My listening pleasure this month, is all about time. I listened to Dave Brubeck and Paul Desmond, the album, Time Out, and the featured tune “Take Five”, one of my all-time favorites. I also spent time with Brubeck in his later years, a live concert, Jazzwoche Burghausen 2001.
All my books are available at your favorite bookstores; support local bookstores and authors with your online purchases. Make sure you get out and about this winter. Visit a bookstore or the library and pick up some books. If you’re looking for a great early reader chapter book, get my book Scratchy the Squirrel: A Time for Friends. Or one of my picture books, Samba on a Snowy Day or Samba in Brazil.
Happy New Year! Stay safe, stay well, stay strong and keep going.
Copyright © 2022 Paul Yanuziello, PNJ Services, All rights reserved.