Book Description
Will anything get a mother yelling about time outs and withholding favors faster than a toy-strewn house? In That Mama is a Grouch, an intelligent and very wise narrator reminds us in charming rhyme that mothers are human, most often loving, and that certain situations will guarantee driving them to their breaking point. When nerves are tested, pick up this book and start reading!
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My Review
This story was written very well for
children and as a adult I enjoyed it.
I found this book educational for
children and adults.
I would highly recommend this book
Interview With Sherry
Describe your earliest memories of
writing: When I was about eight years old, I wrote my first
“book.” It was called, The Kingdom in the Clouds. I was so
proud of it! In fact, I still have it amongst all of my special
treasures. I wrote a lot of stories throughout my childhood. As
long as I can remember, I have enjoyed reading and writing.
Your book,
That Mama is a Grouch has won several awards, including first place
in the 2011 Pinnacle Book Awards, and was a the recipient of the
Silver Award from the 2013 Mom’s Choice Awards. Tell us how you
felt when you heard that your book was selected for these honors.
I was really excited! It was such an honor to have my book
recognized this way. I think it also gave me a little boost to move
forward with my writing career. It’s nice to know that people like
what you write!
Being a professional musician who
plays and teaches violin, viola, and piano, does this helps with your
writing? It does. I think I have an innate sense of rhythm and
flow that comes from being a musician. When I read something aloud,
I am usually able to pick up if something sounds good, or if a few
words need to be changed. I also think that my involvement with
music has helped nurture my artistic, creative side. Creativity is a
necessity if you’re an author!
Were you encouraged to write or was
it something that came natural? Writing does come naturally, but
I have to say, I never intended to make a career of it. My daughter
was the one who encouraged me to get my first book published. That
Baby Woke Me Up, AGAIN was a poem I created in my head when my
five-month old son kept me up during the night. I didn’t sleep
much when my kids were babies. I suppose the lack of sleep somehow
got the creative juices flowing. Anyway, I shared the poem with my
daughter. She liked it and thought other kids would like it too.
The rest is history.
Are you working on a new book?
I’m working on a series for middle grade readers. I call them
the “Bubba and Squirt” books. They are similar to Mary Pope
Osborne’s Magic Tree House series in that a couple of kids travel
via magic to different countries. My books are all set in the
present, though. The kids have an adventure while experiencing the
culture and language of the countries they visit. I have recently
found an agent, and he’s working on finding a publisher for the
series. The first book is called, Big Hole to China. I’ve
written five books so far, and am working on the sixth.
What do you do when you’re not
writing or promoting your books? When I’m not doing “author
stuff,” I’m either running around like a maniac with my kids, or
I’m doing something with music – playing, teaching, or writing
songs. I like to hike and do outdoor things too.
How did you come up with your
characters? The characters in my first two books were based on
personal experiences. So it’s fair to say that my kids were the
models for the characters in those books (although my daughter really
does not like to have people think she was the messy kid in That
Mama is a Grouch).
What advice would you give parents
on selecting the right books for their children to read? First,
make sure the books you choose are age-appropriate. Kids have to be
able to understand what’s going on in the story. Second, read
books about things they enjoy. This helps to hold their interest. I
think good pictures help too, especially with books written for
younger children.
What advice you would give to new
writers? Read a lot of books that are similar to what you want to
write. This will give you a good feel for what publishers want to
see, and an idea of what kind of stories people want to read. Then
research publishers to see which ones might be interested in your
work. Last but not least, always submit your best work!
Is there anything else you would
like to share with our readers? Reading books is such a wonderful
thing to do with your children. I’m so glad my parents read to me!
I hope you’ll take the time to read about some of the other
wonderful books on this blog. Thank you so much for having me as a
guest!
Connect with Sherry:
www.sherryellis.org
Biography of Sherry Ellis
Sherry Ellis is a freelance writer and
children’s author. Her first book, That Baby Woke Me Up, AGAIN,
was published in 2005. Her second, That Mama is a Grouch, was
published in 2010 and was honored as a finalist in the 2010 USA Book
News Awards as well as in the 2011 International Book Awards. It also
took first place in the parenting category of the 2011 Pinnacle Book
Awards, and was the recipient of the silver award in the 2013 Mom’s
Choice Awards.
Sherry is also a
professional musician who plays and teaches violin, viola, and piano.
She has appeared as a soloist in Germany and was a semi-finalist in
the 2004 International Viola Competition in Paris, France. Sherry is
also a former PADI SCUBA instructor. She has travelled to many
exotic places and has seen much of the world above and below the
water.
Sherry lives with her husband and two
children in Atlanta, Georgia.
You can learn more about Sherry Ellis
on her website, www.sherryellis.org
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