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Thursday, September 7, 2023

Blog Tour- THE GOLD BOWL by @valerie_bolling & #kairobinson With An Interview & A #Giveaway! @Scholastic

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE GOLD BOWL by Valerie Bolling & Kai Robinson Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: THE GOLD BOWL (Rainbow Days #2)

Author: Valerie Bolling & Kai Robinson (Illustrator)

Pub. Date: September 5, 2023

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook

Pages: 48

Find it: Goodreadshttps://books2read.com/THE-GOLD-BOWL

Zoya makes Coco a golden birthday present in this full-color book perfect for beginning readers!

Pick a book. Grow a Reader!

This series is part of Scholastic's early reader line, Acorn, aimed at children who are learning to read. With easy-to-read text, a short-story format, plenty of humor, and full-color artwork on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and fluency. Acorn books plant a love of reading and help readers grow!

It’s Coco’s birthday and Zoya wants to give her pup the perfect present. She tries out a few ideas -- including a yarn necklace and colorful frosted treats. But she finally decides to paint Coco’s bowl gold. With some paint and LOTS of glitter, Zoya creates a gift Coco is sure to love!

With Kai Robinson's vibrant, full-color artwork and Valerie Bolling's engaging, easy-to-read text throughout, this sparkly series is perfect for beginning readers!

 

Interview:

How long have you been writing, and why do you write for children?

I’ve been a writer all my life, but I started writing children’s books in Dec. 2016. My nieces were visiting, and I thought of an idea for a story in which each girl was the main character. After their visit, I wrote those stories.

I then decided to write other stories and investigate the possibility of getting them published. My first book, LET’S DANCE! was published in 2020. I’ve since published four more picture books: TOGETHER WE RIDE; TOGETHER WE SWIM; RIDE, ROLL, RUN: TIME FOR FUN!; and BING, BOP, BAM: TIME TO JAM!. RAINBOW DAYS is my first foray outside of the picture book genre. I’m also interested in writing other genres for children, like board books, chapter books, and, eventually perhaps, middle grade.

I write for children because I’m passionate about creating stories in which all children can see themselves and feel seen and heard, valued and validated. This is especially true for children who may not often see themselves and their experiences reflected in books. It’s also equally necessary for children to read and learn about others’ experiences. On my website and on my business cards, I say: “I write because I want all children to feel at home in a book. I want them to smile, laugh, think, and question. Most of all, I want them to celebrate the diverse world in which we live.”

As a 30-year educator, I know how important it is for children to have access to a variety of quality books. I want my books to be among those that they are able to read to develop their love of reading and to inspire them to write their own stories. I hope my books will spark conversations about things children notice and question around them and will help them make sense of our world, create connections, and become more empathetic. I consider it an honor to be a contributor to the powerful, prolific children’s literary canon.

 

What do you think about Kai Robinson's illustrations?

Kai Robinson’s illustrations are rainbow-fabulous and bring Zoya and Coco’s stories to life! I love the vibrant colors they use and the way they’ve illustrated Zoya with her beautiful, dark skin, wonderful facial expressions, and rainbow-themed clothing and bedroom. Coco is also adorable. I can imagine how soft his fur must feel based on how Kai has drawn him, and it’s clear he loves being by Zoya’s side and helping her create art – especially with a SWOOSH of glitter.

For newly independent readers, the art in the book is integral to helping them comprehend the text. Kai is such a talented artist, and I appreciate how their gorgeous illustrations complement and elevate the words I wrote for the stories in this series.

 

Did you enjoy making art as a child?

I was very creative as a child. In addition to writing stories and poems, I loved art. I’d illustrate my stories, and I enjoyed drawing and painting. I especially loved using papier maché to create art. Nowadays, I solely use my words to create images.

 

How does RAINBOW DAYS connect to your other books?

Zoya is a creative girl who loves to make art with her puppy, Coco. LET’S DANCE! is about dances from around the world, and BING, BOP, BAM: TIME TO JAM! is about a neighborhood block party that features instruments from around the world. Therefore, these two picture books connect to RAINBOW DAYS because they also celebrate the arts.

Perseverance and resilience are qualities that Zoya possesses, and TOGETHER WE RIDE and TOGETHER WE SWIM both feature main characters who persevere to achieve their goals of learning how to ride a bike and how to swim. Even when there’s a bit of a blip – a moment when they could give up – they are resilient. Zoya takes the same approach whether she’s figuring out how to make art inside when the weather ruins her plans for an outdoor project in THE GRAY DAY or trying to make the perfect birthday gift for Coco in THE GOLD BOWL.

Finally, RIDE, ROLL, RUN: TIME FOR FUN! is about the timeless outdoor games that children love to play. Some of these games involve creativity and imagination which are obvious connections to creating art.

 

Do you like glitter like Zoya and Coco?

This is a yes and no answer. I like the sparkle of glitter but not the mess it creates. Glitter gets everywhere! I enjoy living vicariously through Zoya and Coco’s “SWOOSH”es of glitter without having to worry about cleaning it up.

 

Can we expect more books in this series? 

I’d love to publish more books in this series. In fact, I’ve written more manuscripts. However, publishing is a business, which means whether or not more books are published depends on sales. Hopefully, Scholastic will deem that the sales of the current books are successful enough to warrant more books about Zoya and Coco’s artistic adventures. You can help by purchasing these books, telling your friends about them, and making sure they’re available in your local library and bookstore.

 

What projects are you currently working on?

I’m currently working on two new picture books. One is a style I haven’t written before (dramatic irony), and the other is a story about a sensitive, highly politicized topic. I don’t know if either of these books will end up being published, but I’m having fun. I’m also working on a chapter book and several board books. A lot to keep me busy!

Finally, I’ve been working on edits for two books I’ve sold within the past year. One, Hope Makes a Better Future, was announced in July. The other hasn’t been announced yet, but I hope it will be soon.



Next up is the release of RAINBOW DAYS: THE ORANGE WALL on March 5, 2024 (both illustrated by Kai Robinson). I SEE COLOR (co-authored with Kailei Pew, illustrated by Laylie Frazier) is slated for May 28,2024.



 

 

About Valerie Bolling:

Valerie Bolling is a graduate of Tufts University and Columbia University, Teachers College and has been an educator for over 25 years. Her debut picture book, Let’s Dance! is a 2021 Crystal Kite Award winner. Rainbow Days, illustrated by Kai Robinson, is her debut early reader series. Bolling and her husband live in Connecticut.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

 



About Kai Robinson:

Kai Robinson is a digital illustrator and designer with a BFA in Illustration from Montserrat College of Art. Rainbow Days, written by Valerie Bolling, is their debut early reader series. Kai is based in New England.

WebsiteInstagram | Goodreads

 






Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE GOLD BOWL, US Only.

Ends September 19th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/4/2023

A Blue Box Full of Books

IG Post/TikTok Post

9/4/2023

@enjoyingbooksagain

IG Review

9/5/2023

Character Madness and Musings

Guest Post

9/5/2023

Rajiv's Reviews

Review/IG Post

9/6/2023

YA Books Central

Guest Post/IG Post

9/6/2023

@katherinebichler

TikTok Post

9/7/2023

Two Chicks on Books

Excerpt/IG Post

9/7/2023

Destiny_Path

Review/IG Post

9/8/2023

Country Mamas With Kids

Review/IG Post

9/8/2023

evergirl200

IG Review

Week Two:

9/11/2023

Sandra's Book Club

Review

9/11/2023

@dharashahauthor

Review/IG Post

9/12/2023

avainbookland

IG Review

9/12/2023

@froggyreadteach

IG Review

9/13/2023

The Momma Spot

Review

9/13/2023

Meet The Fultons

Review/IG Post

9/14/2023

@aportaltomagic

Review/IG Post

9/14/2023

Gryffindorbookishnerd

IG Review

9/15/2023

OneMoreExclamation

Review/IG Post

9/15/2023

FUONLYKNEW

Review


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