by Cheryl C. Malandrinos
The now classic hit television series, Little House on the Prairie, was in its fifth season at the time. I loved the show right from the start and rarely missed an episode. It made sense to me that I would choose one of the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder that I had inherited from my middle sister, to write my report.
I began reading. Man, this thing wasn’t like the television show at all. I found it so dull I could barely get through it. These were supposed to be classic children’s books?
Then I did something I had never done before. I fudged my report. I didn’t finish the book—didn’t even make it halfway through. I wrote my book report based upon what was happening on Little House on the Prairie at the time, attempted to draw some type of cover, and then handed my assignment into Ms. Fritch.
I chuckle about it now, but I received a C- on that report. I had never received less than a B on any assignment. Honestly, I think Ms. Fritch was being generous. Once I finally read the book—a decade later—I realized how far off my report was and that my teacher had to know I never read the darn thing.
What a difference a decade makes. At around the age of twenty-one, I picked up the first book in the Little House series, Little House in the Big Woods. I fell in love with it. By now my favorite television show was over, but Laura and her life could still live on for me in her books. I devoured one book after another in the series, and soon began purchasing books about the real life of Laura Ingalls Wilder, which was the inspiration for her children’s books.
I have an entire bookshelf in my office dedicated to books about Laura Ingalls Wilder and her relatives. Some are fiction, most are non-fiction, but I continue to wonder what would have happened if I had given away my Little House books when I thought they weren’t really for me. Considering that Laura is just one of the inspirations behind the independent-minded, feisty heroines I hope to create with my writing, giving away those books could have changed the focus of my career.
While Little Shepherd, my first children’s book, doesn’t have a female main character, Obed is still a character who is willing to step outside of his comfort zone, albeit with help from his father, to leave his first flock of sheep and visit the newborn King. Maybe he has a little bit of Laura in him too.
About the author ~
Cheryl Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. A regular contributor for Writer2Writer, her articles focus on increasing productivity through time management and organization. A founding member of Musing Our Children, Ms. Malandrinos is also Editor in Chief of the group’s quarterly newsletter, Pages & Pens.
Cheryl is a Tour Coordinator for Pump Up Your Book, a book reviewer, and blogger. Little Shepherd is her first children’s book. Ms. Malandrinos lives in Western Massachusetts with her husband and two young daughters. She also has a son who is married.
Find Cheryl here ~
Her book ~
In the hills outside Bethlehem, Obed guards his first flock of sheep. When the angels appear to tell of the Savior's birth, he is hesitant to follow the others to see the new King. When Obed returns to his sheep, he realizes it is a night of miracles. Suggested age for readers: 4 - 8
Cheryl is running two giveaways during my virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book. You can find the details of these giveaways by clicking here.
Visit Cheryl on the rest of her tour ~
Monday, October 11
Book reviewed at Ohio Girl Talks
Interviewed at Pump Up Your Book
Tuesday, October 12
Interviewed at Literarily Speaking
Wednesday, October 13
Book reviewed at Milk ‘N Honey Learn and Grow
Thursday, October 14
Book reviewed at Ellis
Interviewed at A Writer’s Jumble
Friday, October 15
Guest blogging at The Story Behind the Book
Monday, October 18
Book reviewed at Book Reviews by Molly
Tuesday, October 19
Book reviewed at Chrissy’s World of Books
Book reviewed at Reading at the Beach
Wednesday, October 20
Guest blogging at Writing Daze
Thursday, October 21
Book reviewed at Christy’s Book Blog
Guest blogging at Literarily Speaking
Friday, October 22
Guest blogging at AllVoices
Book reviewed at A Bookish Mom
Monday, October 25
Interviewed at Beyond the Books
Tuesday, October 26
Interviewed at Promo 101 Promotional Interviews
Wednesday, October 27
Book reviewed and guest blogging at Coffee & Keyboard
Thursday, October 28
Book reviewed at The Crypto-Caper Reviews
Friday, October 29
Book reviewed at Elysabeth’s Emerald City
Monday, November 1
Interviewed at As the Pages Turn
Tuesday, November 2
Book reviewed at Broken Teepee
Wednesday, November 3
Book reviewed at Café of Dreams
Book reviewed at Debbie’s Book Bag
Thursday, November 4
Book spotlighted on The Plot
Guest blogging at SFC Blog Family Matters
Friday, November 5
Guest blogging at The Plot
Book reviewed at Confessions of an Overworked Mom
Monday, November 8
Guest blogging at Book Marketing Buzz
Interviewed at Linda Weaver Clarke’s blog
Tuesday, November 9
Wednesday, November 10
Book reviewed at A Room without Books is Empty
Book reviewed at Mayra’s Secret Bookcase
Thursday, November 11
Interviewed at The Writer’s Life
Interviewed at Margot’s Books for Kids and Writing News
Friday, November 12
Book reviewed at My Favorite Things
Interviewed at Beth’s Book Basket
Monday, November 15
Guest blogging at Glamourastic Eats
Tuesday, November 16
Interviewed at Let’s Talk Virtual Book Tours
Book reviewed at Lady D Books
Wednesday, November 17
Guest blogging at Life in the First Draft
Thursday, November 18
Guest blogging at Life in the First Draft
Book reviewed at RBC Library
Friday, November 19
Guest blogging at Life in the First Draft
Interviewed at Judge a Book By The Cover
Monday, November 22
Interviewed at Personovelty
Guest blogging at Pets and Their Authors
Tuesday, November 23
Book reviewed at What You Reading Now?
Wednesday, November 24
Book reviewed at Just One More Paragraph
Friday, November 26
Interviewed and book reviewed at Family Literacy and YouBook reviewed at Holiday Gift Guide and Giving N Sharing
Saturday, December 4 @ 11 AM Eastern
Interviewed at A Book and A Chat Podcast with Storyheart
Monday, December 6
Book spotlighted at The Hot Author Report
Book reviewed at A Mom After God’s Own Heart
Tuesday, December 7
Interviewed at The Hot Author Report
Guest blogging at Blogher
Wednesday, December 8
Guest blogging at The Hot Author Report
Book reviewed at Lynn’s Corner
Thursday, December 9
Guest blogging at The Hot Author Report
Interviewed at Lynn’s Corner
Friday, December 10
Book reviewed at 4 the Love of Books
Guest blogging at J. Aday Kennedy’s Writing Playground
Monday, December 13
Interviewed at Café of Dreams
Book reviewed at Tribute Books Reviews & Giveaways
Tuesday, December 14
Book reviewed and guest blogging at The Story of A Writer
Wednesday, December 15
Book reviewed at J. Aday Kennedy’s Writing Playground
Book reviewed at Putting Words Down on Paper
Thursday, December 16
Guest blogging at Authors & Appetizers
Friday, December 17
Interviewed at Putting Words Down on Paper
Book reviewed at The Elliott Review
