My goodness! Where has time gone? Yesterday, I was able to visit a friend who I hadn't seen since before Thanksgiving. We were both shocked that it had been over three months. I guess it's true that time flies fast when you're having fun. Anyway, I have a wonderful children's book I want to introduce my readers to. Today's book is "Self Roar: my first super affirmation book," by Jen Cardona. The book is important in several different ways; e.g., it engages young readers quickly, the subject matter deals with teaching children positive affirmations, and it has been translated into seven languages. I want to congratulate Jen on a job well done.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Self Roar: my first super affirmation book (Anglais) Relié – 3 février 2020
Self-Roar is the first illustrated book that explains the importance of self-talk to kids in a didactic and fun way.
Self-Roar is number 1 book in children's list. It has been translated into more than seven languages.
JEN CARDONA
Tell your readers a little about yourself, where you grew up,
where you live now, where you went to school etc. Let them get to know the
personal you.
I come from the same place the Nobel winner of literature
Gabriel García Márquez was. I am Colombian, and I have a huge admiration for Latin
writers such as Neruda, Cortazar, Benedeti. I went to a nun school and
graduated from a catholic university as well. My field is education and foreign
languages, so I speak four. Although in my childhood, I didn't have access to
books, I had to read the newspaper as my only option. I remember hating it. It
was not until I went to the USA that I started to work as a home teacher that I
saw that a lot of the kids have their own library. I could read a thousand and
thousands of children books. I loved the idea of going to public libraries to see
the books available for kids. Those books were my sources to create my lessons
for my classes. I love designing materials and developing engaging activities
to students. I would say I'm very enthusiastic about it. Today, I live in
France. Here I found the inspiration to finally write the book I thought the
world was missing out there. And to make it accessible to everyone, I
translated it in many languages. I proudly did all this effort myself since I
discovered we are the ones who have to go after our dreams.
What inspired you to author this book?
Well, I looked back to my past, and I asked myself this question
what could you have done differently back then to get to the place you want to
be now? And definitely, I think I wished I would have had all these resources
kids have nowadays to information, but primarily I would have loved to have
picture books to teach me about self-esteem, to believe in myself, and to deal with
bullying. Now that I am looking to get my Ph.D. in Psychology, I realized how
important it is for kids to hear from their parents, they are beautiful, and
they are capable of doing everything. Kids need to hear it constantly because
there are other kids at their school that will try to bring them down. So for
sure, this was one of the things that inspired me to write a book about
self-care and self-love.
Where did you get the inspiration for your book’s cover?
Well, I would say that it was the title that inspired my
illustrator. Actually, the title is very unique. I took it from the word
self-talk, and I thought how can I make it suitable for children, so I came up
with the word Roar, which I absolutely love. It is genuine, and it is
fun, and this was how we put together the cover. It had to be a kid in a
dinosaur costume roaring very loudly. It was a team job to get it done, and I firmly
believe it captures the message behind the words.
Who has been the most significant influence on you personally
and as a writer?
I think my parents are the
best influence in my life right now. Especially my mom. I loved that she believed
in my projects and supported me to keep moving forward. I see them as an
example of perseverance, hard-working, and humbleness in my life. And as a
writer, I think Louise Hale, Dr. Ramani, Sadhguru, Dr. Eric Berg, Tom Bilyeu, Dr.
Gundry, Jay Shetty, Will Smith, Lisa Nichols. I think all this people have
shaped my perception of the world. I believe they have helped me to find a
balance between career, spirituality, and health.
What were your struggles
or obstacles you had to overcome to get this book written?
Definitely It was to be
alone in a foreign country. It was not scary for me, but It was hard. It is
when you have to start from zero. I was not working at that time, and I felt I could not keep my arms crossed. So I knew immediately that as I wait It was
time to get the book done. I felt something. Something that was telling me on
the back of my mind that I have to do something big and excited. I spent many
sleepless nights trying to finished it. Something I felt frustrated and tired
but I knew I had to get it done. And now I feel extremely happy and satisfied
with the results. it is unreal to see my book being sold worldwide. I can't
believe my eyes.
Tell your readers about
your book.
Self-Roar is the first illustrated
book that explains the importance of self-talk to kids in a didactic and fun
way. Self-Roar is the number 1 book in children’s list. It has been
translated into more than seven languages. I combine my passion for positive
thinking, wellness, and education. I encourage kids to have a better
relationship with themselves and others to live in harmony, happy, and active.
I love creating educational materials to share with the world.
Who is your target
audience, and why?
This book is suitable for
children. I know parents are going to love it. I have heard really excellent
feedback from them. It is an extraordinary book.
What do you consider your
greatest success in life?
My greatest success is
definitely this book. I spent six months in the making. I was very exigent with
the details as I’ve always been. I put so much effort, love, and passion for
the things I do that I know people will see it on the pages of this bestseller.
What one unique thing sets
you apart from other writers in your genre?
As I said, I think there
are not books out there that address this matter of positive thinking in kids.
And I believe that our children and us as adults need to start the day checking
with ourselves how are we feeling today so we can encourage ourselves we are
going to have the best day every day.
