Mama's Knight + Giveaway
Once upon a time . . . It’s how all heroes begin their story, and you’re a hero, too! Your mama has cancer, and it’s a scary journey, but you can help your mama just by being you—special, wonderful, YOU. Your mama loves you just the way you are. You are your mama’s knight.
Mama’s Knight: A Cancer Story of Love is an emotional toolbox that can help kids and parents communicate about what it means for Mama to have cancer. The book is filled with tools and activities designed to make coping with illness easier on both parent and child, and can be personalized for each child.
Mama's Knight is for sale: http://themamavillage.com/mamasknight/
Buy the Book: Author's Website
My Review
I was first introduced to this author with her Bloodmark Saga trilogy books. I could not read those books fast enough. I have known people close to me that have died from cancer. My sister has three boys and a girl, so I think it is important to teach them about different things in the world. The author did a very good job with this book. It can be read by all. What I really appreciated was the fact that the author made the book experience interactive by allowing the child reading to be engaged and be part of the story.
This book helps to show children that it is ok to talk about cancer as well as the fact that there will be bad days. Yet, that person in this case, Mama will always love you. There are fun things as well in this book like making a cape or other projects that families can do together as part of this book. The author provides the link to the site at http://themamavillage.com/mamasknight where children can find the instructions to the different projects featured in this book. After reading this book, children will be a little less scared of cancer.
Aurora Whittet started out as a wild red-haired girl in Minnesota dreaming up stories for her friends to read. Today, she has completed Bloodmark, Bloodrealms, and Bloodmoon of the Bloodmark Saga trilogy and started her journey into children’s books with Mama’s Knight in honor of her own mother who lost her battle with cancer. She’s a national award-winning graphic designer and birth doula in her day jobs. Aurora lives with her family in Minnesota.
What
made you write a book about cancer?
I lost my own mother to uterine cancer,
and then a friend of mine got brain cancer and had two little boys at home. And
she had a cancer no one talked about and she didn’t know how to explain it to
her children. So, I set out to create a book that is personalizable for each
mom, no matter what type of cancer they have. She can write in her own
diagnosis and symptoms, photos of her child and family. Making it a tool that
can truly meet each family where they are.
In
your book, you offer coupons for children to assign “Knights” to help, why is
that?
In my personal experience as a mom, and
watching my friends it because abundantly clear that moms truly are super
heroes and no matter the difficulty, self-sacrifice or illness, they never seem
to ask for help. They do it on their own, summoning the strength of all the
mothers before them. But when the enemy is cancer, it can be even more vulnerable
to ask for help. So, I created the coupons so moms can as for help without the
unnecessary guilt. It can be a fun way for children, mom and a guest Knight to
do an activity together and create life long memories, all while mom gets a
little much needed help.
What
is your next project?
I’m currently working on three! Crazy
right. I am working on the illustrations for the daddy version of the cancer
book, because dads get cancer too. As well as I have a novel in the edit
process that I’m totally excited about. I can’t wait to do the cover reveal.
Lastly I am working on a children’s picture book about monsters, just because
it’s fun. So, a lot of great new stuff coming. Keep a look out on my Instagram,
Facebook and Twitter for updates.
In
today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever
written parts of your book on paper?
This entire book was written and
sketched on paper before it ever found its way to the computer. I’m a designer
and illustrator as well as an author, so I often am drawn to paper—the texture,
the smell, the overwhelming sense of satisfaction of looking at hand drawn
doodles and thumbnails. There is something truly statisfying about paper. I
even own a small vintage letterpress that I love making strange stuff on. Art
is in our souls just waiting to pour out.
Favorite
travel spot?
I just recently went with my family to
Disney in California. What a beautiful experience that was. Super
consumeristic, which isn’t so much my style, but the magic that place offers is
undeniable. Watching my son run up to characters and hug them, or when he was
so shy meeting Ariel, and the smile on his face as everything he dreamed did
come true. You can’t beat that kind of magic. As for me I’m a secluded
mountains kinda-girl, though I do love indoor plumbing. So a bit of both I
suppose.
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