Book Title: Charlie Chaloosy is Often Quite Choosy by Brad Mason, Ed. D.
Category: Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7), 32 pages
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Publisher: Yorkshire Publishing
Release date: January 2024
Content Rating: G. Suitable for everyone.
The Charlie Chaloosy book series kicks off with its inaugural offering, Charlie Chaloosy is Often Quite Choosy.
The first book focuses on Charlie's experiences as he learns lessons, gains new experiences, and grows up in a world that happens to rhyme. The story is told through the use of a playful rhyme scheme and enhanced with beautifully colored illustrations of Charlie tackling new adventures in whimsical detail. The book ends with Charlie providing two pages for the reader to become an author by writing their own story.
My passion for children's literature stems from 30+ years in education and my re-entry into bedtime stories with the addition of my beautiful grandchildren. I created Charlie as a means for children to learn with Charlie by having a growth mindset when it comes to facing new experiences and learning new things. Children live in a world that is traveling ever faster and my desire is to help them slow down and enjoy childhood through the adventures of Charlie Chaloosy. I hope children have fun with Charlie while engaging their minds through stories that encourage them to read, write, illustrate, and dream a little.
Author Interview with Brad Mason, author of CHARLIE CHALOOSY IS OFTEN QUITE CHOOSY
Are you a fulltime author and if not what else do you do?
I’m
in my 34th year in education and I wrote my dissertation in 2004 and
I think upwards of 10 people read it, so I knew it was time for another book.
Seriously, this is my first book, so you could say that I am new to the
children’s literature world.
What do you do in education?
I am in my 9th year as a superintendent of a
TK-8 school district in Southern California. Previously, I was a teacher, dean
of discipline, high school assistant principal, middle school principal, and
held different management positions at the district office. It appears I’ve had
a hard time keeping a job. The beautiful thing about my career trajectory,
though, is I’ve been able to clear my name with my mom. I have her believing
that all the time I spent in the principal’s office growing up wasn’t because I
was in trouble. She now believes I was “job shadowing.”
What was your motivation for writing the Charlie Chaloosy book?
As I previously mentioned, I’ve spent my professional
life in education with tens of thousands of children and I have always been
drawn to the “invisible child.” I’ve been asked what is an “invisible child.” They
are the children that walk with their eyes cast down, that are often alone or
exist in an outer orbit of activity away from the core of what is going on at
the school. These children are often not there by choice; they often end up
there due to a lack of self-confidence, anxiety, or the relational skills
necessary to make and sustain friendships. Charlie has his own struggles in the
book due to his fixed mindset about what he will eat, what he will wear, or
what he is comfortable doing. Charlie goes through a bit of a metamorphosis in
the book that sees him build up the courage to try new things, make a new
friend, and benefit from the confidence that comes with each of those little
successes. I want children to see bits of Charlie in themselves and make plans
to do something that stretches them a little bit.
Why did you choose to use the rhyme scheme for the book and where did the idea come from to ask the reader to be an illustrator and writer with you and Charlie?
Realizing my audience is young children, I wanted the
book to be enjoyable and accessible, but I also wanted it to have some impact.
I thought the rhyme scheme might be fun, as well as the liberty I take bending
some words to make them fit. It was fun taking a base word that fit the
narrative and kind of “oosying” it a bit. I know that many children are
struggling in the area of anxiety and a lack of self-confidence and I wanted to
write Charlie as a character that was relatable in that way. I wanted to
provide a book caring adults could use with children that could assist them in
this area. Lastly, it just kind of hit me to add the last two pages for drawing
and writing on their own. I figured what better way to give a child a call to
action than to let them draw about and write about something new they would
like to try that would be a stretch for them?
What is your hope for the book?
This is a simple answer. This book will be a success if
it is enjoyed by children and it provides encouragement for children to take a
chance and try something new. Oh, and lastly, it will be a success if it
outperforms my dissertation, which is currently holding at 10 readers,
including my mom.
connect with author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram
Through reading the book, a child is taught through rhyming story form, to experience new things with anticipation and to interact with other children. The inside illustrations are well-drawn and are in vibrant color. The character of Charlie is very expressive and compliments the story told on each page.
Charlie Chaloosy is Often Quite Choosy is a story to be enjoyed by children and also by adults reading to children. Parents can feel comfortable adding this to their children's book collection. Highly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it. All opinions are my own.
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