Whimsical Worlds & Authentic Affirmations

In this episode of Reading With Your Kids host Jed Doherty had a chance to  catch up with he queen of whimsy, Sheri Fink. Sheri told us all about her latest children's book, Magenta. This 17th book from Sheri is truly special - it features elaborate illustrations and a mesmerizing holographic rainbow gold cover that dances in the light.  Sheri shared the creative process behind Magenta's stunning visuals, explaining how she collaborated with her printer to bring her vision to life. "I wanted something really special, not just a basic gold foil," Sheri told us. After seeing samples, they landed on the magical holographic effect that makes the cover seem to shimmer. The story of Magenta follows a lost kitten who discovers a magical cottage and gets enchanted with powers by a young sorceress. Sheri's whimsical tales always spark kids' imaginations, and Magenta is no exception. She loves helping young readers imagine themselves in fantastical situations and learn valuable life lessons. Sheri also opened up about how becoming a mom has changed her writing process. Instead of marathon sessions, she's had to become a "sprinter," efficiently using short windows of time to write. But she's found that this has made her an even better author.

Next, we chatted with sister duo Sharmilla Fassbender and her sister Sharminey Selvanathan about their uplifting picture book, Fantastically Me. This celebration of self-love and authenticity is so important in today's world of social media and constant comparison. Shaminey explained that the book's message is simple: "Life is better when you're yourself, authentically yourself." She and Shamilla want to empower kids to be proud of who they are, not try to be someone else. The sisters have a wonderfully collaborative writing process, taking turns drafting the rhyming text and combining their ideas in a shared document. And they see their meetups as joyful family time, enjoying the "chaos" of parenting young kids. Both Sheri and the Fantastically Me authors are creating books that celebrate individuality and inspire young readers. It was a pleasure chatting with these talented, passionate writers.

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