A children's book by George M. Johnson of Kamloops published in 2021.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ George M. Johnson
November 26, 2022 - 1:55 PM
A well-known university English professor in Kamloops has been busy publishing children’s books.
George M. Johnson published two colourfully illustrated books during COVID and his next two books are coming out soon.
In the wake of pandemic restrictions, Johnson hasn’t promoted his books much but said the Christmas season is the best time for children’s book sales and the author is hoping kids will find his books under their trees.
“I like to make the books entertaining for kids while also providing something educational,” he said. “They were a lot of fun to write and the illustrators I worked with were very talented.”
Marisa in the Mountains focuses on the challenges and beauty of mountains.
“It is about a little girl who lives in the mountains and is struggling, and projects that onto the landscape,” Johnson said. “She goes to Saskatchewan to visit a cousin and realizes the landscape there is challenging too. It’s about becoming aware of your environment and loving where you live.”
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How Hope became an Activist, Johnson’s first book, is based on activism around fair trade clothing and the stories of child labour behind the clothing we wear.
“Hope is a little girl who plays the role of a child seamstress in a play about activism where she experiences a bit of what it must be like,” Johnson said. “She goes on to get involved with a refugee organization. The little girl becomes aware of the fate of other kids around the world and goes from hopeful to active.”
A children's book by George M. Johnson of Kamloops published in 2020.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ George M. Johnson
Johnson said the book was a finalist for a respected medal in the states for books on social justice topics.
Copies of the two books are now available at The Art We Are Cafe and the Smorgasbord Deli in downtown Kamloops. Chapters is currently sold out of Marisa and the Mountains, but it can be purchased online through Chapters and Amazon.
Johnson just received an advanced copy of Sophie’s Secret that is coming out in March.
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Sophie’s Secrets is based on his own daughter and son.
“Sophie’s Secrets is about all the little secrets kids have,” he said. “We thought our daughter loved broccoli and later discovered she was stashing it under the table. Kids have their own little private world and this book taps into that.
“In the end, she shares her secret with her brother.”
Aldo Renaldo and the Renegade Alphabet is coming out in August.
“A boy starts reciting the alphabet and the letters go out of control and start behaving badly,” Johnson said. “While he is frantically trying to get them into order he learns words along the way. It is a fun one.”
Johnson said he enjoys working with different illustrators, most of them assigned by the publishers.
“I’ve never had an issue with an illustrator, they have all been very talented,” he said. “One did illustrations that were so different from what I imagined the story to look like, and I loved them. The bright illustrations really add enjoyment for readers.”
Sophie’s Secrets and Aldo Renaldo and the Renegade Alphabet are up online for pre-order but won’t be here in time for Christmas.
A children's book by George M. Johnson of Kamloops set to come out in summer, 2022.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ George M. Johnson
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