Lulu Junior Author of the Month - Grace McClure
Ah, December. A time for family, friends and offering a helping hand to those in need. And luckily, our Author of the Month Grace McClure serves up all three in her excellent story!
Grace got her Lulu Junior Kit from Santa last Christmas so it’s only right that she is our Author of the Month for December!
She sets the tone right away when she introduces main characters and odd couple Ellie and Hazel. Ellie is a dog and Hazel is a cat, but they don’t let their differences get in the way of their amazing adventures!
We follow the pair to the beach for a day of fun and they are not disappointed. While walking along the sandy shores, they hear the voice of their soon-to-be new friend, Izzy the dolphin!
Friendship is a huge theme in this story, so we wondered what Grace likes best about making new friends?
“I like meeting new people and getting to know them,” says our Author of the Month. “I like playing with them and having fun with them.”
Izzy invites Ellie and Hazel into the sea to play with her fellow ocean-dwelling friends...but trouble is afoot! It seems that Izzy’s friends have disappeared!
But Izzy is in luck! Ellie and Hazel are ready and willing to help and begin swimming high and low to find the lost friends.
So far, we’ve got friends, we’ve got the helping hands, but what about the family?
Fear not!
Izzy’s older sister comes to the rescue and is able to locate the missing comrades! The reunited group spends the rest of their day playing together under the sea until it’s time to go home.
This wonderful story has great illustrations and seems like it must have been a blast to write. But what was Grace’s favorite part?
“My favorite part was thinking about what would happen in the story and getting to write it out across the pages. I also loved coloring the illustrations. I had so much fun doing it!”
Do you know a young author who would like to try their hand at crafting a deep sea adventure? Grace has got some advice to share:
“One thing that helped me is to plan out my story before I wrote it out on the actual paper. I got some things from my life and my favorite books. Like, I got my names from friends I know. I thought about some of my favorite books and I planned some of my pages to match the way they made theirs,” says Grace. “If you want help drawing, you could use a book that helps you draw your illustrations. I used a book of illustrations that really helped me draw my cat and dog.”
Those are some excellent tips, but we'll leave you with our favorite quote from our Featured Author:
“Just try it and you will see how amazing it is! I really love doing this and I hope you do too.”
Read the full interview:
I got my kit from Santa last Christmas.
Yes, I love to write.
I love animals and I really love cats and dogs. I also really love books about animals.
My favorite part was thinking about what would happen in the story and getting to write it out across the pages. I also loved coloring the illustrations. I had so much fun doing it!
My mommy and daddy because they help me write books and read to me.
Exciting. So exciting! It was so much fun to see it as a book. I love that it is a hardcover with my picture on the back. I couldn’t wait to read it!
I want people to remember that I love animals and I really loved writing and drawing the pictures for my book.
I like meeting new people and getting to know them. I like playing with them and having fun with them.
It was so fun. Just try it and you will see how amazing it is! I really love doing this and I hope you do too.
One thing that helped me is to plan out my story before I wrote it out on the actual paper. I got some things from my life and my favorite books. Like, I got my names from friends I know. I thought about some of my favorite books and I planned some of my pages to match the way they made theirs (she is referring to layout and text features). If you want help drawing, you could use a book that helps you draw your illustrations. I used a book of illustrations that really helped me draw my cat and dog.
I will write another book about Ellie and Hazel and this time they will go to the museum and see art. They will think about what they can make and they will make an art piece.
