Lulu Junior Author of the Month - Sophia P.
April is Earth Month and we are kicking it off in a great way! This month’s featured story is “The Deep Blue” by Sophia who loves the ocean and dolphins. Sophia’s book offers a short story, a puzzle page, and some cool facts about ocean creatures! We’ve even got a guide, Ella, who introduces us to a few of her animal friends, including a few well known ocean-related people! Let’s meet them!
First up, we’ve got Ella the eel. Female eels can grow to be 4 feet long, and males can be up to 3 feet long.
Dixie the dolphin and her calf, Spinner, are bottlenose dolphins. They swallow their food whole, can grow between 10 to 15 feet long and can be up to 1,100 pounds. In captivity, Dixie and Spinner can live to be around 45-50 years old.
Next, we’ve got Sunny the starfish. Starfish can also be called sea stars because they aren’t actually fish, they are echinoderms. Starfish are related to sand dollars and sea urchins. Many starfish have 5 arms, but there are some that have 10, 20, or even up to 40 arms! They can also regenerate their limbs, and sometimes even their whole bodies. Where do starfish live? They can live in brackish water (water that is somewhat salty but not as salty as ocean water) but not in freshwater.
Next, Ella introduces us to Ollie the Octopus. There are over 300 different kinds of octopus. An octopus can measure from 1 inch up to 30 feet. Ollie is a carnivore and doesn’t have a backbone.
Lastly, we meet Caroline Coral who will also lead us out with a special presentation of some cool people!
Caroline Coral is a brain coral. Corals are highly intelligent, are great at camouflage, and can even shoot through the water to escape from potential predators. Corals also have arms that are lined with hundreds of suckers on them. Some people may think that they are plants, but they are actually animals!
Bethany Hamilton was a surfer who was attacked by a tiger shark when she was on her surfboard. There is even a movie about her called “Soul Surfer.”
Sylvia Earle was the first woman marine biologist. She’s done some really amazing things such as setting a world record for uncorded deep sea diving below 1,000 feet. She is 86 years old.
The ocean is a big place, so many amazing animals to learn about. Thank you Sophia for giving us some cool new facts, this was such a fun read! We can’t wait to see what your next story will be about.
Check out the full interview below to learn where Sophia got her inspiration for her story!
Read the Full Interview:
Where did you get your Lulu Junior kit? Who gave it to you?
My mom first gave me the kit for my birthday.
Where did you get your idea for your story?
I just love the ocean; my favorite animals are dolphins. I also love fun: that’s why I put a puzzle page at the end. I also got the idea from my published website about animals: carwilson4.wixsite.com/animalkids. It’s called Animal Kids.
How does it feel to be a published author?
It feels cool- partly because I can use it as a present to family, partly because I can also give tips to my friend because she might be getting this outstanding kit.
What’s the one piece of advice you’d share with another young writer?
I would probably share that no matter how long it takes to complete your kit, you gotta work with it. Even if you stop in the middle, you can come back with better ideas. If you do this, you might get a better book than you thought you might have. I figured it out with my first IlluStory that took me a little over half of a year.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I LOVE to dance. I now am in the performance company at Heather Loveland Dance Academy. I also do Musical Theater there.
Do you prefer writing or illustrating? Why?
I actually cannot decide! I love the freedom of drawing but the creativity of art.
What’s one of your favorite books?
I have such a classic taste, so that’s why I’m going to say the current one I am
reading—The Secret Garden.
How do you like to set up your writing/drawing space?
I actually have a pretty, large, and white desk that has a TON of drawers, so I mainly work on there. I also sometimes put my markers on a corner and my papers on the box and work like that.
What inspires you to write or draw?
Well, that’s simple; ELA (or writing) is my favorite subject! And my dad inspires me to draw because he is an AMAZING drawer. I think he might have been professional if he now is not working at Florida Blue.
What do you want people to remember about your book?
I want people to remember that the ocean is filled with tons of amazing creatures, much more than my book has.
Do you know an author who is interested in sharing their story with us? Please complete this form for a chance to be featured as Lulu Junor’s Author of the Month!
