Illustrating Your Children’s Book

Posted by Tina Turbin

As a children’s author, I’m often pleased to find that I’ve inspired children and adults to write children’s stories of their own. One of the most important components of an illustrated book is, of course, its illustrations. Most children’s books offer several delightful illustrations. I spent an entire year searching for the perfect illustrator for Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy. I had an exact vision of what I was looking for, and chances are so do you. Don’t compromise your vision, but continue to search for the right illustrations and pictures for your kids story. I recommend communicating as exactly as possible what you’re looking for. I also recommend bold colors and shapes, which children tend to adore in their favorite illustrated kids books.

Advice, Children's Author, Children's Book, Childrens' Literature, Helpful Tips, writing
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Library Visits with the Kids—Some Helpful Tips

Posted by Tina Turbin

There’s nothing like good, old-fashioned visits to the library to get your kids interested in reading and encouraging them to become avid readers themselves.

     You can start bringing your children to the library as early as infancy—around six months of age, or when they start to become interested in looking at the pictures in books. Make sure your baby is well-fed and well-rested before your trip so he’ll be able to enjoy himself and you’ll find it easy to keep his attention on the books you’ll show him. For infants and toddlers who are still interested in putting any and all objects in their mouths, board books are thick and strong enough to sustain the chewing and saliva of your baby’s mouth. Spend some time reading to your baby in the library and walk your baby around to look at all the books.

     Libraries these days tend to allow you to check out a very large number of books. Our local library lets us check out fifty books at a time! Bring a colorful, fun bag to carry the books home with that you check out. Since many other babies have touched and put their mouths on the board books you’ve checked out, when you get home, take some organic, baby-friendly sanitizing wipes and wipe the books down. Then, read often to your baby from the selection of books you’ve bought.

       As for older children, take them to the library when they’re also well-fed and well-rested so that they don’t get cranky. Show them your own favorite children’s books and let them pick out books that they’re interested in, too. You can take turns reading to them and having them read to you. Have them check out a pre-determined number of books and enjoy them with your child during story time before bed or any other time you want to read with them at home.

     Each child has a different attention span. Never force a child to read or listen when they don’t want to. Oftentimes you’ll find that they’re tired or hungry, and you yourself don’t like doing things when you’re tired or hungry either, do you? Letting a child read and be read to on his own determinism helps him to have a positive association with reading.

     Make sure to check out a book or two yourself, and read it between library trips and finishing it before you return it. This will set a positive example for your children to follow.

     With the above tips, you’ll be on your way to raising children who are avid, proficient readers with a bright future ahead of them, while establishing a family tradition everyone will be talking about for years to come!

Advice, Children's Author, Children's Book, Childrens' Literature, family, Family Time, Friends, Helpful Tips, Library Visits, moms
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What Makes Good Children’s Literature—Some Helpful Tips

Posted by Tina Turbin

 As a children’s author, I’m often pleased to find that I’ve inspired children and adults to write children’s stories of their own. A question they wonder is what exactly makes a good children’s book. Whether you’re a children’s author, illustrator, parent who reads to your child, or someone who is shopping for a children’s book to give to a cherished child, it’s important to know the components of a good children’s literature. This question perhaps can’t be easily answered, as delightful children’s books come in all shapes, sizes, and varieties, but it’s worth taking a look at it.

     Even before I became the mother of three children, I had a profound interest in children’s books and at the age of sixteen began writing kids books of my own. There was something that drew me to the magical storybooks which I grew to love as a child but never grew to forget as I got older. Finally, after my children were grown, I decided to turn a lifelong dream into reality as I decided to write a story that I would publish. It was a story about a dragon named Danny and his adventures with his little companion, Skipper, and it was called Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy, the first book of an entire series, which even includes a soon-to-be-released Danny the Dragon Cookbook. As I wrote the story, I grew to understand what makes a children’s story truly enchanting for its readers—the young and young at heart alike.

     In the end, enduring children’s literature can’t be replicated according to any formula, although points such as a charming protagonist, unique, rhythmic language, and bold, colorful illustrations, will always remain important. Whether a children’s story truly captivates the imaginations of children and adults alike, ultimately depends upon a quality that is perhaps as elusive and magical as the imagination itself.

Advice, Children's Author, Children's Book, Childrens' Literature, Helpful Tips, writing
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Danny the Dragon Reaches Out To 2,500 Book Stores Nationwide!

Posted by Tina Turbin

Thank you SIBA for an outstanding job in helping Danny the Dragon reach out to so many book store owners!

Company: Imagination Publishing Group
Category: Children’s picture book – fiction
Offered: Free Promotional Materials

Danny the Dragon- BEST Children’s Picture Book of 2009- nominee



The first book in the HIT children’s series Danny the Dragon by multi award-winning author Tina Turbin has become an international sensation!

Filled with vivid illustrations and a captivating storyline, this delightful tale, chronicling the adventures of a traveling dragon named Danny, leaves all readers with a smile, while ever so subtly highlighting manners, positive social interactions and sharing, in a fun, creative, kid-friendly way.

Hailed by the “Midwest Book Review” Children’s Bookwatch as having “…definite attraction and value for children ages 4-8, all of whom will undoubtedly beg for the sequel and more tales of Danny the Dragon; by authors, including such notables as Judy Blume, school principals, teachers, mothers, Celebrities and literature specialists as being “a gentle story” and “such a delight”; “a wonderful book to read to children”; and a book that is “…accompanied by really beautiful drawings which will sparkle the imagination.”

BOOST Holiday Sales AND be prepared for “Dragon Appreciation Day” on Jan 16th

FIRST 100 booksellers to reply will receive:

1. FREE publicity and promotion of your bookstore via the Imagination Publishing Group network of websites, with a targeted audience of more than 100,000. 2. FREE promotional materials to provide to your customers and to decorate your store: Danny the Dragon themed pencils, bookmarks, door hangers and stickers.

Reply to info@DannyTheDragon.com to take advantage of the above LIMITED TIME offer!

Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy

AVAILABLE THROUGH BAKER AND TAYLOR: http://is.gd/4N7ts

Paperback: 978-0-9800-721-0-5 – retail $8.95
Hardcover:  978-0-9800-721-1-2 – retail $18.95

This page can be seen on SIBA website at- scroll down to see Danny the Dragon   http://www.sibaweb.com/creative.html

Tina Turbin


Acts of Kindness, Book Stores, Books, Children's Author, Children's Book, Childrens' Literature
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Danny The Dragon- 2nd Place Winner

Posted by Tina Turbin

The news is in! Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy took 2nd place in Children’s Literature in the Arizona Authors Association Literary Contest of 2009. We are absolutely delighted with the results and are looking forward to yet even more awards and accolades for Danny.

I am thrilled to have been in this contest, become a nominee and now a winner. To receive 2nd place in the category of Children’s Literature is my honor as a children’s author.

Thank you Everyone! Tina Turbin

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Danny the Dragon Supports Education for the Deaf

Posted by Tina Turbin

As an active literacy advocate, I do as much as I can to get kids reading to revert the literacy statistic of this country. However, it wasn’t until recently that I became aware of another alarming statistic—the literacy rate among deaf children.

     The average deaf child is diagnosed at two or three years of age for hearing loss. This means that there is a good chance that his language development has been severely affected, as the child may have been missing large portions of spoken language, if not all auditory experience, that hearing children get from birth. What’s worse, the demand for academic achievement among deaf children is lower than for other children, resulting in learning and home environments which aren’t as focused on reading. With an upbringing that doesn’t emphasize language and literature, it is difficult to expect deaf children to perform at the same analytic and linguistic levels as other children.

     That’s why I have created the signed reading of Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy DVD, all the profits for which are going to supporting the amazing school I visited, Blossom Montessori. Its Montessori education encourages imagination and allows for real-life applications of subjects learned in the classroom. By supporting schools such as Blossom Montessori School for the Deaf, I know I am truly contributing toward reverting the deaf literacy statistic and enriching the lives of many bright children.

Acts of Kindness, CD, Children's Book, Childrens' Literature, Contributions, Danny the Dragon CD, Donations, fund raising, humanitarian, School Visits
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Florida Association of Partners in Education – MEMBER

Posted by Tina Turbin
Author Tina Turbin

Author Tina Turbin

FAPE member Tina Turbin is an award-winning children’s author, writer, researcher, humanitarian and mother. Working for many years with children in the entertainment business, Tina advocates for children, families and women’s issues with research into children’s literacy, children’s allergies, celiac disease, gluten-free foods and nutrition as a way to improve the quality of lives and health for others.

Her approach in garnering awareness on these important topics comes from her position as a humanitarian, and a professional, and one who lives a gluten-free lifestyle, while utilizing her educational videos, books and storybook characters to share the educational aspect with children

Tina is a recipient of 2 prestigious literary awards for her book Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy: 2nd place winner for Children’s Literature in the Arizona Literary Contest and Book Awards of 2009 and Award-winning finalist in the National Best Books Awards of 2009 to be announced at BookExpo America (BEA) 2010.

Tina resides in St.Petersburg Florida as well as Los Angeles, California and is available for volunteer activities in the surrounding districts. (http://TinaTurbin.com)

Acts of Kindness, Awards, Books, Children's Book, Childrens' Literature, gluten-free, libraries
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Is Reading to Your Young Child Really Necessary?

Posted by Tina Turbin

Research continues to support that reading benefits children of all ages in a variety of ways. According to studies, reading helps build your child’s vocabulary, helps develop his imagination, and increases his ability to communicate. In fact, there is a direct relationship between how many words an infant hears in a day and his language skills, even his IQ. That being said, reading is crucial in exposing your baby or young child to a variety of words.

The images and colors in children picture books and illustrated books also stimulate the imagination. This is part of the reason why I spent a whole year interviewing illustrators after writing the first book in my series, Danny the Dragon—I knew from reading to my own children just how much children appreciate art in children’s literature.

Not only is reading a great way to build language skills and imagination, but it’s an important way to teach values that will be relevant to your children for the rest of their lives. The themes and lessons in your child’s books are readily absorbed by your child’s hungry mind.

So how early should you start reading to your child? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, parents should be reading to their babies by the age of six months, or around the time he starts to enjoy looking at those books you’ve collected for him. Some experts say that you can start when your child’s a newborn.

At first it may seem like a daunting task, but pretty soon you’ll be enjoying regular story time with your child, and you’ll also enjoy seeing the benefits of it—a bright child with a healthy imagination and an understanding of the important values in life.

Advice, Children's Book, Childrens' Literature, family, Family Time, Helpful Tips, humanitarian, moms
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Danny The Dragon Contest Winner- NOVEMBER!

Posted by Tina Turbin

I had the wonderful pleasure of visiting many schools this month as well as received MANY pictures submitted to the site and to my e mail at info@dannythedragon.com.

We have another winner for the November gift basket! Here she is:

Paulina- 3rd Grade Winner- NOVEMBER
Paulina- 3rd Grade Winner- NOVEMBER

A New Friend For Danny
A New Friend For Danny

Here is what our wonderful 3rd grade winner, Paulina has to say:

Dear Ms. Turbin,
I am Paulina Kapuscinska and I go to 3rd grade at Highland Lakes Elementry
School in Palm Harbor. I like to make arts, crafts, and drawings. I had fun
making the picture of the dragon in the library because I like dragons and
dinosaurs. I liked the book about Danny the Dragon a lot. I also have a
favorite stuffed animal dinosaor that I go to sleep with.
I am really happy that I had a chance to win the contest.
Thank you,
Paulina

Contests, Library Visits, School Visits
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You Can Raise Awareness for Celiac Disease

Posted by Tina Turbin

How do we get the estimated three million Americans with celiac disease properly diagnosed and adequately treated? The answer lies in increased awareness and research. There are currently 49 autoimmune diseases, and celiac disease is the only one which isn’t supported in research by the government. This needs to change.

In my research efforts to find out the answer to the painful symptoms I was suffering, I was finally able to get the proper diagnosis. It took a lot of time and determination, and most people aren’t able to devote themselves to this degree. It’s not right that millions of people are suffering from a disease that can treated so easily yet the diagnosis for which is so elusive, when simply educating doctors in its symptoms would bring these people relief.

While efforts are surely being made to get the U.S. government to fund research and to raise awareness for this disease, there are some things you can do yourself beside just writing your representatives, which I highly suggest you do. If you were to send out this article to a hundred people or speak to the same number of people about this subject, chances are, you would come across a sufferer of celiac disease and you would change that person’s life. Better yet, post it on a blog or forward it to friends and have them forward it themselves. In this way, you may be able to contact many more than a hundred people. The increased awareness will surely lead to increase relief.

Tina Turbin

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