By Andria Barrios
These days, it’s hard to keep younger kids entertained. However, a newly published book not only entertains children, but also educates them on basic skills like colors, numbers and shapes. The Kaleidoscope Kids, written by Brandon author and illustrator Terry O’Grady and Richard Barrett of Temple Terrace, was recently published earlier this month.
“The hope was that by combining these concepts into bright characters with lyrical rhymes that The Kaleidoscope Kids would make the learning process fun and engaging for kids,” explains Kacy Oleson, special projects manager of The Kaleidoscope Kids. The intriguing ebook, targeted for children 18 months to 5 years, introduces ten fairies who are each characterized by a shape, number and color. Although other children would most likely know the concepts presented in the book, they will still love the appealing rhymes of the story.
The author has been writing poetry for a number of years, and the illustrator has increased his skills working as a caricature artist at Busch Gardens and the Florida Aquarium. Though this book has been written for over 20 years, O’Grady recently uncovered the manuscript. He has been editing, developing and publishing the book for over a year now, and last month all the hard work finally paid off. He additionally enjoys and gains inspiration from spending time with his four grown children and six grandchildren.
O’Grady will also be visiting local elementary schools, day cares and other places to do readings of his book, and foster his passion for children across the county. If you are interested in booking Terry for a reading or signing, please contact him at author@thekaleidoscopekids.com.
The book can be bought as an ebook for $2.99 on the Barnes and Nobles Nook store, or Amazon Kindle store. It can also be ordered in paper form for $7.99 from www.createspace.com or www.amazon.com. “We are currently looking to get The Kaleidoscope Kids placed in a couple of local consignment stores as well,” Oleson states. For more information, call 685-3896 or visit www.thekaleidoscopekids.com.
