K BeckstrandKarl Beckstrand is a nine-time published author with 17 titles online (reviews by The Horn Book blog, School Library Journal, Midwest Book Review and ForeWord Reviews). Raised in San Jose, California, USA, he received a B.A. in journalism from BYU and an M.A. in international relations from APU. Since 2004 he has run a publishing company producing captivating stories, ads, and scripts.

 


She Doesn’t Want the Worms! Ella no quiere los gusanos: A Mystery (in English & Spanish)
is a very original story; where did you get the idea?
I just had this vision of a girl being offered all kinds of creepy crawlies and being unphased by them. When the left-field ending came to me–it was so twisted–I had to run with it.

The illustrations are stunning. Who concocted those wonderful almost-mosaic images?
Pennsylvania artist, David Hollenbach.

This book is part of a series of books?
Yes, Mini Mysteries for Minors–even preschoolers like a good mystery!

There’s a lot packed in those pages, will kids catch everything?
That’s the great thing about kids and books; if you give them enough interesting things, they will read and re-read to get every juicy detail–and new ideas of their own.

Why bilingual or Spanish options?
I learned Spanish while living abroad in South America. I want to reach more people—give them entertaining ways to get lifelong skills like reading, language, counting, finding and creating.

Who do you hope will buy your book–is there a target audience?
Some of my books are for ages 2 – 8 years; but a bilingual book can be useful to anyone who’s learning a language. The pictures, pronunciation guide, and bilingual text (if you get that version) all aid comprehension. Not only do young kids get a fun story, older ones can search and count critters, even adult language students can use it to increase vocabulary.

Give us a glimpse of the story; will you share a portion?
She will not clutch–nor even touch–the bumblebee I gave her. The fly she hates, but tolerates it (like a sour neighbor)…. The mantis makes her motionless the centipede is creepy; the moth has got the wrong address; the crickets make her sleepy.

What’s your favorite part?
Aside from the great images? I like the girl’s laid-back attitude toward all the critters—and the twist at the end.

What do you hope that families will get out of your books?
I think kids and adults like clever stories–at least I do–and lots of laughs.

You’ve had some good press!
Yes, we’ve had reviews in ForeWord Magazine and Midwest Book Review; Our Banana cookbook was featured on TV and on the Horn Book review blog.

Where can readers get your books?
They are available from the big distributors (Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Bn.com, Amazon). They are also on Kindle, NOOK, and Premiobooks.com. Of course, your local store and librarian can get them too.

Ella no quiere los gusanosShe Doesn’t Want the Worms! Ella no quiere los gusanos: A Mystery (in English & Spanish)  An activity book about a girl who responds to some unusual gifts–that happen to be alive—She Doesn’t Want the Worms has text and a pronunciation guide in both English and Spanish. It includes finding and counting activities and vivid illustrations of animals and insects for laughs, learning and family fun! (ages 2 years & up). Get this book in Spanish-only or English-only (with pronunciation guide—plus ONLINE SECRETS!): Premiobooks.com. 24-page, perfect-bound, 8″x10″ soft cover picture book with bi-racial character, 180 words (double for bilingual), Premio Publishing & Gozo Books, LLC (Mini Mystery for Minors, worldwide rights, June 2011), by Karl Beckstrand, Illustrated by David Hollenbach, suggested price: $6.95, available via Premiobooks.com (SEE INSIDE!), Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Follett Library Resources/BWI Title Wave, Bn.com/NOOK, Kindle/Amazon.com, Brodart, and select retailers.¿Quién regala gusanos — y POR QUÉ? ¿Asqueroso? Tiene que haber una razón. Mientras que piensas y repiensas, cuenta los bichos. Un misterio divertido para cualquier edad (2 años y arriba), incluye actividades de búsqueda, una guía de pronunciación en ingles y español, y dibujos vividos para ayudar con el vocabulario — diversión y aprendizaje para toda la familia. Pida este libro únicamente en español o ingles (más SECRETOS online): Premiobooks.com.  Libro con dibujos y una protagonista Latina, 24 paginas, 8″x10″, tapa blanda, 180 palabras. ISBN: 978-0977606528 (Spanish ISBN: 978-0977606573), LCCN: 2010910827, JNF020010

CONTACT:  Hysen Lowry  info@premiobooks.com  208-403-9634


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