Everything for Froggy Boots

I'm delighted to welcome author Jill Martin to my blog today. I reviewed her delightful board book Froggy Boots go with Everything yesterday, and today she's here to answer some questions. So, where did the book Froggy Boots come from, and who is it written for?

To me, Froggy Boots Go With Everything is for children as much as for their grown-ups.  Froggy Boots is a celebration of the wonderfully imaginative spirit that drives young children in everything they do.  Children bring new meaning and new life to the world around them in all the games they play.  

Just like other parents, I loved watching my young children invent and explore as they played.  In the house, in the yard, everywhere they went, ingenuity was at work.  It was fascinating and inspiring to catch those glimpses into their world.  Every leaf, stick and rock; toy, stuffed animal and measuring cup; cushion, blanket and hamper – all provided endless fun.  Clothing was no exception.  With clothes and accessories there was instant transformation.  There were also the favorites, well-worn and well loved.

For children I wanted to create an accessible, friendly and happy book.  I chose activities that my children loved in the hopes that other children would identify with the moment and the feeling.  I added elements to the book that would keep the attention of young readers and invite them to come back for another look.  The “Can you find” game at the end provides a fun way for children to engage with the book.  My children loved to search for things in books and the list of items to find is only a start.  Grown-ups and kids alike can identify new objects within the book and play games together trying to find them.  

For grown-ups the book is a compilation of snapshots of precious childhood moments.  I kept thinking that I wanted to remember how joyfully my kids embraced everything around them, and I tried to capture some of that magic in Froggy Boots.  I chose simple phrases to playfully describe each activity and an uncluttered look and feel with the intent to best highlight the moment depicted by the illustration.  In this way I also hoped to convey a sense of nostalgia for simple pleasures and simpler times, while bringing to life the boy’s strong imaginative engagement in his activity.  

My hope is that readers of all ages will enjoy the fun adventures within Froggy Boots Go With Everything and revisit it again and again.

I can certainly say that this adult reader enjoyed it and revisited memories of my children as I read. Thank you Jill.

About Jill Martin

Jill Zabkar Martin spent her early career as a technology writer and publicist in the Silicon Valley.  After becoming a mother of two, she began writing children’s books.  Froggy Boots Go With Everything is her first published title.  Jill received a BA in English from the University of California at Santa Barbara and an MBA from San Jose State University.  She lives in Los Gatos, California with her husband, two children, a guinea pig and three hermit crabs. 

Froggy Boots go with everything is available from Amazon and other bookstores: http://www.amazon.com/Froggy-Boots-Everything-Zabkar-Martin/dp/0984394605