My name is Mrs. D. and I am an author of children's books. I write because I have something to share. I write because maybe someday, someone in this world may need my experience. I write for one simple reason. I love how it makes me feel: free.
Good Morning, World! is A FINALIST IN THE READERS' FAVORITE CONTEST in both categories:Children - Preschool and Children - Concept.
Go Baby Thomas!
The Trees Have Hearts is A FINALIST IN THE READERS' FAVORITE CONTEST in both categories also : Children - Grade K-3rd and Children - Educational
Honored! Cross your fingers!
I am so excited to officially announce that my first short story, The Little Girl Praying on the Hill, is a finalist in the 2014 Readers' Favorite annual International Award Contest also! The Little Girl Praying on the Hill made it to the finals in both categories as well: Non-Fiction - Short Story and Non-Fiction - Inspirational.
What an honor for a girl from the Carpathian village in Ukraine, who could hardly write a shopping list three years ago. I do not want to wake up...Someone pinch me! Read more HERE:https://readersfavorite.com/2014-finalists.htm
This review is from: The Little Girl Praying on the Hill (Kindle Edition)
“The Little Girl Praying on the Hill” by Olga D’Agostino is rather a unique story in which a young girl narrates to readers an overview of her life as she was growing up. The girl resided in an agrarian society, served by a small town, with a single church situated high on a hill.
As should be the case, the opening sentence in this book sets the stage for the rest of the tale. That sentence is: “I was born in a strange place, beautiful to look at but hard to live in.” Throughout the story our young narrator juxtaposes her vivid descriptions of the natural world around her, with her laments of the harsh life faced by villagers and farmers alike.
This story is not a book children will appreciate, nor is it a full blown novel for adults. In both content and character, it is well suited to middle-grade students, and possibly of greater interest to girls than boys, although that is my own prejudice coming into play. (Hey, I’m old. What did you expect?)
“The Little Girl Praying on the Hill” is a very realistic cameo of post-WWII rural European life. In that regard it should also be of considerable interest to history buffs, particularly those who are most intrigued by that time and place. The apparent lack of any “modern” conveniences in the context of this story also serves to make it relevant to many places in today’s world, where people still live much the same as did their ancestors hundreds of years previously.
At no point in this story did D’Agostino suggest she was telling of her own childhood, or possibly her mother’s childhood. However, if I were a gambling man I’d be happy to lay down a bet that such is the case. I was expecting a children’s book, as that is what D’Agostino usually writes, but finding a little slice of life at a different time and place was a most delightful surprise.
I cannot decide which genre best fits this story. That notwithstanding, I can and do recommend this as being both entertaining and educational. All readers with an interest in the so-called “good old days”, or intrigued by how different life was before iPads and Facebook, should take the time to read and savor “The Little Girl Praying on the Hill” by Olga D’Agostino. It may help you keep your own life challenges in perspective.
She spent a lot of time alone, or so it seemed to the people in the village below. Every day, she would take the sheep up to the top of the hill, where she would spend hours.
In her mind, though, she was not alone. She spent hours with her friends–the princess in her glorious cloud castle, and the mercurial companion, the wind, who sometimes teased, sometimes tormented her. Life was good–
–until her daydream was interrupted by a furious someone who angrily reminded her about forgotten chores.
Back to the sad reality–a life in the mud, surrounded by poverty and hopelessness. There was little room for sadness; when her younger sister died, her own dress was taken for the burial. The little girl mourned only for the dress that had been taken away from her. There were no tears for the sister.
In a world where despair reigns supreme, a child’s mind turns to prayer. But when the help isn’t immediate, faith must carry her through the difficulties of an “unfair” life.
I have read several of Ms. D’Agostino’s books, and this has to be, by far, my favorite. None of the whimsy and cuteness of her previous books are in this offering. However, her light-handed way of writing turns what could be a dark and depressing time in her childhood into something magical. The little girl, obviously the author, has a gift for daydreaming; which naturally led her, as an adult, to her gifted ability to tell a tale like this. The reader can’t help but be absorbed into the story. With prose such as:
“My wind was a mysterious friend. He was a most virtuous player. I loved watching him play with the green grass that grew near the forest. He played his music with a gentle whisper, taking my breath away. When he hit a higher note and touched his invisible strings with his tender stroke, the green grass strained like arrows, making the most wonderful sound that rang in my ears the entire day.”,
how can one not be captivated? Such descriptions! No wonder Ms. D’Agostino is an award-winner.
This review is from: The Little Girl Praying on the Hill (Kindle Edition)
I am a long time fan of Mrs. D. children's books. I was quite surprised to find out that she is writing for the older audience also. The Little Girl Praying on the Hill is the heartfelt story of a little girl, who was born on a farm in the Soviet Union in the post WW II era. The story describes the life of an innocent child, who tries to survive heartbreaking reality by escaping into her imaginary world, filled with beauty and kindness. A world where there is no place for evil, hate, or pain. People call her strange, because she is different from the children in her village. Unlike other children who resigned to the sad existence, the little girl has a hard time to accept her real world. Two parallels of her world are running closely to each other. One escapes ahead and opens her soul, and lets out pieces of her painful memories. The desperate child questions God. Why the real world does not look the same, as it exists in her imagination, untainted and innocent? Why does she look to escape into unreachable places? Why does God punish her people? The first parallel exposes the happy moments of her life, but her second parallel is catching up with her poignant memories, full of sadness and pain. Her innocent imagination distracts her from the sad world, but the second she opens her eyes, the visible line between beauty and ugliness leaves nothing, except emptiness.
In a short period, the author opens up two worlds to the reader, the beauty and kindness, the sadness and the ugliness. Just like parasites, her two emotions feed on each other. The beauty complements the ugliness; the happiness complements the hopelessness. By creating the beautiful imaginary world, Mrs. D'Agostino purposely distracts us from her depressing reality, full of bitterness and frustration. Before we know, she plunges us back into the misery of the little girl's life, filled with desperation and disappointments. With each page, I relived the life of the struggling child, overwhelmed with the factual world. It amazed me how the search for love and acceptance made the little girl realize her journey. I absolutely love how the author portrayed the little girl's imaginary friends. I felt as if the wind became my friend, the wheat field became my home, and the sky became my escape. The author surrounds the reader with astonishing imaginary pictures and sad reality at the same time. When the little heroine flows in her beautiful imagination, I cheered her up, but when she must return to the dreary life, I felt crashed. This soulful story kept me in tension to the last word. It felt like a breath of wind, strong, emotional, and deep. It would not let me relax or become indifferent. The two worlds of the little girl beautifully complement each other; the personal made me cry, the imaginary lifted my soul up to heaven. I am glad I had a chance to relive the life of this little girl and discover a new Mrs. D. I read this short story a few times, just to feel the spirit, energy, and emotions. This moving story made me think.
is the second rhyming book that I have had the pleasure to read from the talented husband and wife team of author Janice Spina and illustrator John Spina. Written in an easy-to-read style, this adorable story will take young readers along on the adventures of self-confident young Ricky the Raccoon, who likes to wonder alone at night looking for snacks. He thinks that he is invisible in the dark and that no one can see him. Little does he know that danger lurks around every corner and that there will be consequences for breaking Mom's rules. Through his adventures in the night, he learns his lesson: rules that his mom taught him are for a reason. They are to keep him safe and alive.
The story is written in a very gentle way. It is sweet and appealing, a wonderful teaching tool for preschoolers or beginning readers. Children will easily relate to this story because many of them already know what rules are for and some of them may have broken them already. They will have fun following this cute character through the sweet, bright illustrations, colored with pencils or crayons. Youngsters will love this type of artwork because it resembles what kids usually draw, simple pictures from their imagination. While reading about the little adventurer who thinks he can run free wherever and whenever he wants, children will learn a valuable lesson: there is always a price to pay if you do not obey your parents’ rules.
Another wonderful read from the Spinas! A great teaching book for parents, teachers, and babysitters. The rhymes in this charming tale make it perfect to read to the little ones in your life!
Janice Spina is the author of four children's books, Louey the Lazy Elephant, Ricky the Rambunctious Raccoon, Jerry the Crabby Crayfish, Lamby the Lonely Lamb, copy editor and writer of novels and poetry. She is working on two more children's books and editing a novel, Hunting Mariah, for publication. Janice has written three more novels which she will eventually publish over the next year or two.
Title: The Trees Have Hearts | Author: Mrs. D | Illustrator: Juli Hasegawa | Publication Date: March 31, 2014 | Publisher: Mrs.D. Books Publisher | Number of pages: 41 | Recommended age: 5 to 10
Summary:A Mom’s Choice Award Winner
The story of a young girl, left friendless because she could not speak a new language, will touch your heart. It will take your child into the imaginary world of a little girl who moved to America from a different country. Unable to speak English, the lonely girl could not find friends. She lived in an old house with a small garden, where three blooming trees and the mysterious wind became her first imaginary friends. The garden friends developed a wonderful friendship with the lonely girl, and helped her overcome her fears and worries. Through the story, they taught her how to make real friends and helped her cope with difficult moments while adapting to new surroundings. Unforgettable characters will open a beautiful imaginary world to young readers, inviting them to share the fears, tears and joys of a little girl. The story will teach the true meaning of friendship while showing readers the beauty of nature. This book will open an unknown imaginary world through the eyes of a child…
My Review
MOM SAYS
My Thoughts: There is something simply magical in the beautiful illustrations, the vivid and poetic descriptions of the landscapes, and the touching story of a young girl moving to America from a different country feeling isolated, homesick, and lonely. Mrs. D has weaved a heartwarming tale about a young girl who conjures up imaginary friends in Chance the plum tree, Shadow the cherry tree, Sassy the Magnolia tree, and the Old Wind. As the girl, (who remains nameless but whose story bears a striking resemblance to the author’s own personal history), shares her worries and fears with her loving new friends, things slowly begin to improve as she heads off to summer camp and connects with other girls her own age.
While I can’t relate to the fear and anxiety that occurs when someone (especially a child) moves to a country where people do not speak their language, I can fully relate to the calming effect of being immersed in your natural environment. I grew up in a similar setting surrounded by big beautiful trees, sweeping meadows, a huge expanse of mowed lawn, and multiple gardens containing a variety of colorful flowers. I could easily escape in the beauty of my surroundings and always felt at ease when soaking in the smells, sounds, and sights. Underlying the story of the young girl’s experience is the message concerning the importance and beauty of nature. Of course, I don’t suffer from allergies in the spring, so perhaps not everyone would agree!
The book itself is visually beautiful and the illustrations are simply magical. I love the way the illustrator, Juli Hasegawa brings the trees to life by integrating the tree trunks, branches, leaves, and blossoms with the girls’ arms, and hair to create a stunning scene. With this book, I could not imagine in my head what these trees would look like in the main character’s imagination; but, the images truly help tell the story. They are GORGEOUS!
This book is unlike any we’ve come across before in that it is truly a mix between a picture book and an early chapter book. With full page illustrations and a beautiful background on each page (making it like a picture book) and a higher word density (200+ words per page, making it an early chapter book), this book may not be for everyone. In our household, we don’t only read books, we also tell stories and I feel that this book is storytelling at its best. I asked both of my children and they both said the same thing: They loved the book! This is a perfect book to read at bedtime as it feeds children’s imaginations with its creativity, its vivid descriptions, and its heartwarming story. I highly recommend this book to children, aged 5 to 10, who have the patience for storytelling.
This book was provided free-of-charge by the author in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own. The author is participating in our Book Promotion Services.
Imagine what might happen if someone forgot to hang up her clothes or put away her toys. That’s just what happens in this new children’s book released by Dog Ear Publishing.
Dog Ear Publishing releases “Runaway Clothes” by Mrs. D.
A new illustrated children’s book explores what might happen if a little girl’s clothes become tired of being treated poorly.
GALLOWAY, N.J. –
(PRWEB) June 26, 2014 -- Do you have a young lady in your home who is a less than perfect housekeeper? This new book might be just what the doctor ordered. Taking care of things properly is important or they just might go on strike. A new illustrated children’s book explores what might happen if a little girl’s clothes grow tired of being treated poorly. When Nika wakes up one morning and opens her closet, all her clothes have disappeared, leaving behind only hangers. She can’t even change out of her pajamas because all her dresses, shirts, pants and even socks have disappeared. Even the hangers decide to leave.
In “Runaway Clothes,” Nika learns that she should take care of her clothes because they are tired of being flung in heaps in her closet. Soon she begins to fear that her toys will leave, too, so she takes steps to make them feel cherished. As the day wears on, the clothes realize that Nika has learned a lesson, and even the hangers realize home is where they need to be. Colorful cartoon images by Chanoa, a freelance illustrator who works on children’s books and anime, add a whimsical note to this story, which offers a gentle lesson about the importance of taking care of things.
Author Mrs. D., Olga D’Agostino, is an award-winning children’s author. Two of her children’s books, “The Trees Have Hearts” and “Good Morning, World,” won Mom’s Choice Awards in 2013. Mrs. D. was born and raised in western Ukraine and studied at the Lviv Business College, working in the food industry. She and her two daughters, Viktoriya and Veronika, came to the United States in 1992 and she ran her own business. The author, a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, lives in Smithville, N.J., with her husband Patrick. She has published six children’s books and a short story for adult readers. She is working on several new books for children and adults, including more adventures in the Carlo the Mouse series and her new books “The Royal Palm,” “Who Is Most Important in the Fridge,” “That Is How Things Are,” “The Mysterious Life Inside a Closet” and “A Taste of Bread.”
Runaway Clothes
Mrs. D
Dog Ear Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-4575-2719-7 44 pages $21.99 US
Available at Ingram, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and fine bookstores everywhere.
About Dog Ear Publishing, LLC
Dog Ear Publishing offers completely customized self-publishing services for independent authors. We provide cost-effective, fast, and highly profitable services to publish and distribute independently published books. Our book publishing and distribution services reach worldwide. Dog Ear authors retain all rights and complete creative control throughout the entire self-publishing process. Self-publishing services are available globally athttp://www.dogearpublishing.net
and from our offices in Indianapolis.
Dog Ear Publishing – self-publishing that actually makes sense.
Contact
Alan Harris Dog Ear Publishing +1 (866) 823-9613 Email
A new illustrated children’s book explores what might happen if a little girl’s clothes become tired of being treated poorly.
