Tag: The Day My Fart Followed Me To Hockey

2017 Best Children’s/Picture Books

On January 2, 2018

In Books, Fiction, News/Misc., YA/MG/Children's Books

I’m not sure why people started sending me Children’s/Picture books. I’m fine with it, don’t get me wrong, I honestly enjoy them — I just don’t understand why people started sending them to me. But I’ll gladly read any sent my way. There was enough diversity in the one’s I received this year that I wanted to highlight those I enjoyed the most. If people are putting out material like this, I think it gives hopes that little kids will be turned on to books the way I was as a toddler.

(in alphabetical order by author)

Snobbity Snowman

by Maria Bardyukova, Quiet Riley, Jr.
My original post

Fun art work. Some fantastic use of language (especially when read aloud). A nice little story with a good moral. Ticks off every box.
4 Stars

Henry and the Hidden Treasure

by B.C.R. Fegan, Lenny Wen (Illustrator)
My original post

Was honestly tempted to put this on my 2018 Best Fiction list — I really loved this one, and wish I knew a kid to buy it for. Great imagination that will likely inspire someone else’s.
4 Stars

The Day My Fart Followed Me To Hockey

by Sam Lawrence & Ben Jackson, Danko Herrera (Illustrator)
My original post

Anthropomorphic flatulence — what little kid isn’t going to pay attention to this? Adorable art, cute story.
3 Stars

A Few Quick Questions With…Ben Jackson

By HCNewton

On March 3, 2017

In A Few Quick Questions With..., Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

A couple of weeks ago, I posted some thoughts about The Day My Fart Followed Me To Hockey. Today, one of the authors, Ben Jackson stops by to answer a few questions. Short and sweet so he can get back to putting out the books . . .

You work with a co-author and an illustrator — what the process like?

My co-author is my wife, Sam. Working with her has been easy, we don’t argue about much. We have been in a long-distance relationship for several years, so communication is pretty good!

Your Author page shows quite a range in subject matter for your books — relationship books, survival guides, humor, kids books. How do you decide what you’re going to tackle next? And — how do you get to the point that you say, “A Personification of Flatulence, yup, that’s my main character.”

Well, the Day My Fart Followed Me Home Series just happened! We were looking for a fun way to get kids to learn important lessons, and kids love farts!

How are parents reacting to The Fart books? I imagine that kids who read these like him (it?), but parents might have widely divergent reactions.

So far, I don’t think we have had one bad reaction by any parents. We had a school say it wasn’t suitable, but 99% of parents love the books and think they’re hilarious.

What was the biggest surprise about the writing of The Day My Fart Followed Me To Hockey itself? Either, “I can’t believe X is so easy!” or “If I had known Y was going to be so hard, I’d have skipped this and watched more TV”.

The biggest surprise was just how popular the book has become. When we first wrote The Day My Fart Followed Me Home, we never thought that the kids’ books would be so popular. Working with the illustrator Danko to get things done on schedule is probably the hardest part, and Danko is amazing with tight deadlines, so it isn’t really that hard.

What’s the one (or two) book/movie/show in the last 5 years that made you say, “I wish I’d written that?”

Lol I wish I had written 50 Shades of Grey!! That book and movie just exploded.

What’s coming up for the team of Ben Jackson and Sam Lawrence?

We are about to release The Day My Fart Followed Me To Soccer, and a book about a caterpillar that can do anything it sets its mind to. Stay tuned!

Thanks for your time — and the book!

The Day My Fart Followed Me To Hockey by Sam Lawrence & Ben Jackson, Danko Herrera

By HCNewton

On January 31, 2017

In Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

The Day My Fart Followed Me To Hockey

by Sam Lawrence & Ben Jackson, Danko Herrera (Illustrator)
Series: Little Fart, #2

PDF, 27 pg.
Indie Publishing Group, 2016

Read: January 21, 2016

Timmy’s a pretty big hockey fan and it’s the day of his first hockey tryouts. Nerves are getting to him — he rejects some good advice, pushes his friend, Little Fart, away (which is pretty understandable — I mean, who wants their fart that close to them during a tryout?). Sadly, his nerves start to cancel out his ability — and his fun.

Thankfully, Little Fart is a better friend to Timmy than Timmy was to him — but can he save the day?

Timmy’s a pretty standard little kid character — someone easily identifiable, and maybe moderately annoying to parents who read it but someone that a child will imprint on.

Little Fart is cute, loyal, supportive and fun — the ideal not-so-Imaginary Friend. Just the kind of character you hope will linger around. (sorry, I just had to…)

Herrea’s illustrations are adorable — not a word I use frequently, I know — they grab your eye and hold your attention, doing a pretty good job of telling the story by themselves. Just what a kid would want to go with the words they’re reading — or to keep their attention while being read to.

The story is pretty basic — the lesson is tried and true, but cleverly and charmingly delivered. Just what a younger reader is going to want. Rather, the lesson and the way it’ll get into a kid’s head is just what a parent is going to want, the humor and art is what the young reader will want. I enjoyed it — and my kids are too old for this. A sure thing, for parents and kids alike.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the authors in exchange for this post — I appreciate it.

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3 Stars