The Glory Has Departed

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Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:10-13 KJV.

Ichabod, The Glory Has Departed: Maria Morgan’s Children’s Book – Louie’s Big Day. Illustrated by Sherrie Molitor

Friday, December 5, 2014

Maria Morgan’s Children’s Book – Louie’s Big Day.
Illustrated by Sherrie Molitor

Maria Morgan has published a great book for children –
Louie’s Big Day.

Maria Morgan’s smile may look familiar, because she is the daughter of Norma Boeckler, our artist-in-residence, who also publishes on Amazon.

I have always enjoyed children’s literature – and that did not stop when I was all growed up. Those who enjoy reading have favorites they read again and again. Not surprisingly, famous authors often mention their favorite authors, such as Nesbit and Twain. The Wind in the Willows is the Moby Dick of children’s literature, so full of insight, drama, and humor that it should be read annually.

Children’s books are easier to read than to write. Anyone who accomplishes this task must be creative and yet convey ideas and images in simple, plain terms.

Maria Morgan’s Louie-the-Lawnmower page.

I downloaded Louie’s Big Day as a Kindle e-book. That may be a handy format for the techno-grandparent, especially one who travels. Reading books to children is the best way to give them a good start in education. The experience bonds parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren.

My mother read books to us children, and I still remember choking back tears when Lassie was struggling to come home. In grade school our teachers often read to us, although we could read the same books. The practice kept us all still and we thought about the story as we heard the words.

Reading imaginative books and biographies will fuel a child’s interest, provide a large vocabulary, and establish a base for learning that will never be satisfied. Did our grade school teachers realize that three of us from the same class would earn graduate degrees at Yale, in music and theology? If not, they certainly helped us get started.

I read books and stories to our children, leading to many inside jokes that still make a 40 year old son laugh. “It rained bricks and mortar for two weeks” – Mark Twain. “Attercop” – a terrible insult to spiders in Tolkien’s The Hobbit. And the great battle cry – “A mole! A mole!” – The Wind in the Willows.

Louie the Lawnmower’s big day concerns his first day home as a lawnmower. The lawnmower is personified, which is great fun for children. I can picture a child looking at the book and getting involved from the start, with such beautiful and vivid illustrations by Sherrie Molitor.

Louie is nervous about his first day mowing the lawn. Would he like it? Would he be allergic?

This takes the reader to a flashback, his days at the hardware store, with a drawing of all his friends waving goodbye to him.

Naturally, Louie is nostalgic about all the pranks they played at night. What follows next is a lot of fun, especially since children love messes. Everything is cleaned up before opening time, so the secret is safe.

So Louie’s first day begins with sadness about the good old days, but he gets into the job and enjoys it, doing it well. A number of pages describe his work and the satisfaction he feels. But he misses his friends.

I thought this was a good story with great illustrations at this point, great for discussions with a child. “Can you imagine all that grass being cut?”

But the story is not done. The trunk pops open, and there are his friends in the trunk, ready to create new memories.

The book ends with questions to use at home and in a Christian day school.

Parents and grandparents will love this book, and teachers will enjoy using it in school. I hope many more books like this will come out in a series.

Order Louie’s Big Day here.

Hi! I’m Maria –

I guess you could say I was born with an active imagination. Combine that with a love for reading, and the possibilities are endless.
My Mom read all kinds of books to my brother and me when we were young. Some of our all-time favorites were by Dr. Seuss – Green Eggs & Ham, andSneetches on Beaches
Although my formal education is in Corporate Wellness and Nutrition, my real love is writing. I started out as an inspirational author and speaker for adults. Now I’ve widened my circle to include kids.
No matter what the age of my audience, my goal is the same:
 To share God’s truths and make an eternal difference.
I live in the muggy South with my husband, two retrievers, and two Maine coon kitties – the perfect mix to fuel my creativity for years to come!

Fun Facts About Me:

 

*One of my favorite things to do as a kid was come up with adventures for our stuffed animals to act out.

 

*We couldn’t have pets when I was growing up because my brother was allergic to them. I’m making up for that now!

 

*I won the Distinguished Student Science Award when I was in 9th grade.
*There are still several boxes in our basement I haven’t unpacked since moving to our house 15 years ago!
*Even though my degree is in the health field, I have the biggest sweet tooth ever!
*When I’m not writing I enjoy: reading, shopping (especially for shoes!), exercising, and baking.

 

 

(You can find my devotionals and download a free copy of my eBook, God Speakinghere.)
Connect with me:
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What people are saying:
Louie’s Big Day! delighted me! I thought the idea was unique, the writing superb, and the illustrations professionally done. All through the book I kept thinking, ‘I’d love to give this to my friends with young children.’ Maria Morgan has a winner here, and I can’t wait to see what she does with future Louie books.” ~ SUSAN J. REINHARDT, author
“My grandkids loved the book Louie’s BIG day! It is a book we will be reading often! After reading we all enjoyed the questions at the end of the book. It made for some great discussions about God making us for a special purpose and facing our fears. Also, how important friends are in our life. Five stars from our family!” ~ DARLENE KING, mom & grandmother
Toy Story gave us the secret life of toys…now Louie’s BIG day! gives us the secret life of yard tools! Small and big fry alike will get a chuckle out of Maria Morgan’s charming little tale, with equally delightful illustrations by Sherrie Molitor, as Louie faces natural nerves over his first real job and the sadness of leaving his friends behind, only to revel in the joy of performing his designed calling. With a “Lesson Corner” and link to a free audiobook at the end.” ~
L. M. WINBORNE, writer