Most parents want to encourage their children’s imaginations and help them dream, but may not know where to begin. It may be as simple as reading a book together. Sitting down with Marina Rae Cheney, author of Introducing Anastasia Bucknail: Anastasia and the Fairy Circle, it is clear how passionate she is about education. “I decided to write this book because I wanted to tell stories by capturing some of my family memories and at the same time teaching children something meaningful.” Learning should be magical and that is exactly what Marina tries to illustrate in her book. She taps into children’s interests and passions. Whether it’s baseball or Shakespeare, she intentionally weaves educational components throughout her books.
As an ESL teacher, Marina had the privilege of working with students from many cultures including Cambodia and Somalia. This experience gave her a true appreciation of similarities, differences, and community. “Throughout my teaching experience I learned how to create connections between people and to share with others how to do the same. I became fascinated by different cultures and found myself wanting to learn more. It was really this experience that taught me that we are all connected and our similarities are greater than our differences.”
Marina recently completed her first book with plans to write a series with Anastasia as the main character. Introducing Anastasia Bucknail: Anastasia and the Fairy Circle tells the story of Anastasia waking up on the first day of summer break full of anticipation. She and her brothers are about to discover a fairy circle in their backyard. Folklore and science collide in this fantasy-filled adventure.
What advice does Marina have for aspiring writers? “Dream it up! Put your imagination to work and you will be amazed. Edit, edit, edit and, of course, get your friends to buy the book and talk about it within their networks!” said Marina. “With self-publishing being readily available and affordable, essentially anyone can publish a book.”
Introducing Anastasia Bucknail: Anastasia and the Fairy Circle is beautifully illustrated by Diana Rush. With the holidays right around the corner, why not buy a few copies as gifts? Available for purchase through Amazon.
Written by: Lori Oberlander Trent