Announcing a Book Release

I'm taking time out from travel posts today to share some good news: My new book, a story collection for children based on Camille Saint-Saëns' musical fantasy, The Carnival of the Animals, has just been released by Belanger Books. I'm really excited about this book. It's actually my favorite book I've ever written. It's on Amazon at present HERE.

The book is geared for readers grades 2-5, but really it's more a book for ages 7-to-70 (for the young at heart that miss they old fairytales of their youth.) The stories are told in fairytale style, but are "layered" so that older readers can enjoy it as well. (There are references to Don Quixote, allusions to Pinocchio, etc.)  There are 13 tales based on the 13 animals in Saint-Saëns' work, and they take place in different countries, all in the 19th century (before the date of his composition). I’ve received some good blurbs from published authors that I'm including below: 

Blurbs:

“Thanks to Elizabeth Varadan, you will roar with the lion, bound over clouds with the unicorn, dance with the tortoise, weep with the elephant, feel the friendship of a magical bird, know the enduring love of a swan…and more.  Best of all, you will enjoy the genuine magic of this carnival of creativity!”

—T. A. Barron, Author of the Merlin Saga

“In the Carnival of the Animals, Varadan takes us through a colorful world of animal stories that will entertain readers of any age. Her whimsical style and effortless storytelling allows her three-dimensional characters to leap off the pages, causing the reader to feel for and love the characters she’s created. These stories beg to be read aloud to children again and again. The subtle morals of her tales give hints of fables while introducing young readers to well-known characters like Don Quixote and Shakespeare’s Puck. Since Carnival’s characters are from all over the world, these stories will spark discussions with young children about cultures, languages, and even animal habitats. Truly a wonderful work of art.” 

--JaNay Brown-Wood, author of Imani’s Moon, NAESP Book of the Year, Northern CA Association of Children's Librarians Distinguished Book for 2014, a Reading is Fundamental (RIF) Multicultural Book for 2015. Her newest book Grandma’s Tiny House: A Counting Story, received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly.

“The stories in Elizabeth Varadan's The Carnival of the Animals are a wonderful tribute to Camille Saint-Saëns' musical suite. Children will be drawn to the clever, charming narratives and come away with a real appreciation for both the stories and the music that inspired them.”

-- Steve Richardson, Author of Canlandia, (winner of the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award for best juvenile fiction in 2014, and the Arizona, New Mexico Book Award for best juvenile fiction in 2014), and Lavender Blue and the Faeries of Galtee Wood (winner of the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award for best in juvenile fiction in 2013)

 “A beautifully penned tale inspired by the musical suite The Carnival of the Animals, by Camille Saint-Saëns. The story and its settings will delight children of all ages. Varadan’s magical menagerie is marvelous!”

~ Victoria Lindstrom, author of The Tale of Willaby Creek

If you are a writer, do you have a favorite book you have written or are working on? As a reader, do you still enjoy the old fairytales?