From My Bookshelf to Yours- The Sandcastle Kids: A Mayan Adventure by Sonya Kimble Ellis

 Do you want to be transported back in time? Well,  The Sandcastle Kids: A Mayan Adventure is the book for you!


This is a book about a group of children who reside in Southern California. They hang out together and build sandcastles. Rosa, Richard, Daisy and Kamal find a magical sand dune and the adventure begins!  They are transported  to 420 AD Central Peten where they meet  a Mayan Indian who asks for their help in building his village a bridge.

Matthew Hebert's illustrations are beautifully done and will make you feel as if you too were magically transported to another time. A wonderful bonus is the last page  has ten discussion questions to help lead you into a discussion with your  child about what they've read.

This book is an engaging adventure that will teach children about the Mayan culture, hieroglyphics and lending a helping hand! It is a perfect tool for teachers that want to get their students exciting about learning history and for kids who love to learn. History lovers must buy this book! I can't wait for the new adventures of the Sandcastle kids.

Get your copy of the book at www.thesandcastlekids.com


Want to win a free copy? Go to Wild About Reading
*A free copy of this book was given to me for  a honest review.  No other compensation was provided for this review.

Interview with Sonya Kimble-Ellis, author of The Sandcastle Kids: A Mayan Adventure

Tell us a bit about you?
I have been a magazine writer and editor for quite some time. I have also freelanced quite a bit for the Web. I've written five books, all for young people, and plan on starting work again on an adult novel I began a few years ago. I enjoy traveling, interior design, and have other hobbies as well.

What inspired you to write The Sandcastle Kids?

I actually wrote the initial version about ten years ago and got turned down by several publishers. So I decided to publish it myself. I wanted to write a book that allowed kids to learn about other cultures in a fun way.

What do you hope children learn from your book?

I want them to know the importance of history as well as the contributions that people of various cultures have made to the world.

Are you planning to write any new books in the future? Can you give us a sneak peek?

There will be more Sandcastle Kids books in the future. So keep an eye out for those.

What do you do in your spare time when you're not writing?

I'm trying to find more spare time. I'd like to get back to my love of photography and writing songs.

Who was your favorite author when you were young?

James Baldwin.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Read as often as you can and write as often as you can. Be persistent when working with editors and publishers. But keep in mind that there's a fine line between being persistent and annoying. You just have to find it.

Describe yourself with 5 words.

Kind; focused; versatile; reliable; somewhat adventurous.

How did you get interested in writing children's books?

I've always wanted to write a picture book. I've written children's activity books and biographies for teens. So picture books were a natural progression. But breaking into that area of publishing is not all that easy.

Where can people buy your books?

Right now, people can purchase the book on my site http://www.thesandcastlekids.com/. It's also available at select book stores in New Jersey. Hopefully it will be available on the Barnes & Noble and/or Amazon web sites within the next few months.

Do you have a web page or fan page?

My Facebook page is: The Sandcastle Kids

Anything else you would like to share?

Thanks for all your support and please visit our page and hit "Like."