Inspiration

TALES FOR TINY TRAVELLERS

03/16/2018,

A book is a magical thing that lets you travel to far-away places without leaving your chair”- Katrina Mayer.

 

Tales for Tiny Travellers is a series of picture books designed to introduce young children to new countries and history via their best-loved national heroes. Written and published by Liz Tay (and illustrated by Rubén Carral, Lika Kvirikashvili, Eminence System, and  Ovidiu-Iulian Toma) these stories celebrate our rich world through the historical figures that have shaped it.

The collection includes the following 5 titles:

 

This week I spoke with Liz, the inspiring author, talented publisher, entrepreneur and mom behind Tales for Tiny Travellers.

 

World Kids: Can you tell us a little about yourself and why you created Tales for Tiny Travellers?

Liz Tay: I worked as a journalist in Australia for almost 10 years before moving to the Netherlands with my husband and our two young children, who absolutely love stories.

When my older son was just over 2 years old, I noticed him trying to assimilate new images by likening them to fairy-tale characters he already knew. For example, he insisted that a cartoon bear at our local supermarket was Mickey Mouse, and he was always really excited to spot these characters in the real world because it was almost like the fairy-tales that he knew and loved had come to life.

I realized that we were surrounded by things like statues, money, street names and so on, that already had amazing stories behind them. Tales for Tiny Travellers came from my desire to share those stories with my children.

 

WK: What inspires you as an author?

LT: This is a really cheesy answer: my children! They have an incredible love of learning and I try to feed their curiosity, however, I can.

WK: Can you give us more information on the next titles of your series?

LT: I have two more titles in the works at the moment. King Arthur of Great Britain will be available by the end of April and a book about a Spanish hero will come after that!

 

 

WK: Your favorite historical character is … 

LT: Throughout history, there have been so many great characters with amazing stories that it would be impossible for me to pick (and stay with) just one. My favorite from the characters I’ve written about so far is William the Silent, who championed religious tolerance in the Netherlands.

 

WK: What do you do when you are not writing or illustrating?

LT: Toddler-wrangling! We’re always out and about: at cafes, museums, playgrounds, running errands…

 

 

WK: What shops, museums, restaurants… would you recommend to families visiting your city?

LT: The Netherlands is an amazing country for young children. There is a forest within our city of Amsterdam with a goat farm, a deer petting zoo, and pancakes!

Our favorite museums are about 40 minutes out of town by train: the Kinderboekenmuseum (Children’s Book Museum) in The Hague; and the Nintje Museum in Utrecht, which is dedicated to Dick Bruna’s Miffy book series.

 

WK: Are there any particular authors or books that influenced you growing up? Did you have a favorite book in your childhood? 

LT: I really loved reading Enid Blyton‘s books as a child. And C.S. Lewis – I’m still moved by the bravery and fundamental goodness of his protagonists today. As a child, I really treasured collections of stories as well; I think my favorite book was a beautiful collection of Aesop’s Fables.

 

WK: Your favorite trip ever.

LT: In another life (before we had children), my husband and I spent six months in South America. We met people who were bursting with life and energy, became familiar with towns that were beautiful and so different from what we had known, and because we didn’t have a set itinerary, I just felt free.

My favorite trip so far, as a family, was a weeklong road trip in Ireland. It’s not quite backpacking, but we spent days driving wherever the mood took us. We drove along the breathtakingly beautiful Ring of Kerry, stayed in a 15th-century castle and ate in surprisingly child-friendly pubs. And there were stories everywhere! We spent lots of time together, and everyone was happy – I think the trip was just the right speed for us at this stage of our lives.

 

WK: What books are you currently reading?

Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of Britain to help inform my next book in the Tales for Tiny Travellers series. I’m fascinated by how the legend of King Arthur developed over time.

 

In this article, you will find Amazon affiliate links. Don’t worry, it won’t cost you anything extra, but if you purchase something through these links World Kids gets a small amount to buy more books for review. Thank you!

 

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