By Reg Down, for The Children’s Book Review
Published: October 28, 2010
Reg Down released his fifth, sixth and seventh children’s books this fall. He is the author of the Tiptoes Lightly series which passed their 10,000 sales mark this summer. His books have proven popular with children, parents and teachers because of their strong connection to nature, the seasons and the festivals – as well as a dose of humor and levity appropriate for children.
Down’s latest titles include:
- The Lost Lagoon
- The Cricket and the Shepherd Boy – A Christmas Tale
- The Bee who Lost his Buzz
The Lost Lagoon
It is spring and Running River is in full flood. Tiptoes Lightly and Jeremy Mouse visit Greenleaf the Sailor and they venture forth in Greenleaf’s newly made boat. Soon they are joined by Pine Cone and Pepper Pot the gnomes and together they search for the Lost Lagoon the frogs have been so beautifully singing about. Meanwhile, back home, Farmer John reads ‘The Adam Tales’ to his children, Tom Nutcracker and June Berry. Later, Tom rides off in the night until he too comes to the Lost Lagoon. What happens on this night, with its majestic, rising moon, is filled with a wonder and magic that won’t soon be forgotten.
Lavishly illustrated with pen and ink drawings by the artist-author.
Published Sept 3, 2010. Printed by Amazon’s CreateSpace: 130 pages, 6 x 9 paperback.
The Cricket and the Shepherd Boy – A Christmas Tale
A young shepherd hears a cricket singing at his feet. The cricket speaks to him and foretells that the coming winter will be both special and especially cold. Then the cricket disappears back into the grass.
The winter is indeed especially harsh, but on a star-studded night the cricket and the shepherd boy make their way to a manger huddled low between two hills. There they find a mother and father with a child who radiates light and warmth into the world.
This innocent and warmhearted nativity tale is illustrated by the author artist in watercolors. It is intended as a story for parents to read to their children at Christmas time. While the theme is timeless, this tale is most suitable for children from preschool to grade four or five.
Published Oct 6, 2010. Printed by Amazon’s CreateSpace: Picture book, 40 pages, 8 x 10 paperback.
The Bee who Lost his Buzz
The Bee who Lost his Buzz is the illustrated first adventure from the book The Tales of Tiptoes Lightly. It follows Tiptoes and Jeremy Mouse as they help Bee whose buzz has been snagged by grumpy Mr. Cactus’s thorns. Then, after Pine Cone and Pepper Pot unplug the apple that’s stuck in Ompliant the Elephant’s trunk, Tiptoes helps the Worm who’s lost his squirm and cannot wiggle back into the safety of his home under the ground. Later, along with the red-capped gnomes, they all sail down Running River to the ocean to help little Octopus untangle his legs. He’s too young to count them properly (he can only count to seven) and whenever he tries he gets them hopelessly mixed up.
The Bee who Lost his Buzz is an innocent and magical tale suitable for reading to young children or for young children to read. It is illustrated with watercolors by the author-artist.
Published Oct 20, 2010. Printed by Amazon’s CreateSpace: Picture book, 40 pages, 8 x 10 paperback.
Some reviews from two previous books:
The Tales of Tiptoes Lightly: “I wish there was something like this (Tiptoes Lightly) when my two children were growing up. It’s a wonderful book.” ~ Louise Riveiro-Mitchell, author of ‘Autumn Sky’ Book Review Cafe
“Our preschooler hasn’t been a big chapter-book fan, but she routinely asked for another Tiptoes story.” ~ The Reading Tub Review
The Festival of Stones: “This is a fascinating book by an extraordinarily imaginative writer.” ~ The Reading Tub Review
About the Author: Reg Down grew up in Canada, Namibia, South Africa and Ireland. He trained as a eurythmist, an art of movement and gesture, in England and Germany. The father of three, he has taught eurythmy in Waldorf schools in Australia, Canada and the United States and at Rudolf Steiner College in Fair Oaks, CA. Many of his children’s books (seven and counting) arose out of his work with kindergarten and the younger grades. He is also the author of Leaving Room for the Angels, AWSNA Publications, a book on eurythmy and artistic pedagogy, and Color and Gesture—the Inner Life of Color, Lightly Press.
Contact information: [email protected]
4033 San Juan Ave 219, Fair Oaks, CA 95628 (916) 876-0132 (PST)
Website: http://www.tiptoes-lightly.net
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/Tiptoes.Lightly
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