The story behind my latest children’s book, “Mia’s Marvelous Farm Adventure”

After the release of my first book, MIA’S MOUSES, I was thrilled to receive so much positive feedback from parents and children, and even teachers. Many were eager to know what adventures awaited Mia and her lively mouse friends next. Inspired by their curiosity, I began drafting the sequel, MIA’S MARVELOUS FARM ADVENTURE, with a focus on creating a story that would not only entertain but also educate.

From my interactions with young readers and their teachers, I realized the importance of incorporating educational elements into the story. I wanted Mia to learn something new and challenging, while also growing in self-confidence, forming deeper friendships, and experiencing the joy of sharing with others. As a career product manager, I approached this project with thorough research. I discovered that, alongside plural nouns, homophones and homonyms posed significant challenges for children, especially those learning English as a second language. These linguistic nuances often confused young readers and writers, as they struggled to distinguish between words that sounded alike but had different meanings (e.g., “to,” “too,” “two”) or words that were spelled the same but meant different things depending on context (e.g., “tear” as in crying and “tear” as in ripping).

I considered other subject areas like contractions, verb tenses, and compound words, but homophones consistently ranked at the top in social media polls. This subject area intrigued me because it offered opportunities for amusing situations and stories that would fit well with the book’s characters. With this focus, I began developing the plot, story arc, character interactions, and, of course, the rhymes, humor, and wordplay that would bring the story to life.

During the process, I fell in love with the concept of Squeaky and Mia collaborating to pick “pears” in “pairs”. In fact, so much so, that it was even an early title for the book – “Mia Picks Pairs of Pears” 😊.

“But Mia and Squeaky had their eyes on the prize.
From beneath the tall trees, they looked toward the skies.
From atop Mia’s head Squeaky reached for the pears.
He picked one at a time, but they fell down in pairs!”

Throughout the writing process, I relied heavily on feedback from family, friends and some amazingly gifted authors who belong to the various writing groups that I participate in. Their insights were invaluable in refining the story. I also collaborated with my talented illustrator, Victor Nieto, who transformed my ideas and text into beautiful hand-drawn concepts that vividly depicted the characters’ challenges and joys. Once the manuscript was ready, I engaged editors and critics to ensure the book met the high standards I wanted to meet for this children’s book, and I wanted it to be the best.

With this background in mind, I hope you’ll see MIA’S MARVELOUS FARM ADVENTURE in a new light. I invite you to join Mia and her sister Pia as they explore the wonders of the farm with their charming mouse companions, Squeaky, Nibbles, and Speedy. I hope your children will laugh along with these delightful characters as they giggle over pairs of pears, a hoarse horse, and even a bare baby bear!

Like the award-winning MIA’S MOUSES, this new book promises to enchant young readers, sparking a lifelong love of reading and storytelling. I hope you enjoy this imaginative and engaging journey with the children in your life, especially those who are in their early years of learning to read and write.

Please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions for what’s next – it would be great to hear from you.

Thank you for your interest and support, and God bless you!

Joseph L Licari