“My words fly up, my thoughts remain below.” - William Shakespeare
Children’s author, playwright, documentary filmmaker, podcaster, and lecturer, Donna Guthrie shares her newest book FLIBBERTIGIBBETY WORDS, Young Shakespeare Chases Inspiration with us here at March Forth Media Company.
The book is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Author Donna Guthrie could easily be described as a bookworm and a hopeless dreamer.
She always had her nose in a book. Her
childhood home was always bustling with noise and activity, so she took every chance she had to find a quiet spot to read a mix of comic books and good literature.
She began writing and submitting poetry
when she was in the fourth grade. Though none of that early work was published, she continued to practice her writing skills. When a supportive English teacher, who was known for being a hard grader, told her she had a talent for writing, she started to think about writing as a possible career.
While juggling roles of wife, mother, friend, community volunteer, businesswoman, and freelance writer, Guthrie found that she put writing at the bottom of her to-do list. Guthrie shares, “I used to tell myself that when everything else was accomplished, then and only then, could I turn on my electric typewriter and write.” Even though her early writing career was met with little success, she refused to give up on her dream.
She is now the author of twenty-three books and sixty educational videos for children, and is inspired to write books that inspire creativity and a love of language in children. In her latest book FLIBBERTIGIBBETY WORDS, Young Shakespeare Chases Inspiration, Donna wants kids to know that inspiration is everywhere.
With patience, and giving it full attention, all dreams are possible.
Guthrie is a big fan of Shakespeare’s work. As a new grandmother trying to share her love of Shakespeare with young family members, she realized there weren’t any picture books that could captivate kids enough to get them interested. So, she created one. Flibbertigibbety Words, Young Shakespeare Chases Inspiration tells a story of the magical words that visited Shakespeare in his window, taking him on a wild goose chase past characters from his future plays.
Throughout the book, William wants to catch the words, but they are flibbertigibbety and quick and slip right through his fingers. He remains persistent, and with time and the proper tools he finds a way to keep the words with him. This is a colorful, whimsical,
and lighthearted introduction to William Shakespeare’s work, written with beautiful illustrations drawn by Åsa Gilland.
The book features well-known phrases from Shakespeare's plays, with bright and colorful illustrations that parents will recognize from these iconic stories. Parents and kids alike will enjoy giving this book a read. The book is a finalist of the Colorado Book Awards in Children's Literature.
For future children's’ book authors, Donna wants you to know “When writing for children, look for the book that isn't on the shelf and write that one.” When she is not writing, Donna is an avid hiker. Currently she has hiked five miles in 61 of the 63 National Parks.
FLIBBERTIGIBBETY Words: Young Shakespeare Chases Inspiration is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
For parents of young ones, you will enjoy reading this book to your kids. Teachers, this is a great one to add to your classroom library. It makes a great gift, too.
To connect with Donna Guthrie:
Website: www.donnawguthrie.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnawguthrie/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DonnaWGuthrie
Email: donnag6113@gmail.com
And stay tuned to the Power to Pivot Podcast. Donna Guthrie joins us on the show in a few weeks to talk about her journey as a writer and creative, and talk about the book.
