Today, we’re celebrating author Tamara Botting! She’s had three books published to date (Unfrogged, Pants!, and Big Bother Brother) with more in the works, such as her upcoming middle-grade novel Spoiled Rotten and a brand-new picture book What Do Dinos Do? Here’s more about Tamara and her fabulous books:
December 29, 2020-Let’s talk about reluctant readers! What are they and what can we do about it? Reluctant readers are defined as any child who does not show an interest in reading. They may actively resist reading, mask their dislike by clowning around or misbehaving when asked to read, become easily frustrated during reading, or need to be coaxed into picking up a book.
We know that literacy matters and that it’s the key to success; that’s why we need to encourage children to enjoy reading at a young age, the sooner they learn to love books, the better! Illiteracy impacts 12 million Canadians, here’s how to ensure that your child does not become a statistic:
Reading is power! Books are portable magic that expand our minds and imaginations! You cannot be a good writer if you don’t read-remember that. If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the tools to write, it’s that simple.
Here are some of our favourite options for the reluctant reader in your life:
The Old Farmer’s Treasure – Pandamonium Publishing House
Unfrogged – Pandamonium Publishing House
DJ (Djeaneautha) The Terrible! – Pandamonium Publishing House
July 17, 2020– She’s one of our own and we love her to bits! You know her as the author of Pants and Unfrogged, Tamara Botting; she’ll have two more books coming in 2021, so be sure to look for them in stores, on Amazon, and on our site. I’m thrilled to have her guest blog for us today!
I’ve had a longstanding love of Disney’s animated masterpiece, Beauty and the Beast. I wore out my first VHS copy of the film (yes, I’m that old and yes, it can be done). I bought the DVD as a teen, then bought the DVD again a few years later when the special collector’s edition came out. (So far, I’ve resisted the siren’s call of the Blu-ray). To this day, I can quote the opening of the film verbatim.
So, when I found a 1,000 piece Beauty and the Beast-themed puzzle, I decided to splurge a bit. (Hey, it’s not like I was going out, so why not bring a little entertainment home?) The thing is, as much as I like the idea of puzzles, I’ve only worked on a few over the years, mostly when I’m at a friend’s house, and they have one in progress.
Now that I’m working on one all on my own, I realize it’s a much bigger task than I’d anticipated. There’s a lot to work with, and a lot of pieces to try and fit together. And sometimes it takes a really long time to realize that what you thought was part of Belle’s dress is actually Beast’s waistcoat.
In a way, working on a puzzle is sort of like working on a book. Sometimes you find it’s easier to work on the framing; other times, you find yourself diving right into the middle of it. Sometimes the piece you thought should go in one place actually belongs in an entirely different spot.
It can be really easy to get discouraged when you have part of it coming together in one spot, part of it coming together in another, and for the life of you, you can’t figure out how those two parts come together.
But if you keep picking away at it, keep coming back to it, and keep on just telling yourself that you’re going to stick with this and get it done, eventually the parts will fit together. The bits that seem to have no home prove to actually be really important parts of the whole picture.
And once you have it all put together, you get to enjoy not only the completed project, but also the fact that your table is now clear, and you have room to work on a whole new project.
Because let’s be honest – whether writing or puzzles, it’s pretty hard to stop at just one.
July 10, 2020– Have you read Unfrogged by Tamara Botting (cover art by Christopher Botting) yet? If you haven’t you should! Unfrogged is not your average fairytale and is perfect for middle-grade readers who love adventure. Here is an excerpt from the book, available at Pandamoniumpublishing.com/shop
The carriage lurched and shook as it worked its way over the dirt-packed road. Even though it was one of the best carriages in the kingdom, there was no escaping all of the dips and bumps. Meredith and Frog were well-cushioned, though; the inside of the carriage was, as Frog described it, “like being in a pillow.” Meredith looked out the window eagerly, hungry for a view of the world outside the castle walls. She didn’t realize before now how badly her shyness had crippled her ability to see the world around her; to go on a trip like this, even back to the first home she had known, was an adventure. …They stopped for lunch and gave the horses a rest. Meredith and Frog were happy for a chance to stretch their legs; Frog took a short, refreshing swim in a happily chattering brook. As Madame Lench and the guards were some distance away, Meredith dared to leave her silken stockings bunched into her shoes on the bank and dip her feet in the cool water.
Unfrogged was the second book ever published by Pandamonium Publishing House, and it’s still one of my most favourites! If you don’t have this book in your collection, you’re missing out on a wonderful story and thrilling adventure.
July 1st-I know that we’re moving at breakneck speed lately when it comes to pumping out books around here, so to ensure that no one is lost or unaware of what’s available and what’s coming up, let’s recap our collection:
Children’s book (ages 3-8 depending on reading level)
-Panda the Very Bad Cat
-Panda the Very Bad Cat Farm Frenzy
-Panda the Very Bad Santa Claws
-Deer Diary
-Phillip Star
-The Adventures of Milan and Friends; Trouble with Trolls (A Halloween Tail)
-The Adventures of Milan and Friends; Baseball Bedlam
-Sammy the Singing Cat
-Spiders Wearing Sweaters
-Martin the Tap-Dancing Frog
-Mount Fuji has Free Wi-Fi
-Miranda the Very Loud Mouse
-Pants!
-Grandma’s Table
-Zoe’s Princess Pants
-Lost and Monkey Around (Coming October 2020)
-Twelve Days of Rescue (Coming October 2020)
-The Midas Haircut (Coming October 2020)
-The Clouds Above Lamasol Island (Coming July 2020)
Middle-Grade Novels (Grade 4-6 depending on reading level)
-Unfrogged
-DJ the Terrible
-The Old Farmer’s Treasure
-Grandpa’s Gift (Coming September 2020)
Adult Fiction/Non-Fiction
-Obsessed with Her
-Becoming James Cass
-Duty’s Dad
-Duty’s Daughter
-Duty’s Son
-Acts of Remembrance (Non-fiction)
-Life Supports
-Dealer
-114 World Series in 1 Book (Non-fiction)
-Advice from a Publisher (Non-fiction)
-Machinia (Science Fiction, Coming October 2020)
-Silent Anvil (Coming October 2020)
-My Name is Jessica Westlake (Coming August 2020)
-Acts of Kindness (Non-Fiction, Coming November 2020)
All of the books are and will be available on our site under SHOP and available on Amazon as paperbacks and e-books. We’re also exploring film options and audiobooks, so stay tuned for more information!
Thank you for supporting our work, we appreciate you.
January 10, 2020– Today, I have the pleasure of introducing you to our very special guest blogger, Christopher Botting, the illustrator of Unfrogged! Let’s check out what he has to say about his experience as an illustrator with Pandamonium Publishing House.
Hello friends and fans of Pandamonium Publishing! My name is Chris Botting, and I am the illustrator for the ‘Unfrogged’ book; Pandamonium Publishing’s second book offering. One day back in two thousand and too far back to remember right now, my sister (Tamara Botting), had written a story she greatly desired to publish someday. She was asking me to do the artwork for it. I made a half-hearted attempt at some rough ideas, but in the end, I told her that publishing companies would have the final say on the art direction they were looking for and not necessarily something I may come up with. That it would be a waste of time to try anything before a publisher picked up her manuscript. What a big bother brother I quite often turn out to be. Well, time went on and one day I did receive a phone call….from a publisher…wow! (Good for little sis, she stuck with her dream and never gave up). Pandamonium Publishing’s very own Lacey Bakker was interested in seeing a sample of my art portfolio. She was hooked! She absolutely loved the idea of a brother/sister team working on their first published book together. (Bucket list items for both siblings!). There were meetings and deadlines made. The rough copy art sketches were approved and used for the final pieces after colour and corrections were added. Did I ever learn a thing or two about books; They have chapter titles to illustrate. They have front covers to draw. They have a back cover too…what? Whodathunk? Do you know what else they have? A spine that needs artwork! My first book art job, and it was a ton of work! But it was all well worth it! Someday, when I see a well-worn copy on a used book store shelf, I’ll know a second generation is about to enjoy something my sister and I put so much of ourselves in to; I’ll know we’ve ‘made it’. I believe that when you do something or create something, in the brief second that follows the last pen stroke, or saw cut, or screw turn, or musical note, or whatever; that your creation, your project, art piece is instantly a classic. Just in that moment, the passing of time. Because, when you look back at your accomplishment, finished or not, there’s that feeling of ‘I remember doing that’. And ‘it’s out there, other people are going to see it, and remember seeing it, and to them, it instantly becomes a classic. Because they’ll remember it too. Something ‘vintage’ with the passing of more time’. I know people enjoy our work, I can tell by the time they spend absorbing it and taking it in. By how long someone will look deep into a drawing I have done, and make positive comments. I really enjoy doing art and sharing it with other people. I hope it makes them feel good inside, peaceful. Open a sense of awe in them and myself that the world can be a beautiful place. I am so thankful for the experience of working with Pandamonium Publishing and my little bother sister on ‘Unfrogged’. They are creating great friendships and books along the way. Check them out and enjoy some instant classics!
July 15, 2019- Today I’ll be reading an excerpt from the middle-grade adventure novel, Unfrogged by Tamara Botting! https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-73cja-b7ef1e Check us out on Google Play, Podbean, and iTunes to tune into all of our podcasts. Also, to order your very own copy of Unfrogged, just click on the link! https://pandamoniumpublishing.com/product/unfrogged/
https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-73cja-b7ef1e
December 10, 2018- This is super fun! Each one of our books is very special in their own right. Check out the details below on what’s hiding in our books!
Picture books:
All of the books by Lacey L. Bakker, feature a PANDA in one form or another as a hat’s off to the book that started this entire company and adventure which was Panda, the Very Bad Cat!
Mid-Grade Books:
Adults Only:
July 3, 2018- Did you know that Pandamonium Publishing House offers Book Birthday Parties? How awesome is that? Here’s how it works:
That’s it, it’s that easy!
Be sure to book today, as spots are filling up fast! Call 905-979-4949 or email pandapublishing8@gmail.com.
Here is the pricing structure:
1-hour author visit with mascot: $100.00/hour
1 author signed and personalized book for each guest: $8.00/book 2 activity sheets included.
Make their wishes come true with a Book Birthday Party from Pandamonium Publishing House!
November 3, 2017- There seems to be a lot of confusion around three little words…Middle-Grade Novel. Let’s dive into the basics and explore what elements make up a middle-grade novel.
Middle grade interests include the following things:
So if you’re planning on writing for middle-graders, keep the above things in mind!
LB
