.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
9/4: Congrats to Mariana Rios on winning Thad Krasnesky's giveaway! We'll be in touch soon with more details.
A special thanks to everyone who joined us for our Back-to-School event!
Hi, readers, writers, and pterodactyl lovers of all sorts! We all remember how fun show-and-tell days were at school. But what would have happened if a classmate brought in a prehistoric pet? We're thrilled to have Thad Krasnesky here with us today as he imagines just that in his humorous and rhyming book, Pterodactyl Show and Tell. Filled with funny scenarios in a school setting, this book can't be missed for Back-to-School season. Want to know more about Thad, his dino-mite book, PLUS want a chance to win your own copy of Pterodactyl Show and Tell? Read on...
Q: Hi, Thad! Thanks for joining #SeasonsOfKidLit for our Back-to-School event. We’re so excited to have you and hear more about you and your book, Pterodactyl Show and Tell! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you became a children’s author?
A: I became a children’s author sort of by accident. I have two daughters that I would tell stories to every night before going to bed. They would make a game out of it, and give me characters or story elements that I would have to include, and then they started asking me to do it all in rhyme. A lot of the stuff that I came up with was pretty goofy, but it was a lot of fun, and became a part of our nightly routine.
I was also a soldier at that time, however, and was deployed several times. My wife asked me to write down some of the stories so that she could read them to the girls while I was gone. Then a friend recommended that I try and get some of them published. Being a children’s author was never my intention. It just happened.
Q: In Pterodactyl Show and Tell, a young boy brings his pet pterodactyl to school to share with his classmates. The pterodactyl enjoys his day at school by doing what the kids do - science experiments, reading, and even playing recess.
What a fun concept! What gave you the idea to pair a pterodactyl in a school setting? Did you have any funny show-and-tell mishaps when you were younger?
A: Pterodactyls are awesome. School is awesome. It just seemed like a good fit. And when you write almost constantly, interesting pairings are just going to start naturally occurring.
I think the closest thing to a show-and-tell mishap that I ever had was one time I forgot that I had show-and-tell when I was in second grade, and so I decided to tell the kids that my show-and-tell was an old civil war musket that I had found while digging a hole in our backyard, but that I had not been allowed to bring it because it was too valuable. I went on to tell them not only about the musket but about the cannon balls and the human bones that I also found on the battle site. Then I segued from the artifacts into telling them about the battle itself.
The only problem was, there was no musket, and there had never been a battle anywhere near where we lived. The teacher wound up calling my parents because she was afraid that I had access to all of these dangerous old weapons that I had been telling them about. When she found out that I had made it all up, she was not pleased. Neither were my parents.
First of all, I LOVE that writing tip of writing almost constantly. And second, LOL on the show-and-tell story. No wonder you became a writer.
Q: What makes Pterodactyl Show and Tell perfect for kids headed back to school? What do you hope readers will take away from your book?
A: I think Pterodactyl is a perfect back-to-school book because it is all about “what if?” and that is what I think school should be about. The excitement of learning is all about the “what if?” The excitement of meeting new people and making new friends is all about the “what if?” And anything that we can do to make the “what if” more exciting and less intimidating is a good thing.
Q: What a great takeaway. Thanks for sharing, Thad!
You're a multi-published author. What’s something that surprises you about the publishing process?
A: The time sequences. Before I was published, I knew that these things weren’t immediate, but I thought it was more dynamic than it actually is. I figured, you write a book, you edit it, they format it, then it’s printed. How long can that take? I was shocked when we had discussions about my completed book being put on a cycle to be published two years out. For someone like me with ADD, two years was hardly a concept. That waiting period is painful.
Q: We authors couldn't agree more!
What other books of yours can we check out ASAP? Do you have any books on the way we can be on the lookout for?
A: My first book, “I Always, Always, Get My Way” is out there. “That Cat Can’t Stay” is the most popular of my books so far. I also have a book of ghost stories as well, but that is for readers that are a bit older. And I have dozens of completed stories ready to go. The publisher and I just have to decide which one to publish next.
BONUS QUESTION: What was your favorite thing about heading back to school as a child?
A: My favorite thing about going back to school was that fresh smell of “what if” when the doors opened on the first day. Anything can happen at school.
Thanks again for joining us, Thad! We loved getting to know you and hearing more about your books.
Readers, want to know what we thought of Thad's book? You can find our reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.
Q: Would you like to leave a treat for our readers?
Yes! Flashlight Press is giving away a copy of my book, Pterodactyl Show and Tell, to one lucky reader.
What a sweet treat! Thanks Flashlight Press, and thanks again for joining us, Thad!
Giveaway Instructions: Readers, to enter this giveaway please 1) like and share/RT this post on social media and 2) thank Thad and Flashlight Press for stopping by and for their neat treat! You'll get an extra entry for each place this is shared so let us know where it was shared, too. Back-to-School and/or dinosaur themed GIFs are appreciated and welcomed.
Giveaway winners will be drawn and announced on or about 8/30!
Note: Books will be shipped in the US only. Winners must have a US address.
About Thad Krasnesky:
Thad is a former intelligence officer, who lives in Kansas with his wife, who is a yoga instructor. They have two daughters, and eight cats. They recently purchased a 140 year old, historic, Victorian mansion and are in the process of restoring it. During their renovations they have found jars of silver coins, books behind hidden panels, and even a secret room in the basement. The house, the gardens, and the cats have been featured on several television appearances and news articles, and their social media page, The Krasnesky Manor for Wayward Cats, has grown into an international presence.
Thad has an office on the second floor of the mansion that overlooks the gardens that is his designated writing office, but he is more likely to be seen tapping on his laptop on a chair with a cat in his lap, or sitting in the swing in the backyard with a notebook while the deer come up and eat apples off of the bench next to him.
To purchase Thad's books on Amazon or to leave a review for them, click here.
What a creative idea for a book! As a dino lover myself, I’ll have to read this one. I’ve found lots of kids are obsessed with dinos, so I’ve no doubt this book will make many children happy. Congratulations and thanks for sharing your experience and inspiration. I loved what you said about the “what ifs”.
OMG...my grandsons could totally make up the same Show and Tell story. Too funny! Thanks for sharing. I was happy to post on X and can't wait to read your books!
Am I the only one who never experienced Show and Tell? I feel deprived, especially after seeing these excerpts from PTERODACTYL SHOW AND TELL! Thad, did you include many art notes in your text? I bet Tanya Leonello had a blast with the illustrations. (Shared on X.)
Thanks for sharing! So cool.
Thank you for sharing your fun story!