This episode of the Reading with Your Kids podcast is sponsored by Adventures of the Johnny Pocket Band: The Battle of the Bands by Linda K Phelps. Johnny and his Brother Drummer Boy are excited to compete in the Battle of the Bands. They have 2 months to get the Band prepared, but everyone is nervous because this event will be held at the High School.  Johnny has promised himself that he will conquer his anxiety this year and start having fun. With the help of his friends he just might make it.

Grab your copy to find out at https://johnnypocket.net/

RWYK Podcast Interview with an award-winning Children’s Author Dawn Menge – Queen Vernita Educational Series

Hey everyone,

Reading with Your Kids is delighted to welcome back one of our past guests and an award-winning children’s author Dawn Menge. Menge is the self-publishing author of the Queen Vernita book series, which has garnered many awards and kept children educated and entertained since the first book in the series was published in 2008. Dawn Menge’s lauded Queen Vernita children’s book series now numbers nine impressive adventures.

In our exciting interview, we are also joined by Heather Clark. Heather is the mother of Irlene, a little girl who inspired one of the characters in Queen Venita series.

About Dawn Menge

Dr. Dawn Menge has won twenty-nine national awards as a self-published author of the Queen Vernita’s Educational Series. Her published works also include THE SIX FEDERAL INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN GOALS AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THEIR IMPLEMENTATION IN PREPARING FOR TRANSITION.
Dr. Dawn Menge has a Ph.D. in Education. She specialized in Curriculum and Instruction. A Master’s and a Clear Credential in moderate/severe disabilities and a Bachelor’s in Human Development. Dr. Dawn Menge has been teaching severely handicapped students for sixteen years.

Dr. Dawn Menge is the mother of three and the grandmother of five beautiful grandchildren.

Follow Dr. Menge on Twitter

More about Queen Vernita Series

Queen Vernita is based on my Grandmother Vernita.  Every character in the book is someone in my life.  My illustrator takes a picture I have of them and creates a character of them doing an activity.  Queen Vernita’s adventures are based on my real travels.

Each book is based on repetition and the math concepts of years, days, weeks and seasons.  Each year Queen Vernita chooses a destination and twelve wonderful friends to visit, one for each month of the year.

The latest addition to this wonderful series is Queen Vernita Conquers the Volcanic Islands. In this continuing tale, an adventuresome queen travels outside her castle to the Volcanic Islands, where she learns how important it is to respect the natural wonders of her kingdom.

More books in the series will include; Queen Vernita Visits the Great White Mountains, Queen Vernita explores Paradise Reef, Queen Vernita sails the seas with John Alden and many more adventures soon to be written.

PURCHASE HER BOOKS ON AMAZON – https://amzn.to/2SEOfju

Here is the link for folks to learn more about RETT Syndrome – https://www.rettsyndrome.org/

In this episode, 

• Introduction to Queen Vernita Educational series for kids written by Dr. Dawn Menge
• Dawn has written an educational children’s book series with Queen Vernita and her adventures. She talks about the books in the series.
• What inspired Dawn to write the first book, and if she always wanted to create a series.
• Dr. Menge explains how Queen Vernita series is designed for young readers in the middle to later elementary school.
• Heather Clark shares her insights on Rett Syndrome, how it affects her daughter Irlene and her family.
• Are there ways for families to help a child with special needs?
• How are her books different than other children’s series?

Thanks so much for talking with us, Dawn & Heather!

If you love this episode then please share and please subscribe to us on iTunes. And please spread the word: tell your friends, and leave a rating on iTunes so that others can find it.

We’d love to hear from you!  Contact us and together we can discuss what ideas you think should be included in a future episode, and we can explore potentially setting up an interview. Our goal is to have all voices at the table!

Thanks for tuning in and have a stellar day!😆

*Post contains an affiliate link

This episode of the podcast is sponsored by The Crabapple Tree: Live an Authentic Life by Tom O’Toole. It is a story of hope deferred and a renewed belief in the fulfillment of longing. It is a story that elevates the marginalized and calls forth the ostracized. It is a story about the greatest voice speaking into the hopeless heart saying, “I see you. I made you. I love you. I want you. Never forget that love is love.” Learn more at www.tomotoole.net.