Paulino Davo reviewed Ti and the magical key: Where the sky is born (Black & White version) (Volume 2)
After being under Tis magical story I can only say I was transported to the beautiful world of The Caribbean ocean and the magic of relationship between nature and human kind We all have so much to learn and I give this book my thumbs up!!!! This book continues Ti's search for the magical keys. Following the clues, his journey takes him to the place where the sky is born. He is not aware that Kukulkan - the god of the wind - and his allies are monitoring his progress...
With Ti and the Magical Key: Where the sky is born, Dana Popov continues the suspenseful story of a young boy ordered to search the magical key. Ti and his new friends are believable and lovingly described. It is a great story about friendship, suitable for children aged 6+. The story has a very pleasant flow, cute drawings assisting the plot line. Ti and the Magical Key: Where the sky is born is a very enjoyable read - not only for children. What I especially liked is the Pronunciation Guide - a great service for readers who like to pronounce names (and/or words in general) correctly. This is for you and/or your children if you like children's adventures and/or folk tales with a slightly educational touch. Highly recommended. Charlotte reviewed Ti and the magical key: Where the sky is born (Black & White version) (Volume 2) Love this book! Once again I love sharing the history and magic of Riviera Maya that is wonderfully illustrated. Both myself and my son loved the addition of the mangroves, they were so fun! I am reminded of Harry Potter books but excited that these magical places exist and I can't wait to visit them again. Can't wait for the next adventure of Ti and his friends. (Or a movie?!?). What inspired you to write your first book? The first book of the series ‘Ti and the Magical Key’ was part of a project we started in 2007. We is my husband who is originally from Quebec/Canada and I am from Germany.
In 2002 we met in Playa del Carmen – Mexico where we lived for 8 years. The entire area is filled with Mayan history and culture. We wanted to engage the tourists into the culture and the local environment during their stay and believed that a story would be the most entertaining way for children to learn about it. Unfortunately the project back then never took off and we forgot about the story until this year. Our daughter loves books and so I suddenly remembered the story and started writing on it again. Weirdly enough it was really easy. How did you come up with the title? We wanted to change the title from the original project “Key to Paradise” to something new because the project itself was past. The first idea my husband had was ‘Ti and the Magical Key’ and I loved it. Is this your first book? How many books have you written (published or unpublished)? Yes, first published book. I always liked to write though. I have a blog in German about food for babies. Weirdly enough ‘Ti and the Magical Key’ I write in English and then translate it into German. Don’t know why. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? Absolutely. Besides being educational on culture and environment it is about empowerment for kids. Believe in yourself!!! How much of the book is realistic? The story line itself is fiction however all of the environmental information are researched and so are a the places, temples, Mayan gods etc. A lot of little details in the book are true to the believes of the Mayas and educate without the feeling of being educated. I wanted to ‘un-dust’ the Mayan culture with this book. A lot of existing books or movies are either bloody or feel out of date and do this amazing culture no justice. Are your characters based on someone you know, or events in your own life? The Mayan gods are based on Mayan believes however some of their relations are fiction. The boy and his parents are fiction. Of the characters you have created or envisioned, which is your favorite & why? It is two of the characters. The gods Kukulkan and Itzama because one is the evil one and the other one the good god. It is the ying and the yang. If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book? Probably the format. The second book is a lot longer and more intense than the first book. So it will have a different format than the first book. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? ‘ Dream, Believe and protect our planet. What do you enjoy most about writing? That I hopefully inspire children to do more research on culture and environment. What age did you start writing stories/poems? My first poem was around the age of 8. It was four lines long and rhymed well. What is your favorite part/chapter of your book/project? Seeing the story come alive in the images and the first time I read a new chapter to my husband and he goes: “Wow” What is your favorite theme/genre to write? Writing for children and take them on an imaginary journey. Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it? Any type of abuse What book are you reading now? It is a German book. It is a humorous perspective of a mother on her life. I can relate to it. My daughter is four. Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? I purposely read in German because I do not want to lose my mother tongue. A lot of the authors are German. Probably nobody you would know. Do you see writing as a career? I never did. But I really want the series ‘Ti and the Magical Key’ to reach children all over the world because I love the message and education in it. This is why we translate the story from English into German, French and Spanish. Do you nibble as you write? If so what’s your favorite snack food? Unfortunately chocolate :) I wish it would be an apple. Do you have any odd habits or childhood stories? I am rolling my eyes a lot when someone tells me a story. My daughter picked that up and we had a meeting at her kindergarden where we got told that rolling eyes is not a nice habit. Where do you see yourself in ten years? On a balcony overlooking the ocean writing a book. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? A lot of research goes into ‘Ti and the Magical Key’. Because a lot of evidence has been destroyed when the Spaniards conquered the Americas you find different opinions on the internet. At some point I have to decide which one to follow without really knowing. What reward do you give yourself for making a deadline? More chocolate :) Have you ever hated something you wrote? Not that I remember. But then again my brain capacity diminished during pregnancy and never fully recovered. So I can’t answer that with certainty. What book do you wish you had written? Harry Potter What is your best marketing tip? I am still figuring the marketing out myself. Currently we have a Facebook Fan page, twitter- and Pinterest account as well as a website. We are trying to get the kids involved and are writing personally to our fans to invite them into the ‘VIP Readers Club’ where we share secrets about the next book and adventures. As well we started a blog on our website ‘Ti travels the world’ where parents from all over the world are sending us pictures of their kids with the book. I really love the blog. The pictures are amazing and are the best reward. What genre is your next project? What is it about? I am working on finishing the second book of the series. Can you tell us about your upcoming book? The gods are playing a much bigger role in the second book and we are introducing a girl. In regards to the environment we cover the mangroves and cenotes/sinkholes. How do we find your books, blog and bio? http://www.amazon.com/Ti-Magical-Key-How-began/dp/1512097934/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1441507796&sr=1-4 http://www.tiandthemagicalkey.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html http://www.tiandthemagicalkey.com/blog-ti-travels-the-world http://www.tiandthemagicalkey.com/buy-book.html http://www..facebook.com/Tiandthemagicalkey https://twitter.com/themagicalkey You can email us at [email protected] By Maxie Bowen
on September 13, 2015 Cute book! I love having new stories to read to the kids I take care of on the weekends. This book is filled with illustrations, too, which makes it a hit with the little ones. Ti is an inspiring kid who teaches some good life lessons. I also love that Popov included animals as main characters in the story (I'm a vet student so I'm a sucker for animals!). I think reading books online would be a fabulous alternative for the new-day children who would rather play on an iPad than read an actual book... This is a great compromise for them! By Marshall Hanks "Marshall"
on September 15, 2015 I enjoyed this almost as much as my young cousin. It is a children's picture book steeped in history and intrigue, beginning with the Mayans and powerful gods, and continuing to the imaginative adventure of a boy and a turtle. What you notice immediately are the illustrations which are bright, crisp and intricately detailed, making them enjoyable eyecandy for any young one. A great story and a great visual adventure--"Ti and the Magical Key" is a must read. ByWilma Richards
on September 16, 2015 What an exciting and great adventure of this young boy Ti. My nephews love this book and they are so excited and happy when I was telling them the story. The pictures looks very real, colorful and it is very attractive to young children. The story is about friendship, courage and happiness. This book is inspiring and thrilling. I encourage every parent to have a copy of this book and read it to their children or grand children perhaps. This is just perfect! I love it! Great book! September 11, 2015
By Rafaela Dubrich Verified Purchase A book that will keep the children and adult alike into reading from the beginning until the end. The story of Ti and his friends in search of a magical key was a beautiful story about friendship and adventure. My nephew was really excited to browse the whole book because of the beautiful illustration. It was a beautiful story with a beautiful illustration. It is a fun read and very much entertaining. I cannot wait for the second book to come out. Totally worth every penny
September 9, 2015 This is a book that is totally worth the price. This book tells the story of a very unlikely friendship between a young boy and a 95 year old turtle. Together, they discover different places and know more about the world and themselves. I think that this story is worth retelling to children as it teaches them many life lessons that will surely shape the way they think and learn. Children need to be taught these kinds of lessons and storytelling is a very effective method to enrich them. Truly commendable efforts to the author to impart this story. Fascinating and absolutely entertaining!
September 5, 2015 This is a very well written story that will take you to a wonderful journey with Ti and his friends in search for the magical key which was hidden to protect the Mayan people. This is a fascinating story of courage and friendship, friends who stand for each other amidst adversities. Excellent book, very well illustrated and pretty wholesome that's sure to entertain adults and kids alike. |
AuthorDana Popov is the author of "Ti and the Magical Key™". This story came alive by the cultural surrounding of her home of choice, Mexico. Archives
July 2016
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