Interview with Children’s Author Cheryl Malandrinos

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of Little Shepherd, A Christmas Kindness, and Macaroni and Cheese for Thanksgiving. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. 

She also has a son who is married. Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com/ and her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com/

Welcome to my blog. Please tell us about your picture book: Macaroni and Cheese for Thanksgiving.

Thanks for inviting me to visit with your readers, Linda. Macaroni and Cheese for Thanksgiving finds ten-year-old Macy using some quick thinking and ingenuity to save dinner when the dog swipes the turkey from the table.

This story sounds really cute. I just happen to know someone who does something like this for Thanksgiving. Haha. Where did you get your inspiration for this story?

While searching for an alternative to National Novel Writing Month in 2010, I stumbled upon Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo). The challenge: to create 30 picture book concepts in 30 days. It’s not as easy as it sounds.

By the end of the month, I was struggling to come up with concepts. A review of my ideas from earlier indicated a trend toward holiday-related books (Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Christmas). I settled on Thanksgiving, but wanted something more than the standard “be thankful” message. After wandering around in my brain a bit, I decided a holiday disaster story would fit the bill…but it would need to be something kids would find funny. That’s when the “what if’s” began flying around and I thought, “What if the dog stole the Thanksgiving Day turkey off the table?”

What ages is this book written for?

Macaroni and Cheese for Thanksgiving is part of Guardian Angel Publishing’s Littlest Angels line and is written for children ages 4 to 8.

Tell me about one of the main characters and what you love about him or her?

Macy is the oldest child in her family. She’s expected to help out around the house and enjoys cooking with her mother. Sometimes she’s the peacemaker for her eight-year-old twin brothers who fight a lot. What I really love about Macy, though, is that she’s smart and creative in providing a solution to the family’s dinner problems.

Where is your website so my readers can check out your recent and past books that you have written?

Readers can find my website at http://ccmalandrinos.com/ and I blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com/. Thanks again for hosting me today. I greatly appreciate it.

Thank you so much for this interview, Cheryl. I hope my readers will check out your children’s book.