Janet Councilman, the author of the children’s book Sammie the Shark and the Return of the Lost Gift (Covenant Books; 2019), was featured on the most recent episode of America Tonight’s “Author’s Corner” with Kate Delaney.
This is a lovely fable that shares the adventures of Sammie the Shark, who discovers a shiny object on the seafloor and realizes it is a special gift for a person. It also imparts an appreciation for the beauty of Mother Nature through the wonders of animals in their natural habitat. Whereas she focuses more on animals and her love of the ocean, which inspired her to write this children’s book.
What led Janet to write “Sammie the Shark”?
“Well, my husband and I live on the coast of North Carolina, and my love of the ocean and the beach and the animals is how I got started writing Sammie and so I just created a character and a name, and a title, and started writing; and that’s about it,” Janet said in an interview with Kate. She discusses how much she enjoys writing Sammie the Shark, and how she even enjoys teaching the kids a little about the shark and simply keeping the kids interested, which is how she got started.
“Sammie is very special to me since I live on the coast and I had to write about the animals in the sea,” she added.
What does “Sammie the Shark” teach us?
“Well, Sammie is a good shark and he has many loyal friends, and he is kind to each and every one of them; and his mother has taught him to be loving and caring,” Janet said. She shares how this story deals with a lost gift, so it teaches the kids how to be loving and caring, and helpful.
Janet worked as an autistic children’s teacher before becoming an author, and her teaching experience has inspired her in different ways that it’s a blessing in disguise. “What was it like working with children that were autistic?” Kate asked.
Janet shares how it was a very interesting experience. She said when she took the job she thought they wanted somebody artistic so she accepted the job and had her interview and then when she went over to teach in an elementary school. “They took me then to the autistic class and I fell in love with the kids,” she said.
There, she taught them many different things (e.g., about animals). “It was just a wonderful experience,” she added. She learned so much and shared how they were such wonderful kids. It was a happy accident for Janet and she thanked the Lord for leading her to this. Because she has written seven books, and her latest one is just coming out soon.
Janet answers what “Sammie the Shark” is all about
“Sammie and his friends live in Coral Bay and he finds a treasure which is not sure at first what the shiny object could be but ends up being a gift, right? Yes, it was like a lost gift and he found it and was able to return it to the person that owned it which happens to be his mom and she was so thankful,” Janet said.
And because he had brought it back to mom, Sammie brought it to play with his friends in colorful Coral Bay.
Why should you read “Sammie the Shark and the Return of the Lost Gift” or wrap this as a present?
“This is a fine book to help children understand that returning lost things can teach them honesty and courage to do the right thing, as well as understanding the value of something important,” said Janet. So, if you’re interested in Sammie the Shark’s adventure, you can get yours today at Amazon.