I write children's books because...
I became an avid reader at a very early age, thanks to my dad who introduced me to many great books. I started writing alternate history, romantic fantasy, magical realism novels but when a friend who has young children told me that she couldn't find good and educational stories for her kids, I decided to write my first children's book.
I get inspiration from:
Childhood memories such as when the old spinster in my neighborhood tried to drown kittens in the river and my friends and I rescued the kittens.
When a child was excitedly telling me a story with a wide smile on his face and sparkles in his eyes, in the ER after I gave him a shot and a lollipop, but I didn't understand a word because he spoke Spanish.
When a group of kids pointed and laughed at a little girl who was sitting in the wheelchair, struggling to turn onto the ramp at the museum entrance.
When I saw a sister and brother bickering, calling each other names and ready to tear each other's hair out at the beach. But, when the little girl fell and hit her knee on a rock, all the bickering was forgotten in an instant. The boy hugged his sister and carried her to the blanket where their mother was reading.
I write:
Bilingual books for children ages 4-12 about acceptance, friendship, family, and moral values such as accepting people with disabilities, dealing with bullies, and not judging others before getting to know them.
Through my stories I also like to encourage children to use their imagination and daydream about fantasy worlds.
I get inspiration from:
Childhood memories such as when the old spinster in my neighborhood tried to drown kittens in the river and my friends and I rescued the kittens.
When a child was excitedly telling me a story with a wide smile on his face and sparkles in his eyes, in the ER after I gave him a shot and a lollipop, but I didn't understand a word because he spoke Spanish.
When a group of kids pointed and laughed at a little girl who was sitting in the wheelchair, struggling to turn onto the ramp at the museum entrance.
When I saw a sister and brother bickering, calling each other names and ready to tear each other's hair out at the beach. But, when the little girl fell and hit her knee on a rock, all the bickering was forgotten in an instant. The boy hugged his sister and carried her to the blanket where their mother was reading.
I write:
Bilingual books for children ages 4-12 about acceptance, friendship, family, and moral values such as accepting people with disabilities, dealing with bullies, and not judging others before getting to know them.
Through my stories I also like to encourage children to use their imagination and daydream about fantasy worlds.
Read sample pages from my books in the presentation below
In my bookstore
Fantasy adventure for children 4-12
EBOOK
https://www.amazon.com/Haunted-Bakery-Seven-Pines-ebook/dp/B07DWGYXHG/
PAPERBACK
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1983225606
https://www.amazon.com/Haunted-Bakery-Seven-Pines-ebook/dp/B07DWGYXHG/
PAPERBACK
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1983225606
MG children & young adult fantasy series
for ages 8-17
Golden Book Award Winner, spooky and funny heroic fantasy adventure series for middle-grade children and young adults.
“Szabo and Bonadonna’s story crackles with action and excitement. Their storytelling moves with the speed of lightning, but never lets the reader get lost. The atmosphere is just spooky enough to be fun but never enough to be too scary.”
“Szabo and Bonadonna’s story crackles with action and excitement. Their storytelling moves with the speed of lightning, but never lets the reader get lost. The atmosphere is just spooky enough to be fun but never enough to be too scary.”
EBOOK
books2read.com/u/3nOPkR
Amazon b&w PRINT:
https://tinyurl.com/ybecq233
B&N b&w PRINT:
https://tinyurl.com/yaz35xs7
B&N color PRINT:
https://tinyurl.com/y7b59r75
books2read.com/u/3nOPkR
Amazon b&w PRINT:
https://tinyurl.com/ybecq233
B&N b&w PRINT:
https://tinyurl.com/yaz35xs7
B&N color PRINT:
https://tinyurl.com/y7b59r75
“I was instantly swept up into an adventure of limitless possibilities. Though written for children, I as an adult felt drawn into a mystical place where anything can happen—where children can be mighty warriors, and battle the forces of evil.” ~Lee Porche
Read a few pages from the book
Children's book for ages 2-6
Terry is struggling to learn numbers. Pansy, Terry’s dog, and Pansy’s best friend, Oliver, the hedgehog, want to help but they don’t know how. In the morning, Terry tells her mother that the fairy showed her the numbers in her dream. Her mother doesn’t believe her, but Grandma says, “Maybe there is a Number Fairy, Sweet Pea… Maybe there is.”
Amazon EBOOK: http://tinyurl.com/ybellqhy
Amazon PRINT: http://tinyurl.com/ya23huxh
B&N: http://tinyurl.com/ybtr8pml
Online stores eBook: https://books2read.com/u/bo602Z
Amazon PRINT: http://tinyurl.com/ya23huxh
B&N: http://tinyurl.com/ybtr8pml
Online stores eBook: https://books2read.com/u/bo602Z
Children's book for ages 2-6
Penny always wants to do what her big brother does. She imitates his every move and constantly tweets, “Me, too.” Spike is angry at his sister and threatens to name her Metoo, but when the two young chickens face danger, Spike realizes how important family is and happy to have a sometimes annoying, but loving and brave little sister.
Amazon EBOOK: http://tinyurl.com/yatgkjhx
Amazon PRINT: http://tinyurl.com/yb6a7qg3
Online stores EBOOK: https://books2read.com/u/4EW9KE
Amazon PRINT: http://tinyurl.com/yb6a7qg3
Online stores EBOOK: https://books2read.com/u/4EW9KE
Coloring book
Children love to listen to stories as much as they love to tell them. This coloring book encourages children to use their imagination and write their own stories while they’re coloring the pictures. The idea of this book originated from watching my daughter when she was little. She loved to draw and color and she made up quite interesting tales about the bunnies, kittens, and princesses in the pictures.
When the children finish coloring the pictures and writing their stories, the book will become a precious keepsake for parents.
When the children finish coloring the pictures and writing their stories, the book will become a precious keepsake for parents.
Children's book for ages 4-12
"Children always daydream about imaginary worlds. When they reach adulthood, most of them stop daydreaming. They lose the magic of imagination and the happy dreamers they used to be cease to exist." ~Erika M Szabo
Amazon EBOOK: http://tinyurl.com/jfqhs3v
Amazon PRINT: http://tinyurl.com/hshpl8n
B&N: http://tinyurl.com/y8ytom3o
Online stores EBOOK: https://books2read.com/u/bo608Z
Amazon PRINT: http://tinyurl.com/hshpl8n
B&N: http://tinyurl.com/y8ytom3o
Online stores EBOOK: https://books2read.com/u/bo608Z
Children's book for ages 4-12
When Bianca, Daniel, and Peanut, the St. Bernard, are confronted by Mark and his cronies, the BFFs stand up to the brute bullies with the help of Peanut. Their adventure continues when they see a woman throwing four tiny, meowing kittens into the river. Can the BFFs save them?
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The audio book is available at AUDIBLEListen to a short sample
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Bilingual children's story for ages 4-12
Pico, the parrot, is sad and frustrated. He screeches and squawks all day but because he speaks Spanish, nobody understands him. His story teaches children acceptance, compassion, and helping others.
"Pico the Pesky Parrot is an adorable story that teaches a strong message of compassion, community, and communication." ~Janet
"Pico the Pesky Parrot is an adorable story that teaches a strong message of compassion, community, and communication." ~Janet
Amazon EBOOK: http://tinyurl.com/y95dorv2
Amazon PRINT: http://tinyurl.com/ydcf7w5r
B&N: http://tinyurl.com/y8qgpkqm
Online stores EBOOK: https://books2read.com/u/mdKQdW
Amazon PRINT: http://tinyurl.com/ydcf7w5r
B&N: http://tinyurl.com/y8qgpkqm
Online stores EBOOK: https://books2read.com/u/mdKQdW
Children's book for ages 4-12
“I love this little book that teaches children and adults about the difficulties people of all ages face with the loss of hearing. In this book Erika shows us a fun and exciting way to communicate with the hearing impaired.” ~Cathy Collar
Amazon EBOOK: http://tinyurl.com/ybdrytka
Amazon PRINT: http://tinyurl.com/ybnztorb
B&N: http://tinyurl.com/yakaxlf3
Online stores EBOOK: https://books2read.com/u/4jKZP2
Amazon PRINT: http://tinyurl.com/ybnztorb
B&N: http://tinyurl.com/yakaxlf3
Online stores EBOOK: https://books2read.com/u/4jKZP2
Mira, ¡puedo hablar con los dedos!
Amazon EBOOK: http://tinyurl.com/yd8em2d7
Amazon PRINT: http://tinyurl.com/ych3r9kn
B&N: http://tinyurl.com/yb9jjk4t
Online stores EBOOK: https://books2read.com/u/3neQ2K
Amazon PRINT: http://tinyurl.com/ych3r9kn
B&N: http://tinyurl.com/yb9jjk4t
Online stores EBOOK: https://books2read.com/u/3neQ2K
A few reviews
5 stars by You can call me Lynn
Family Friendly Story
"This is a children's book for around 3rd grade and up.
Bianca and her best friend, Daniel along with her dog Peanut set off to go swimming on the first day of summer. Along the way they encounter classmates. One who is down right mean and influences the behavior of others. As they are swimming, an old woman throws some kittens in the water. Will the best friends be able to save the felines?
I really loved the book and especially how Ms. Szabo treated the subject matter. This is a family friendly story I believe people elementary school and up will enjoy."
"This is a children's book for around 3rd grade and up.
Bianca and her best friend, Daniel along with her dog Peanut set off to go swimming on the first day of summer. Along the way they encounter classmates. One who is down right mean and influences the behavior of others. As they are swimming, an old woman throws some kittens in the water. Will the best friends be able to save the felines?
I really loved the book and especially how Ms. Szabo treated the subject matter. This is a family friendly story I believe people elementary school and up will enjoy."
5 stars by Susan Keefe
A lovely and very informative book which actually shows how to sign
When Sandra’s much loved Grandma Rose starts to lose her hearing, whilst her parents become increasingly frustrated, and sad, little Sandra has a brilliant idea. You see grandma has problems hearing the right sounds, so she gets the words muddled, and so Sandra shows her grandma a picture of the thing she is talking about on her IPad. Grandma Rose and Sandra make the problem into a game by having fun and using a rhyming game. Then one day Sandra discovers a signing website…
Soon grandma and granddaughter are learning how to sign together, and when they notice what fun their daughter is having, her parents even join in.
Then one sunny day Sandra meets a little boy called Thomas who is deaf, he is sad and lonely because of his disability. Befriending him, he tells her he can lip read and soon he is no longer lonely, he is joining in with her friends, and teaching the other children how to sign.
This is a lovely story which delivers important lessons in a wonderful way. Through Sandra’s acceptance of her grandma’s problem and positive attitude to overcoming the difficulties, the reader is taught valuable lessons about friendship, support and helping people with a disability fit into the community.
I downloaded this with my Kindle Unlimited subscription as my grandchildren are hear and their granddad is hard of hearing. They loved listening to it, and we had fun together practicing the signing which is in the book. A real gem of a book!
5 Stars by JED
You can always make the best of what seems like a bad situation
This was a fun book that teaches not only that sign language can be an important tool, but that you can always make the best of what seems like a bad situation
When Sandra’s grandmother gets sick and loses some of her hearing it seems like the end of their great daily conversations. Then Sandra finds a website that tells the different hand positions for letters in sign language. This leads to a wonderful learning experience that brings the whole family closer together and leads to new friendships.
Overall a fun read and a fun learning experience that kids and families should enjoy.
5 Stars by Taabiana
I see why its on Amazon's top list!
What a joyful story. It sent me back to when I was in elementary and had to learn sign language for our graduation ceremony. I loved learning and enjoyed teaching younger children to sign the alphabet when I became an adult.
Sandra and her grandmother have a special bond. That bond is jeapordized when grandma's hearing goes bad. Read how one little girl teaches her grandmother, her family, and her friends, how to relate to someone who is hearing impaired.
A must read for the young and old. You're never to old to learn as Author Erika Szabo shows us in this bestselling book.
5 stars by Cathy Collar
I love this little book that teaches children and adults about the difficulties people of all ages face with the loss of hearing. In this book Erika shows us a fun and exciting way to communicate with the hearing impaired. This book is a wonderful way to teach your child the importance of getting to know all of the facts before you judge a person. I would definitely recommend this book for every child to read.
5 stars by 1DreamReader
A Great Teaching Tool!
Look I Can Talk With My Fingers is a children’s book with endless teaching opportunities! As a children’s reading specialist I am recommending this book highly. A great teaching tool! This book can be read by children ages 8 on up, as a shared book, or a read-aloud by another. Grandma Rosa loses her hearing and her granddaughter Sandra helps her find a way to overcome her disability by learning to sign. There are colorful images included with the symbols for signing to allow children to actually learn the basics here. The lesson of compassion is dealt with in a most wonderful way. As a teacher I will be sharing this story with my students. We will also enjoy practicing the hand signals and forming the words, which are also provided in the book. Well done author Erika M Szabo!
5 stars by Sandra Bennett
A Wonderful Teaching Resource
A delightful story for use at home or in the classroom. Let Erika M. Szabo take you on a learning journey from hearing loss and sadness to acceptance and understanding as you and your kids read this wonderful short chapter book. Sandra and her grandmother are saddened when they discover they can no longer continue their usual after school chats after her grandmother becomes partially deaf. The family is frustrated that grandma can no longer follow conversations which leads Sandra to search for a solution. Eventually she finds a sign language website and together they begin to learn a whole new language. This proves enormous value to Sandra when she meets a hearing impaired boy at the playground. The other kids don't want to play with him because he is different but once Sandra breaks down the barriers through signing the other children accept the new member into the group. This is a story that teaches tolerance and understanding besides how to sign. Classroom teachers would find this enormous value.
