turkeyThe Turkey’s Treat by Marie Sanderlin Metroke, illustrated by Victor Guiza

It’s four days before Christmas, and young Jeff Watson just wants the perfect holiday – tree, turkey, and snow covering the ground. Mother Nature takes care of the weather, but the Watson family still has a lot to do before the big day. Picking out a turkey is at the top of young Jeff’s list. But he never imagined the tasty dish would be one that talks back!

Follow Jeff and his delightful family as they find that selecting a Christmas turkey is a lot more difficult when you have to catch it yourself. The uproarious hijinks that follow land Jeff in the emergency room – and bring the family closer together. But when he gets a hold of his feathered friend, Jeff might find the plucky gobbler is just too adorable to put on a plate. Through it all, Jeff discovers the true meaning of Christmas is about more than just the fixings. And that’s a message kids of all ages can gobble up!

My thoughts:

Amber really enjoyed this one. It’s not on my list of favorite kid’s books, by any means, but Amber asked to read it twice in a row, so that says a lot. Once again, she loves books where animals hold a main part, apparently even when the animal is a turkey. It’s definitely a cute one to read to a child during the holidays.

Q & A:

I want to thank you, Marie, for taking the time to answer some questions today. My daughter helped with them, so we both really appreciate it.

What made you want to be a writer?
 
Ever since I was a young girl, I wanted to be a writer. I was always fascinated with ghost stories like Casper, the Friendly Ghost
 
I love children. Children are our future. In The Turkey’s Treat, Jeff learned an important lesson from his experience with the turkey. I emphasize the importance of listening to his parents by showing the consequenses that happened when he didn’t. Another underlying message is the value of family and learning that Christmas isn’t just about presents under a tree or what to eat for a Christmas dinner, but instead it’s being able to spend time with loved ones. If I can get these messages across to children of all ages like this, it makes me a happy camper. Isn’t that what love is all about?
 
Do you have any advice for kids who want to become writers?
 
For school age children, make sure you save all your class writing assignments to use when you become a writer. It will give you great ideas for stories in future. Put them in a folder, then mark the folder with the date and your age. 
 
What inspired you to write this story?
 
A good memory from when my daugther, Lori, was a young girl. The Turkey’s Treat is a true story. Lori, better known as Jeff in the story, loved all animals. When she heard Mom’s voice, she decided to ignore Mom and pet the turkey anyway. The turkey bit her pinky and landed her in the emergency room. She learned a great lesson that day. One she has never forgotten.
 
What were some of your favorite Christmas traditions when you were a kid?
 
I am still a kid at heart. When I was a young girl, my Aunt Katherine would invite Mom, Dad, and me to her home on Christmas Eve. There were nine of us kids and we had to go to bed if we wanted Santa to come. Our parents would wake us up and then, Santa would hand out our presents and a candy cane, too. This is a precious memory and my husband, Terry and I, kept doing this when our girls, Tammy and Lori, were little. I had the most wonderful parents, Frank Richard Edward Sanderlin and Mary Grace Sanderlin.  
 
Thank you, Carol, for reveiwing my book, The Turkey’s Treat.  The book can be found at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
 
I have a new book coming in 2010. It’s called Meet Slippery Jack at the Rodeo.

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