Author: MARY CATHERINE RISHCOFF

Children’s Book: The Nanny of Keck Park

Authors’ Lounge with ReadersMagnet again presents my second children’s storybook, The Nanny of Keck Park. My name is Mary Catherine Rishcoff, the author and illustrator of The Nanny of Keck Park. Herein, I will present about myself and about my book, most especially to encourage your reading of this book. The writing of children’s books is a joy for me, but seeing them get published is more than excitement.

Authors’ Lounge with ReadersMagnet affords me the opportunity to discuss in detail why that I write children’s books. I write because I not only enjoy it, but I think that I’m good at it, also. I write to reach out to the children throughout the world. By writing, I get to share my joys, thoughts, experiences and insights. Each book that gets published is a shared unique experience itself.

Because of Authors’ Lounge with ReadersMagnet, I have already discussed The Nanny of Keck Park and myself at a previous time. Presently, I would like to share how that I contrived “the Nanny of Keck Park”. She is a purely fictitious character created entirely from my imagination. One day while drawing in Keck Park, I drew a face. This was many, many years ago. I kept that so called “portrait” with me throughout numerous moves. Finally, after living at Gross Towers in Allentown, Pennsylvania for a bit of time, I sat down to write a story using this “portrait”. The Nanny of Keck Park popped into my mind.

No doubt, my playing in Keck Park so many years past influenced the creation of “the Nanny of Keck Park”. Just as important, my childhood experience of getting caramels from our neighbor in St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania played a role in her creation.

Furthermore, I recalled helping a young boy from the neighborhood with a small cut when I resided near Keck Park.

A nanny should be a good experience. Children deserve good experiences. With “the Nanny of Keck Park” there are only good experiences because she is very special. Her specialness is clearly heartfelt by all that encounter her. Hence, I consider the children’s storybook, The Nanny of Keck Park to be both a worthwhile read and an exciting read.

In Authors’ Lounge with ReadersMagnet, I have told of my creation of “the Nanny of Keck Park” and the story itself. Now, I would like to discuss my challenge with illustrating the children’s storybook, The Nanny of Keck Park. I spent considerable time and thought on the illustrating of this story. Daily, I pondered how I would present the pictures for the book. I contemplated at a Chinese buffet while waiting for my food. My eyes wandered. I saw the pictures hanging on the wall there. I imagined. I would frame each particular reference be it “the Nanny of Keck Park” herself or be it the seagulls in flight. Hence, I designed my pictures accordingly.

Additionally, I knew that I wanted diamonds for the Nanny’s eyes because her eyes were akin the brilliance of diamonds. I knew that I wanted her eyes to be emphasized, thereby depicting the relevance of expression. Conclusively, those pictures arose. After further thinking, the drawings came together. Because ‘the Nanny of Keck Park” shared her kindness with candies, I drew candies for the background of the pages for the text. I felt that artistic portrayal of sweetness and kindness was suitable. All in all, for an amateur artistic effort, I consider that the illustrations for the storybook, The Nanny of Keck Park, concisely convey the messages of that story itself.

Be it known, I became especially fond of color from my early adult years onward. As in my other published children’s storybooks, lots of color shines forth in the book, The Nanny of Keck Park. I consider the use of lots of color as appropriate for children’s storybooks. The expression about variety as the spice of life applies here as well as in my personal life with regard the use of color. In the storybook itself, I am particularly partial to the drawing of the little girl with the red, curly hair. This is because of my liking for lots of color.

It is my intention for the readers of my storybook, The Nanny of Keck Park, to enjoy not only the story itself as a writing, but to appreciate the drawings as they apply, also. The drawings tell a story themselves. Each illustration was carefully designed and selected to the end of storytelling. The tears on the injured boy are detailed and specific. The candies are indicative of the sweetness of “the Nanny of Keck Park” herself. The harmony of the text and the illustrations make for both a good read and a good storybook. In my opinion, storytelling should be fun. Hence, collaborating pictures full of color are more likely to appeal not only to children, but to adult readers, also.

The prominent use of the color green in the storybook is purposeful. Green is a lavish color. It is a color of Nature. It is a vivid color, also. “The Nanny of Keck Park” lavishes the park-goers with her kindness and generosity. Furthermore, the story occurs in a park, more specifically Keck Park. “The Nanny of Keck Park” is a striking character. She makes impressions on the park-goers. Like the color green, she is fruitful. Also, the use of the color green in the book lends itself to spice.

The text of the book, The Nanny of Keck Park shines colorful itself. The text is detailed and vivid. It is crisp and clear. Like color, the story contains variety. Like color, the story beams with goodness. Additionally, there are very few children who do not like candy and there are far fewer persons who do not appreciate kindness. Candy is sweet; kindness is sweet. The sweetness of kindness becomes all too clear as the story unravels.

Because of Authors’ Lounge with ReadersMagnet, I have been able to present my ‘behind the scenes” of my storybook, The Nanny of Keck Park. I consider these details as highlighting my storybook with strong appeal. The appeal is directed to both children and adult readers alike.

Once again, I get to present in Authors’ Lounge with ReadersMagnet that my storybook, The Nanny of Keck Park makes a good read.  The fictitious character, “the Nanny of Keck Park” is one reason behind making the book a good read. That she shows specialness and that children can learn about how each of us is special are other reasons. The unique illustrations keenly convey the meaning of specialness. Furthermore, the brilliant color used in the storybook like the eyes of “the Nanny of Keck Park” serves to intensify the message of specialness in each of us. Thanks to Authors’ Lounge with ReadersMagnet for the specialness it displays, in particular with the presentation of this author, Mary Catherine Rishcoff and of my vital artistic literary work, The Nanny of Keck Park. Specialness abounds!