Best Dog Books for Kids welcomes Sheri Wall to our blog that features interviews with authors who’ve written a canine story for kids or young adults. Sheri is here to talk about The Silly Milly the Dane Collection, which is a picture book collection published by A Matter of Rhyme for kids aged 3 to 8.
About your Best Dog Book
Who is your key dog character(s) and what kind of dog is he/she?
Milly is a Great Dane, and she is my niece’s beloved pet.
What is your dog book about?
The Silly Milly Collection consists of three books (with another on the way).
Silly Milly the Dane is about her all-around big dog shenanigans.
A Silly Milly Fall combines Milly’s Halloween and Thanksgiving “petitude.”
A Silly Milly Christmas chronicles a family Christmas Eve where Milly was our entertainment.
What inspired you to write this dog book?
My niece, Erin, asked me to write a book about Milly. I had just started writing books as an empty-nester creative outlet, and Erin thought Milly would make a great main character. I definitely agreed!
What else would you like readers to know about your dog book?
Milly’s books are written in limericks with varying degrees of repetition to keep all readers interested and entertained. Just about everything in Milly’s books has actually happened. I’ve taken a few creative liberties, though. My niece, Erin, is a graphic designer and she personally completes the layout process for each of her Milly’s books.
About the Writing Process
What was the biggest challenge you had writing your dog book? How did you overcome it?
Writing limericks while varying the repetition was my biggest challenge. I also needed to keep the same feel throughout. There are only so many words that rhyme with Milly. I also wanted to introduce young readers to new words, alliteration, and synonym usage. I just kept editing and trying different combinations, and it all seems to work!
What kind of story can readers expect next from you? Is it about a dog? If so, what can you tell us about it?
While I have other rhyming children’s books, Milly’s books are the most popular. Her next book will feature a very special day that is shared by everyone everywhere! I hope to release it this spring. There are limericks galore and some special guests in the book.
Can you remember the first book that made an impact on you? Why?
From my childhood, I remember The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss. I just loved the goofy playfulness and the bright pictures.
While reading to my young sons, I loved the classic The Red Carpet by Rex Parkin. It was so flowy and fun.
What is your favorite dog book? Why?
That’s a tough question. I’m going to say No Roses for Harry by Gene Zion because I read it to my niece and my sons, and we all identified with Harry not liking a clothing gift he had received. We weren’t fortunate enough to have the same resolution Harry did though.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
A writer’s job is to write. Keep writing, whether it is just a list of ideas, little poems, or funny lines that pop into your head. Eventually, you will write your first book. There is so much information available online to help you on your journey, and there is always more to learn.
About the Author
If you’d like to learn more about Sheri Wall, you can check out the author’s website or follow the author on Facebook or Instagram, and follow Milly on Instagram. You can also find book reviews from Amazon.
Thank you Sheri, for joining us at Best Dog Books. We look forward to reading your dog book!
Dog Book Resources
For other great books about dogs, check out 101 Best Dog Books for Kids.
For published authors, check out our Best Dog Book Medal.
