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Happy Valentine's Day, readers! We are thrilled to have New York Times Bestselling Author Brandi Dougherty with us today. Brandi is sharing the newest addition to her bestselling series, The Littlest Valentine (illustrated by Michelle Lisa Todd). Her new book follows Emma as she helps her family's business get ready for Valentine's Day. Emma worries if she's too little to help. Want to know more about Brandi, her bestselling series, and her new book, The Littlest Valentine? Read on...
Q: Hi, Brandi! Thanks for joining #SeasonsOfKidLit. We're so excited to have you.
For those who have not had the pleasure of meeting Brandi yet, Brandi is a New York Times Bestselling Author of The Littlest Series. The Littlest Series features adorable titles such as The Littlest Elf, The Littlest Witch, The Littlest Easter Bunny, The Littlest Mummy, and more!
What gave you the idea to add The Littlest Valentine to your Littlest Series?
The Littlest Valentine was a natural part of my Littlest Series, but I loved the idea of making the Valentine an actual girl whose whole family loves Valentine’s Day. And I wanted to show the usual ways that people think about Valentine’s Day - with balloons and cards and chocolates, but to also explore other ways to give and receive love, too.
Q: In The Littlest Valentine, Emma helps her family business get ready for the holiday. But Emma just can't seem to do things the right way like the bigger members of her family, no matter how hard she tries. Emma finds a way to help her family on Valentine's Day, despite being little.
What was your favorite part about writing The Littlest Valentine?
A: I had so much fun envisioning all the ways Emma could participate in getting ready for Valentine’s Day and for the reader to see how much Emma’s whole family loves the holiday. But the most fun was thinking about what would make it extra sweet for her - the special surprise of finding a puppy who needs a loving home.
Q: Readers, want to know what gave Brandi the idea to write The Littlest Series, and how it all came about?
A: "I spent eight years working in children’s publishing at Scholastic. It was here that I cultivated my own writing for children and published my first picture book, The Littlest Pilgrim. Much to my delight, The Littlest Pilgrim landed on the New York Times bestseller list in 2008." - Brandi Dougherty
Q: This is all fascinating! Thanks so much for sharing The Littlest Valentine (and your The Littlest series) with us today!
Since this is a Valentine's Day Party, we must know, what is your favorite part of celebrating Valentine’s Day?
A: Now that I have kids, my favorite part of celebrating Valentine’s Day is the tradition I started by buying them each a book to celebrate the holiday. Of course, we celebrate with lots of yummy treats too, but my favorite part is going to my local bookstore and picking out a special book for each of them.
Q: What is your favorite Valentine’s Day Memory as a child?
A: I remember in junior high our student council had a service where you could buy a rose to send to a friend (or as a secret admirer) for Valentine’s Day. It was a lot of fun to receive special roses and notes from friends and to watch others in class receive them, too.
Q: What kid’s book character or author would you like to be your Valentine?
A: I would love the Mo Willems’ characters Gerald and Piggie to be my Valentines! They seem like they would be pretty sweet friends to have. And my kids would love this too since they are big Gerald and Piggie fans!
Thanks again for joining us, Brandi. Your Littlest Series looks like a whole lot of fun!
Q: What sweet seasonal treat would you like to leave for the readers?
A: My sweet treat is a tip: In the spirit of spreading love and friendship on Valentine’s Day, give some attention to a person (or furry pal) who might need a little extra love this year.
I LOVE that tip - well said! Thanks again, Brandi. Everyone, please leave a comment below to thank Brandi for stopping by.
Bonus: Those who leave a comment on all Valentine's Day Bash posts will be eligible to win one (1) of five (5) Rate Your Story Speed Passes, that are doubly sweet. They'll contain feedback from your hosts Heather Macht and Lynne Marie!
About Brandi Dougherty:
I was born and raised in Kalispell, Montana at the base of the Rocky Mountains and steps from Glacier National Park. Though I love my breathtaking home and try to be in nature when I can, the big city always called to me. After college, I made my way to the east coast and settled in New York City. I spent eight years working in children’s publishing at Scholastic. It was here that I cultivated my own writing for children and published my first picture book, The Littlest Pilgrim. Much to my delight, The Littlest Pilgrim landed on the New York Times bestseller list in 2008.
I left New York and Scholastic in 2009 to move to San Francisco where I started to pursue writing and freelance editing full time. Along with three middle grade novels and a Pixar picture book, I’ve written six other Littlest tales (with more to come!) and four books in Giada de Laurentiis's Recipe for Adventure series. I now call sunny Los Angeles my home where I wrangle two adorable kids and one crazy dog with my husband, Joe.
Please visit me at www.brandidougherty.com
For more about Brandi, check out the below links:
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com
To purchase Brandi's books on Amazon, or to leave a review, click here.
