THE CENTRAL PARK TALES BY MARCUS MEESTERS
9/29/2015
Click any of the pictures below to be taken directly to the Central Park Tales website and check out this awesome book for yourself.
Centsable Mom's received this book free in exchange for my honest opinion and all opinions are my own.
I have to start off by saying that my daughter read this book and absolutely loved it. This book conveys imagination in such a way that it just kept my daughter attached to this book until she was finished reading it. I would definitely recommend this book to all children because it takes their mind on an adventure and keeps them totally into the book the entire way through. My daughter told me her favorite character was Uncle Squirrel and she would laugh every time she told me about him. I feel that this book is definitely something that kids can relate to because we as adults need an escape or outlet every once in awhile and for me I do that by reading a book, by opening a book you can be magically transported wherever the book takes you. There are no limits where you can go in your mind and I also feel that allowing children to read all kinds of books really gives them a love for reading from the start. I love books and I have turned my kids into book lovers and leisure library goers. I would definitely recommend this book to all of my readers, friends, & family. Centsable Mom's cannot put a rating on a book with this magnitude of imagination and I must say I give it 100+ thumbs up and 100 fist bumps, my daughter loved it and your child will love it too. Click this link to be taken directly to Central Park Tales website and check out this awesome book today:
http://www.thecentralparktales.com/
Fun Book Release: The Central Park Tales
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.
The Central Park Tales was written and illustrated by Marcus Meesters. It embraces the viewpoint of a child, showcasing how every ordinary thing can be turned into something more. Enhanced with sixty beautiful illustrations depicting real places throughout Central park, this book consists of ten short stories that will hold your attention start to finish. This is the book we've been reading for the last three nights at bedtime. My second grader loves it because it's a 'chapter book,' and I love it because it's got him excited to read.
The pictures in this one are reminiscent of another era, and they are comforting to those of us who grew up during that time. The stories are relevant and current though, because they're classic. Each one encourages imagination, embraces the art of friendship and/or encourages children to embrace their individuality.
This book is the second of a trilogy. The first book, The Vondelpark Tales, was already released in the Netherlands and will be published in the US in 2016. The Hyde Park Tales is the third book, and it is set to release in 2016 as well.
About the Author
Marcus Meesters was born in the Netherlands. He is a lover of classic children's books and has a knack for creating instant classics of his own. Learn more about him and his books by visiting http://www.the centralparktales.com
We loved this one, none more so than my 8 year-old. This book actually had him anticipating bed time (so he could read) and that my friends, is highly unusual and was also very welcome. :)
You can purchase, 'The Central Park Tales' from Book Baby, Amazon, Barns and Noble, Books a Million, Powell's and through many major bookstores.
New children's book captures the magic of Central Park
"The Central Park Tales" is set in New York's favorite park.
Introducing your kids to the magic of Central Park is part of the fun of being a New York City parent. From the trumpet players under the bridge, to the remote control sailboats and of course the zoo, there is so much to explore.
Now, you can incorporate some of those special moments into storytime with a new book written and illustrated by Marcus Meesters. "The Central Park Tales," is about a group of friendly animals that live in the park and the curious adventures they stumble into.
"The Central Park Tales" is part of a trilogy, each book set in a different world-famous park. The first book, "The Vondelpark Tales" is set in Amsterdam, this New York City-edition is the second, and the third --- coming out in 2016 --- will be set in Hyde Park.
"My hope is that the trilogy, which is connected by a narrator named Uncle Mouse in all three books, contributes to the rich urban cultures of New York, London, and Amsterdam, creating a new intercultural connection between three beautiful cities," Meesters says.
One of THE sweetest children's books I have had the pleasure to read in quite some time, The Central Park Tales, by Marcus Meesters is a children's book made up of 10 different stories involving the animals that reside in Central Park, including: Squirrel, Duck, Frog, Mousekin, Doctor Beggar AND Mister Pup (his brother).
The enamouring qualities that this little gem of a book exudes has my daughter just adoring it and asking for more! Any story that involves an animal of any kind is a blessing for children with an imagination and a fondness of nature and so this is the perfect bedtime story book for her. We have been reading a couple of stories per night and then, once the book is done, she is happy to start over!
The illustrations, penned by the clearly talented Marcus Meesters, as well, really do bring the book to life just that little bit more, with glimpses of the real Central Park and a look into what the lives of these little creatures could be like! It is such a well written book and flows ever so nicely that it really is hard to put it down, even as an adult! It gave me great nostalgia of times when I would read books like Beatrix Potter (or similar) when I was the age that my daughter is now.
This book is definitely a keeper and I am recommending it for our Holiday Gift Guide, which you will be able to start following on Twitter with the hashtag #MGBHGG as we start to roll out from November 1st!
All children need books, especially in a world drowning in technology. I was always gifted a book at Christmas and on birthdays and it sparked a love for reading and spun my imagination off to worlds I would never have found on my own, even to this day! I would love for every child to get the chance to experience The Central Park Tales.
You can find The Central Park Tales on Amazon in hardback (or for the Kindle), at Barnes and Noble (if you have a Nook) and also available as an iBook!
Imagine how delighted I am to also find out that this is going to be part of a trilogy of books, with The Hyde Park Tales (set in London) and The Vondelpark Tales (set in Amsterdam) soon to follow in 2016. In fact, the original story of how these books came to be, and more about their author, Marcus Meesters, can be found by heading here!
Happy Tales!
Sure to Become a Classic: New Children’s Book Is Set in Central Park
Interview With Marcus Meesters, author of "The Central Park Tales"
By Linda Wiegenfeld | September 24, 2015
What better place to get away from it all, than to go to New York’s Central Park? Stretching 51 blocks, according to NewYorkKids.net, Central Park is both wooded and landscaped and contains any outdoor entertainment a child could wish for—from lakes and pools to rinks, courts, and fields. It even has a carousel!
Now there is a new addition to Central Park—although imaginary. Squirrel, Duck, Frog, Mousekin, and the lovable Dog brothers have taken up residence there in the new book “The Central Park Tales,” written by Marcus Meesters. Containing 10 short stories and 60 beautiful illustrations, the book depicts real places throughout the park.
The stories are reminiscent of another era and another classic children’s book: “Winnie the Pooh.” Indeed, A. A. Milne, who wrote the classic, was one of the authors who inspired Meesters.
Other classics that inspired Meesters were “The Wind in the Willows,” “The Tales of Beatrix Potter,” and “Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens,” he said about his new book in a phone interview on Sept. 11.
In “The Tooth Fairy,” which is Chapter 2 of “The Central Park Tales,” Striped Tail Raccoon learns it’s never too late to fulfill your dreams, as long as you go outside and show your talents to the world. (Courtesy of Marcus Meesters)
In the last, as yet unwritten, book of his trilogy, Meesters will refer to certain elements from that first “Peter Pan” book since the gardens mentioned therein adjoin Hyde Park, where the third book will take place.
Meesters associates parks and adventures in those parks with the feeling that classic children’s books give him. He picked the setting of Central Park for his current book because it was beautiful and extraordinary. He felt that it could easily be turned into an enchanted experience in the imagination of a child. Lush and green, it sits in the midst of one of the most bustling, most famous cities in the world.
Meesters hopes children will be able to identify real places, scenes, and landmarks throughout Central Park when they visit and that would enhance their experience.
Overall, he wants children to celebrate how unique individuals can live together and become friends. He envisions children being able to empathize with some of his characters and view the world from their perspectives.
From Amsterdam to New York
“The Tales of Central Park” is the second book in a trilogy. Meesters wrote his first book, “The Vondelpark Tales,” when he lived in Amsterdam. He loved to walk in Vondelpark, Amsterdam’s most popular park.
One day while walking in this beautiful park, it came to Meesters to write a fictional tale about the animals that lived there. This inspiration allowed him to combine three of his passions—nature, classic children’s tales, and animals—into one. And it allowed him to combine two of his favorite activities: writing and drawing.
In illustrating his own books, Meesters usually first made a pencil drawing. When he was satisfied with it, he used a light box to trace the drawing on a sheet of watercolor paper. Then he painted it with watercolors.
However, Dutch publishers said that there were too many illustrations in the book to make it a commercial success. But Meesters did not want to publish the book without them and so decided to self-publish the book. He ordered 1,000 hardcover copies.
In 2010 he distributed the book, titled “De Vondelparkverhalen,” to bookstores across Amsterdam. The book became one of the best-selling children’s books locally and multiple editions soon followed. (Although “The Vondelpark Tales” is the first book written in the trilogy, the English translation has not been released yet; it will be in 2016.)
The book received a good deal of media attention. Walking tours in the park were organized around it, and Meesters wrote a puppet show, based on the book, which was performed in Vondelpark.
In March 2012, Meesters accepted an offer by his employer to be transferred to the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire, and he put all aspects of “The Vondelpark Tales” and its related activities on hold.
Meesters did not forget about his success, though. He began envisioning a trilogy: “The Central Park Tales” would be his second book and “The Hyde Park Tales” his third, set in London. He decided to use different animals in each book but have all the books linked together by a narrator named Uncle Mouse. He wanted to create a new intercultural connection between three beautiful cities.
Perhaps one day a statue of his characters will take its place among the others in Central Park.
Behind the Stories
“The Dutch writer and illustrator Marten Toonder, who I admire, once said that there’s a part of yourself in each character you create,” Meesters said.
“When I look at my characters, I see myself in Frog. Frog has quite an imagination. I also see myself as Raccoon, who is sensitive to sounds and likes to work in a quiet atmosphere. And I see myself in Uncle Mouse, who is a world traveler who appears in all three books of the trilogy. In each book, Mouse tells stories about the other two parks, and that is also what I do, as the writer of the three books,” he explained.
Meesters also shared that he enjoys both writing and illustrating, but in different ways. “Writing has been a bigger challenge. It demands a great effort of both my mind and my heart. When I illustrate, I don’t need to think, I just feel how the illustration wants to be drawn. It’s more relaxing, a more free form of expression,” he said.
I told Meesters that given the quality of his work, I believe “The Central Park Tales” will succeed in the United States and can envision a puppet show or even a theater play based on the book. Perhaps one day a statue of his characters will take its place among the others in Central Park.
But for Meesters, right now he is proud that his book promotes family values that children can emulate.
Linda Wiegenfeld is a retired teacher. What might a statue in Central Park based on “The Central Park Tales” look like? Please send these ideas or other comments to LWiegenfeld@aol.com
