A MDDR Interview & Review: Bearly learning About Water by Mary Esparza-Vela

The Review

Bearly Learning about Water by Mary Esparza-Vela
My rating: 4 of 5 Moons

Lily says:

this book was about two bears that went on a big adventure in the forest and Fritz figured out that he does like water.

the cover/pictures in the book were nice and had good detail. my favourite picture is the one when he has the blue tongue from eating the berry's.

my favourite part was when molly was talking to the animals at the start.

the book made me happy but i think it was really funny.

I learned you shouldn't say you don't like something until you try it and you should always face your fears.

I think that everyone should read this.

Mom Says:

My rating: 4 of 5 Moons

I really enjoyed reading this story with my daughter. I thought it was a cute and intertwining story filled with fun and interesting characters. Fritz and Molly were sweet and cute little bears and their story was one I would read again and again.

Molly and Fritz little bear cubs go out in search of food. Fritz is grumpy and complains whenever his sister wants to do anything, especially when she wants to fish in the lake for fish, Fritz is afried of the water. They wander around the forest until they come to a cottage in the woods where Fritz learns that water might not be so bad after all.

I liked the hidden messages in this book about facing your fears and things are never as bad as they may seem. Molly was so cute in this book forever encouraging her brother to do things and never pushing him to much. She was a very good sister!

Mary is a great writer and Lily and I can't wait to read more of her books! the ending was my favourite part!...lol...it was sooo cute!

View all my reviews

The Interview

Mom Asks:

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what made you delve into the world of children’s stories?

Thank you for the opportunity to talk about my book, Bearly Learning About Water. While growing up, my grandfather always told us stories before we went to bed. To me, this was better than watching TV. I think Grandpa is the one who inspired me to become a writer. His large eyes grew in size and the tone of his voice changed when he described the suspenseful moments in his stories.

Q: Can you please tell us a little about your book Bearly Learning About Water and what inspired you write it?

While at a swimming pool with my children, I noticed that a four-year old boy was afraid to get into the water. His mother continued to encourage him until he finally got in. Later, when it was time to go home, he cried because he did not want to come out. Since bears love fish, I decided to write about a little bear cub that was afraid of water and how his little sister struggles to get him into the water so they can catch fish.

Q: Have you always wanted to be a writer?

As a child, I loved to read and write. My teachers played an important role in helping me master my grammar and writing skills. Later, as an adult, I wrote articles for religious publications and worked as an Editorial Assistant. When I write, I try to teach lessons and provide stories that children can relate to.

Q: We all know writing isn't easy. Can you tell us all what you love and hate most about being an author?

You’re right. Writing is not easy. Every time I received a rejection letter from a publisher, I wanted to give up, but remember, if you persist, you can succeed. I now have seven picture books published with more coming soon. Some of the books are also written in Spanish. In addition, I have numerous short stories published and other projects in the works.

Q: What are you working on at the moment / next?

Two of my children’s picture books are award-winners. A few of my short stories also won contests. At present, I am working on a series of adventures involving three tiny space-tots who explore the universe in a tiny spacecraft. Their first book, You Can’t Take the Dinosaur Home, recently received a Five-Star Review. The story characters have been developed into plush dolls called Luv-Beams. The dolls won Preferred Choice and Seal of Excellence awards. You’re welcome to see the dolls and book at www.luv-beams.com.

Lily Asks:

Q: how did you come up with the name fritz?

Hi Lily. It’s a pleasure to answer your questions. Thank you for reading and commenting on my book. It always means a lot to writers when children take an interest in their books. When I write my stories, the names just pop into my head. I try to make them entertaining and funny. For example, I have a character in another story named “Frito.”

Q:why did you use bears for your story?

I really like bears, especially baby cubs. I think they’re so cute. They’re also very curious animals.

Q:why do you think fritz was afraid of the water?

Fritz is just a grumpy little bear cub that complains about everything. As he grows, his attitude changes, especially when he learns that water is cool and it’s full of fish he can eat.

Q: why did you call the story bearly learning about water if the bear's name was fritz?

The title is a play on words. It should have read, “Barely Learning about Water.” I thought it would be more fitting to change the title to “Bearly” because the story is about bears.

Q: why did fritz go in a bathtub instead of a lake?

Since bears are snoopy animals, I wanted Fritz to explore the cabin. He was not about to go to the lake if he was afraid of water. The experience helped him learn that water is not so bad after all.
Thank you so much for the interview, Mary. We so enjoyed your book and we hope to read more of your Bear adventures! Would you like to tell our readers where they can find you on the web?

Readers can find my books and dolls on my website: www.luv-beams.com