Gisela Foster, a children’s author has written a new book that helps children learn numbers 1 – 10 while having fun. The book Two Cousins at the Farm which is available on Amazon and all good book platforms has received rave reviews since being launched.
Two Cousins at the Farm is a colorful storytelling book that your child could read over and over again. The book which is currently number four in the top 100 Best Sellers in counting and numeration is aimed at children from 0-5. There are ten farm animals in the book and two cousins who play on the farm. The fantastic story will not only put a smile on the child’s face, it will also put a smile on moms and dads.
Gisela Foster has managed to write a magical story that will engage children and allow them to learn numbers in a fun manner without realising what they are doing is educational and help them develop more quickly.
Scientists and educational experts have said, children will learn quicker if they are having fun. That is what Gisela has done. She has developed a book that will provide children with fun, while developing their numeracy skills.
We wanted to learn more about Two Cousins at the Farm, and the author so we sat down with Gisela Foster to learn more.
You have written a new book called Two Cousins at the Farm, but before we talk about that, lets talk about you. Why did you decide to become a writer? I decided to become writer because I enjoy writing short stories, developing imaginary places and creating new characters to complete the stories. In addition, I wanted to provide many children and families a space to have fun while learning academic content. I feel motivated to write words with joy where family ties, relationships and learning are closely connected.
Can you remember the first children’s book that you read? Yes, Bambi was the first children book.
Gisela Foster, you have written Two Cousins at the Farm, can you tell me more about the book? Two Cousins at the Farm is a fun story where two cousins tell you the 10 animals they love the most on their beautiful farm. The story connects two members of family. This story will teach a toddler to count from 1 to 10. Children will engage, have fun and learn at the same time.
Can you tell me about the main characters? The main characters are Luis and Charlie, who are cousins and best friends. Together and individually, they tour the reader around places at the farm where they play and spend time with the animals. I decided to focus the story around cousins because I personally spent a lot of time during my childhood visiting my cousins in rural towns. I have fourteen cousins.
You say your book helps children learn more about numbers, how does it do that? I believe in setting the path to a positive environment with a very natural learning and comprehensive style. The natural learning process is more realistic when children can see objects that they can relate to in daily life. My mother was a teacher and she bought me baby chicks as a present as a child. I remember counting the chicks as a child. The natural environment is perfect for children to learn fast.
There was a report some years ago that said children learn more while having fun, do you agree with that? Yes, children in general learn more while having fun, when they find joy and a genuine smile from a teacher or a parent.
So, does that mean by reading your book children will learn more about numbers than through other methods? Children will learn numbers by reading my book because they will find a connection with animals that are happy. They will enjoy the farm lifestyle and maybe they will ask to see the real animals after they read the book.
How important is it for children to learn about numbers from an early age? It is very important if we as adults provide support and a learning environment where children naturally learn numbers and can develop cognitive and quantitative skills.
There have been a lot of newspaper reports that said millions of parents are turning to books to help their children with their educational needs as they feel school education is stuck in the old days, would you agree with that? Parents want to support their children. We have many options and many great books to help children to succeed in schools. I think that schools are doing the most extensive and possible changes with a demanding new learning structure. I can tell you in the state of Oregon where I live, the schools districts are working hard to create community and to support children education. Teachers are creative, full of great and amazing ideas and eager to help children and families.
Two Cousins at the Farm continues to receive five-star reviews and has received positive reviews from book reviewers, how does that make you feel? I am very happy with the positive reviews and I’m satisfied knowing that my book is being read by families from all over the world. The connection between family relationships and academic learning is my passion and I want to provide more books to many children. In addition, we have many wonderful children and families that speak Spanish and we have the Spanish version available called Dos Primos en la Granja.
You have said that children’s education can change the world, so why do many parents feel let down by the educational system and why is more not being done to enlighten children and give them the educational empowerment they need? Sometimes families feel a disconnection from school. It is important for all families to get to know their children’s teacher and understand their children’s curriculum and lesson plan so families will have a better idea of the specific and general goals when children are in the house doing a project. Teachers are working hard to connect with families. Schools are more open to evaluate new books that will benefit children’s education. Our librarians are great resources between schools and families.
How hard is it to write an educational children’s book compared to writing a children’s story book? When I write an educational children’s book I am considering the energy, curiosity of my reader and the age group and I need to consider a specific topic. As an educator, an educational book is very important because in the classroom books are the main source of academic activities. A children storybook opens the door to many wonderful topics and stories and require a lot of passion and work to develop the characters and dialogs. My book reflects a combination of the two styles and as a mother; I write a story with characters that reflect family relationships.
When you write a children’s book how do you come up with the storyline? The storyline in the book is based in my own experiences; the beautiful rural towns in Oregon and the characters reflect the relationship that I have with my family.
You have taught children and worked in education, so as an educational expert what age do you think parents should start teaching their children about numbers and words? The unique experience between teaching words and numbers generally is by the age of two years old. The ideal situation is providing the child with resources like books and toys so they can build a connection and they are familiar with words and numbers before that age.
Some writers have a technique to write their book, J K Rowling started her career writing in a café, and other authors dress up as their character, what technique do you use to write your books? I like to have my personal space with no noise. I like to take time to go for a walk and see flowers so I can think about the characters for my next book and the historical relationship with my own childhood.
So, do you have plans to write another book?
Yes, I am writing a new book. A fun and hilarious story about sisters and the way that they learn something very special in their life.
Learn more about Two Cousins at the Farm, and visit https://www.amazon.com/Two-Cousins-Farm-Numbers-Playbook-ebook/dp/B08DYBZYLV