Page 21 - Reader's House Magazine Issue 53

made some great friends. Sometimes, kids I don’t even know come up to me and tell me how much they love it, and want to talk about their favourite character in the book which has been really cool! I have had so much fun creating these books with my dad.
Colin : I saw my parents collaborating on
a children’s book together when I was young which was a factor. However, one of the main influences that initiated this project was a quote I saw from an author, Glennon Doyle, who inspired us to take a more balanced approach to technology in our home.
“I find myself worrying most that when
we hand our children phones, we steal their boredom from them. As a result, we are raising a generation of writers who will never start writing, artists who will never start doodling, chefs who will never make a mess in the kitch- en, athletes who will never kick a ball against a wall, musicians who will never pick up their aunt’s guitar and start strumming.”
Mia, as such a young author when you started this project as a 5 year old, what has been the most exciting part of creating stories with your dad?
I loved seeing all the pictures being made by my dad, and seeing the story unfold from the book’s first storyboards. One of the most exciting moments was finding out we won a Gold Literary Titan Award in America and
Colin van Dongen’s innovative storytelling and inspiring partnership with Mia showcase his dedication to nurturing creativity and imagination in children’s literature.
being the first person at my school to get the “Agent of Change” badge from my principal for students who are making a positive impact in our world!
Colin, how has collaborating with Mia on these books influenced your perspective on storytelling and creativity?
Collaborating with Mia on these books has been both humbling and inspiring. Watching her imagination flourish from ages five to sev- en as she brought these worlds to life has been a privilege. Over time, I realised that her ideas were often far better than mine, and I had to step outside my own box to fully embrace the imaginative world she was creating and join in on the ride.
Completing Winston the Titan Terrier: The Cosmic Bone broke many barriers for us, proving that anything is possible as authors. We’re thrilled to announce that the next installment in the series, Winston the Titan Terrier: Adventures in Ancient Egypt, will
be released in June 2025. This will push the envelope even further in terms of the plot and the illustrations.
Mia and many friends have encouraged me to publish a memoir called “9 Lives”, which will detail my adventures and many near death experiences as an extreme sports enthusiast and professional surf videographer. While navigating the unpredictable rollercoaster ride as an insulin-dependent diabetic.
The Winston series blends adventure, problem solving, and fun characters. What message do you hope young readers take away from these stories?
The series echoes the message of never giv- ing up and the power of friendship. Through Winston’s journeys, young readers learn that even the biggest challenges can be overcome with determination, looking for solutions, and the support of friends and family.
Beyond writing, you’ve also developed WinstonBooks.com. How does this platform enhance the reading experience for children and families?
One of the greatest rewards of working with Mia was quality time away from screens. To promote this, we created WinstonBooks. com, offering educational toys, activities, and books, including our future books and those by other authors.
Mia, do you have a favourite moment or character in The Cosmic Bone, and what makes it special to you? My favourite charac- ter is Winston because he is based on my real dog! He is really adorable, super cute and I just really love him so much! I have had him as my dog since I was a baby. His personality closely matches the character as he has a love for sports, adventure, and all kinds of food and snacks!
My favourite scene in the Cosmic Bone is when Winston uses his Bubblegum Cannon to stop Smokestrike in the tunnels under the Bone Shop. I love rainbows, so I imagined colourful bubblegum balls that could be fired and trap the naughty Ninja Cat!
Colin, your background spans multiple crea- tive industries. How have these experiences shaped your approach to children’s litera- ture? One of the scenes features a monstrous wave that was deployed by Smokestrike that was about to crash on Winston. This was drawn from my own experiences as a water cameraman, where I’ve often found myself in many similar positions to capture wave riders in dangerous conditions. The intensity and
In terms of production, I was lucky enough to apply over 25 years of design and animation experience to this project, using both classic 3D modelling and new emerging technology to build dynamic compositions that brought Mia’s story to life.
What advice would you give to other
Winston The Titan Terrier - The Cosmic Bone is a delightful adventure that captivates both children and adults alike. With vibrant illustrations and a thrilling narrative, Winston’s quest to reclaim his cosmic bone is filled with clever inventions and unexpected allies. A heartwarming tale of camaraderie and creativity!
authors, especially those looking to collaborate with young writers on storytelling projects?
Embrace flexibility and creativity. Start with quick, rough storyboarding to capture ideas quickly without interrupting the flow of imagination of a younger storyteller. It’s im- portant to establish clear boundaries to ensure a logical progression from beginning to end. Take the time to explore different possibilities for plot themes and character development, and don’t rush the process. Seek out negative feedback and suggestions from trusted sourc- es, those comments are gold.
Role-playing sparked a wave of creativity in our 2nd book when we transformed Mia’s grumpy toy octopus into a future villain, known as SadFace. This toy character brought endless laughs and inspired fresh ideas for our next installment. Winston the Titan Terrier: Adventures in Ancient Egypt, where SadFace uses a time twister device to unleash chaos by teleporting gigantic prehistoric dinosaurs into Queen Cleopatra’s timeline, while Winston tries to save Egypt and the universe...
the danger of those moments influenced the tension of that particular scene.
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