Take a magical trip to a whimsical beach town in Colleen Clancy Hansen’s newest release Stella and the Bubble Man produces via Sweetgrass Book and distributed by Farcountry Press. In her follow-up to Destination: Butte, Montana Hansen introduces readers to Stella, a young girl on vacation, stomping down the boardwalk because of gray skies.
“When we first meet Stella, she a bit sad because of the rain,” says Hansen, “I wanted young readers to see her forget her vacation woes as she experiences this larger-than-life entertainer.”
Readers get the chance to be mesmerized along with Stella, and heart-warmed as she secretly blows a bubble to a boy in a wheel chair who couldn’t catch a bubble. “I was inspired by this while on vacation in Oregon, years ago,” Hansen continues, “I saw a man on a bicycle peddle down the boardwalk, pour liquid in a pan, and mesmerize everyone around. Flying bubbles touched many finger tips, but one young boy in a wheelchair can’t quite reach a bubble.”
Colleen continued to think about her experience and soon the book was born. She connected with fellow Society of Children’s Book Writer’s and Illustrators (SCBWI) member Anait Semirdzyan and Stella’s story quickly took shape. “I loved Anait’s previous illustrations and art and suddenly, the character of Stella came alive.”
Fantastically illustrated and full of lovely tones and whimsy, Stella and her seaside world is a fitting visual pair with Hansen’s light rhythmic verse. Whether on a vacation of your own, or reminiscing about you favorite beach town, Stella and the Bubbleman will become a nightly request as your children learn that, “even if vacations may not perfectly fit expectations, bubbles will make the moment unforgettable.”
To view Stella and the Bubble Man on Amazon.com, click here!
Stella and the Bubble Man (ISBN: 978-1-59152-192-1, $19.95, Sweetgrass Books, 2017) is available at local bookstores and gift shops, through online retailers, or from Farcountry Press at 1.800.821.3874, www.farcountrypress.com. Sweetgrass Books is Farcountry Press’ custom-publishing division.
About Colleen Clancy Hansen
Colleen holds a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education with an English major, a speech/drama minor, and a Master’s Degree in the Art of Teaching. Colleen’s third book, Stella and the Bubble Man, as well as her first two books Destination: Butte, Montana, and Ghost Children in Elkhart, Montana, were published through Sweetgrass Books. Colleen and her husband Alec and their children, Lucy and Eamon, and their grandchildren, Gus and Elsie, live in Missoula, Montana.
Visit Colleen’s website at: colleenclancyhansen.com.
About Anait Semirdzhyan
Illustrator Anait Semirdzhyan lives in Seattle, Washington. Born in Kazakhstan, raised in Armenia, she moved to the United States with her husband and twins. Her passion for creating characters led her to children’s book illustration. Anait’s enjoys working in various disciplines, including: pencil, ink, watercolor, and digital. Stella and the Bubble Man is her second children’s book.