About A. Johnsson Children's Author
I'm a mother of two, a boy and a girl. As my writing journey has evolved, I've often thought about stories or lessons I would like to share with my children. Many of these ideas spring from the well of my background in social anthropology and psychology, as well as my experiences in South Africa, Mexico, and Sweden.
When he was ten years old, my son and his friends developed an interest in role-playing games, and since my mother had opened that up to me at an even younger age, I agreed to become their dungeon master and support their exploration in the world of Dungeons and Dragons. With all the preparation that went into our first campaign, I also had some story ideas related to the world I'd created for it. My current work in progress is a Lit RPG Middle Grade story set in this world.
Contact: astridjohnsson@outlook.com
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My Children's Books
A few years ago, my nephew broke his leg and his experience combined with my own when I broke my foot brought the spark for Bearly Injured. This children's book for readers aged 6 -10 is one I hope will provide children and adults with a platform to start talking about such things before an injury occurs so that the pathway for communication is already prepared when the inevitable happens. Being able to talk about the body and understand one another is an aspect I very much wish to foster. I am also deeply grateful to Kristi Shimada, author of some fabulous illustrated children's books, for joining me to write this particular book and for encouraging me to take the leap into children's fiction.
Bearly Injured is my first children's book and also the first book I had the honour of co-writing.
After Kumako falls out of a tree, her twin sister Kitsumi worries about what to do. Kumako wants her to stay quiet and not tell their parents about the incident, but Kitsumi can see the pain in her sister's eyes. It takes courage to speak up, especially when everyone Thinks you're a dreamer, with your head in the clouds.
For Kumako, the pain isn't so bad. She's sure it's just a bruise, but there's no mark on her leg where it hurts. However, the pain isn't anything like a friend said it was when she broke a bone. Kumako doesn't want to worry her parents unnecessarily and thinks it's best to keep going, especially since she wants to continue with her track and field training, something she loves, but is only allowed if her grades are good. While it takes courage to speak up, there is also a bravery in listening to the body and understanding what it's telling us about injuries.
Kumako and Kitsumi must go on an adventure to the world of healing where their guide, Karasu, takes them on a journey to remember.
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Coming Soon
My next children's book is already in the works!
When my daughter struggled with night terrors, I realized the information I'd accumulated for my Masters' degree in social anthropology offered me an unusual intersection of knowledge that might help her. I wrote Kayum's Forest Home to synthesize the core elements of the tzolk'in calendar, the sacred calendar used by all Mesoamerican peoples that also forms one of the building blocks of the famed "Mayan Calendar".
Incorporating the knowledge in a way she could grasp at six years of age offered us a way to begin "counting the days", a 3000-year old tradition that is still practised by the kiche' Maya of Guatemala to this day. Since this little rhyming children's book was able to help my daughter and might be a resource for other children, as well as being a fun and entertaining exploration of a different culture, or - come to think of it - a source of pride for Latin American parents to share their ancient cultural heritage I've decided to publish Kayum's Forest Home.
The book will first be available through Kickstarter, and depending on interest I may publish it permanently later.
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