AUTHOR Q&A: The Champ
Your favorite authors, Carline Constant and Gregory Constant, answer fan-made questions about their newest book, The Champ!
Gregory Constant
Q. How did you come up with this title?
A. The title, "The Champ", reflects a time when mom and I would hear and see the words, "...you're the champion...". We would stop, look, and listen because I think that deep inside we're all champs in our own way.
Q. Tell us about yourself?
A. I am the oldest of three. My siblings and I enjoy playing sports daily. I grew up playing soccer at a young age just like Amari, and my dad would always come to my soccer games even in High School when I made the soccer team. That's what inspired the events in the story, The Champ.
Q. What can readers hope to learn from The Champ?
A. From reading The Champ, we hope that readers can learn and understand the importance of teamwork, not only in sports but in everyday life. Each person is uniquely built to contribute in their own way.
Q: Why develop Amari and Aida SOCCER Coloring & Activity Workbook for Kids!?
A. The idea sparked when we saw the characters come to life as we viewed the illustrations. We wondered, wouldn't it be great to have Amari, Aida and Grandpa outlined, as well as the soccer gear in order for readers to color in and be part of the illustration process in their own way.
Carline Constant
Q. Is this book part of a series?
A. The Champ is part of a realistic fiction series with Aida and Amari as the main characters. The next book, Aida's Joy will be launched sometime in the middle of next year. It focuses more on Aida this time around. As Grandpa said in The Champ, the brother and sister have become a "Dynamic Duo" as they deal with everyday life.
Q. What is your favorite part in The Champ?
A. I really like each event in the book and have great appreciation for Ms. Leena Shariq's illustrations of the characters, their emotions, and settings. But, the part that tickled and stood out to me the most was the observation of Amari's face when his little sister Aida asked, "Can I come too?'', knowing that he wants to play soccer just with grandpa.
Q. What genre do you most like to read?
A. I am a fan of both fiction and non-fiction, but the genre that I like to read the most is realistic fiction because I envision myself in the characters' shoes which enables me to connect with their experiences. That's why realistic fiction inspires me the most as an author.
Q: Why develop Amari and Aida SOCCER Coloring & Activity Workbook for Kids!?
A. To add on to what Gregory mentioned, we also wanted to include teamwork scenes, and sentences from the book, The Champ. We provided soccer activities that stress the importance of staying active while playing soccer. Although, the workbook states, "for kids", people of all age groups; child, parent, grandparent benefit. Those are the reasons why we created the Amari and Aida Soccer Coloring & Activity Workbook.
The Champ captures the relationship between a boy and his grandpa. Join Amari, his sister Aida, and Grandpa on their quest to turn Amari into a soccer champion who embraces the value of teamwork. Now available on Amazon. Get your copy through the link below!
Aida and Amari: Character Q&A
Q. Do you keep any pets?
A. Aida: Yes, Amari and I keep pet goldfish. We call them Goldie the Goldfish because we really like their golden, shiny orange color. It's so bright! Amari and I feed them flakes 2-3 times a day. Sometimes mom helps in feeding them like the scene in the story. One fun thing about goldfish is that they sleep with their eyes open!
Q. In the story, why did Grandpa say to you and Aida, "I see the two of you have become a dynamic duo!"
A. Amari: Grandpa said, "I see the two of you have become a dynamic duo!" because I began to understand how important it is to partner up and play soccer with my sister, Aida. It finally felt okay to kick the ball, passing it to her. Also, Aida helped to take the ball away from Grandpa. Aida and I used teamwork to score a dynamic, strong goal. Working together, Aida and I are a dynamic duo!
Q. How often do you play soccer and with whom?
A. Aida and Amari: We play soccer all the time, after homework, after school. During the weekend our family goes to Breezy Park with other neighbors. Dad likes to wear the Hawks t-shirt. Dad helps the other kids and I with kicking the ball strong. At the park, mom runs so fast when we play, sometimes it's hard to dribble the ball away from her. Other times, we play soccer for our school soccer team, The Hawks. We even have a couple of Hawk cheerleaders, but grandpa cheers the loudest as we play! When playing soccer with grandpa, he sometimes calls soccer, "football," and he shouts "GOOOOOOAL!" when the soccer ball hits the net. Grandpa, also has good soccer skills like dribbling and passing. While at the park, he teaches anyone who wants to learn his skills! Grandpa is always cheering whether our team wins or loses. Grandpa is our champ!
IN THE NEWS
2022 Men's FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup features 29 days of soccer games with the very best players from around the world.
Location: Qatar
Date of Final Game: December 18, 2022
Final Game: Argentina (Messi) vs. France (MBappe)
CALENDAR (United States)
December:
National Christmas Lights Day (DEC 1)
World AIDS Day (DEC 1)
International Day for the Abolition of Slavery (DEC 2)
International Day of Persons with Disabilities (DEC 5)
Christmas Day (DEC 25)
January:
New Year's Day (JAN 1)
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (JAN 16)
Martin Luther King Celebration of Human Rights Week/Unity Week (JAN 16-20)
National Day of Racial Healing (JAN 17)
Lunar New Year (JAN 22)
Holocaust Remembrance Day (JAN 27)
The Champ captures the relationship between a boy and his grandpa. Join Amari, his sister Aida, and Grandpa on their quest to turn Amari into a soccer champion who embraces the value of teamwork. Now available on Amazon. Get your copy through the link below!
