T.A. Barron's Blog, page 10

T.A. Barron: From Colorado to Camelot by Teague Bohlen
Westword
October 28, 2021
Original Article | PDF Thomas Archibald Barron — called just T.A. by his many faithful readers — is a Colorado author who seems to evoke the state with every page. There’s a natural resonance to his work, whether it’s a young adult Arthurian fantasy or a nonfiction book on the environment. A resonance that is both intentional and important.

Barron will discuss his newest Merlin Saga book, Giant: The Unlikely Origins of Shim, in an online event on Monday, November 1. We caught him while he was gearing up for that digital delve with devoted fans, and talked about writing, myth, nature, Camelot and Colorado.

You’re presenting your new book, Giant, in connection with the Boulder Book Store on November 1. What do you have in mind for that online event?

I’m always deeply grateful for the chance to share one of my stories with creative, caring people. So I hope to make this event feel warm and inspiring for folks…which is hard to do virtually, but that’s my goal. The setting is my writing room, which feels like part library, part warehouse for hiking and camping equipment, and part Merlin’s Crystal Cave. And maybe also part art gallery full of fun creations made by fans around the world.

We’ll begin with my description of Giant and the story’s origins. Then I plan to give folks a glimpse of my quirky writing process. After that I’ll read a passage from the new book. And then I’ll answer questions from the audience — always my favorite part of these events.

This is the prequel to your Merlin Saga series. How did the idea for this book come about? Why a prequel?

For many fans of the Merlin Saga, their favorite character is Shim, the tiny little guy who is totally convinced — against all evidence — that he’s really a giant. Well, he ultimately discovers that being a giant is about more than just the size of your bones.

Over the years, I’ve gotten so many questions from people, including the people working on the Disney movie, about Shim and his mysterious origins that I decided, well, now is the time to tell that story. And I really wanted to tell it in a way that made a stand-alone book, so nobody would need to have to read the other twelve books in the series to enjoy this one. So I made it the prequel.

What in the overall Merlin Saga storyline do you think has struck a chord with readers? What in our shared world today makes that particular story attractive?

There are two core ideas in the Merlin books that resonate with people around the world: the magic in every person and the inspiration of nature.

The whole series begins when a lone boy washes ashore, half-drowned and barely alive, with no memory at all of his own identity. He doesn’t even know his own name! That he even survives this terrible day is a miracle. And that he might someday become the greatest wizard of all time, the celebrated fellow we call Merlin, is an even bigger miracle. Beyond the story itself, all of that is a powerful metaphor for the hidden potential in every person.

I really believe that everyone has some special magic down inside. Even if they haven’t yet discovered that magic, it’s there. And that’s true regardless of age, gender, background or any other description. So everyone has the potential to find that magic… and to use it to help themselves and the world.

The other core idea is the enduring power of nature. Nature gives us sustenance as well as healing and renewal and inspiration. Just take a look at our mountains here in Colorado, and how can anyone not feel inspired? That’s why I make sure that nature is more than just the setting for my books — it’s actually one of the characters. I want the places in my books, even if they’re imaginary, to feel utterly real for a smart reader. And I also want to convey the environment’s beauty and wonder and inspiration.

Given those inspirations, how’s the upcoming Disney film adaptation going? Has it been a positive experience overall? Any growing pains in the translation from page to the screen?

Well, the best news is that Disney has brought together an awesome team of people to make the Merlin movie — including producer Gil Netter (Life of Pi and The Blind Side), writer Chris Weitz (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Golden Compass, Twilight: New Moon and Disney’s Cinderella), and previously, writer Philippa Boyens (who won an Oscar for her work on the film scripts for The Lord of the Rings).

Sometimes I’ve felt like Merlin’s wild adventures in my stories are nothing compared to my own wild adventures getting this movie made! But some aspects of that are true for any creative process. Most important, I feel deeply pleased that the Disney folks have stayed true to the key elements and core values of the books. So I’m quite sure that Merlin, wherever he is right now, is feeling very good about the whole thing!

You beat me to mentioning Colorado. You weren’t born here, but you’ve spent much of your life in the state, most notably your youth. Where did you grow up, and how have those experiences, that sense of place, shown up in your writing?

I was lucky enough to grow up in places where I could always explore a mountain stream or climb a tree or just cover myself with mud, which I did often. One of those places was a small New England town with lots of apple orchards, the other was a Colorado ranch in the shadow of Pikes Peak. Both places invited me to get outdoors and roam…not just physically, but also spiritually.

What’s your favorite Colorado memory?

After a big snowstorm when I was seven or eight years old, I wanted to play in the fresh snow. So my mom dressed me in one of those big puffy snowsuits that made me into a waddling balloon and took me outside. The snowdrifts were so tall they towered over me. Then my mom surprised me by patting a snowdrift and saying, “Believe it or not, there are flowers under there. You won’t see them until next spring, but it’s true.” At the time, I thought she was crazy. Flowers? Really? But eventually, I realized that she was right — and that her comment was about more than just the changing of the seasons. It was about nature’s amazing power of transformation. And also…about hope.

Sounds like that was a lesson that stuck with you.

I’m amazed how it’s possible to feel, in wilderness, both very, very small and very, very large — at once. We can feel dwarfed by the immense sweep of the stars overhead, the towering trees of an ancient forest, or the endless expanse of the ocean. And we can, at the same time, feel enlarged by our connection to it all. Humbled and inspired at once. We are very small…but also part of the grandeur, the pattern, the mystery.

You’ve written for several literary age brackets — do you have a favorite? What are the benefits and challenges for each genre?

Basically, I just write stories that I’d like to read. Sometimes that’s an epic fantasy adventure where the entire universe is at stake, sometimes it’s a nonfiction book about heroic young people, sometimes it’s a shorter tale for children. And sometimes it’s a nature book with a great photographer that gets me out for long hikes to explore some magical places.

The best part of this writing craft is that you can always find ways to grow. To expand your abilities to communicate stories and ideas. So my voice as a writer has certainly evolved. But I would add that everything I write has three essential parts — an unlikely hero I love, a magical place I want to explore, and a big idea that calls to me compellingly.

Where do you do most of your writing? What places here in Colorado inspire your creative side?

Well, I still write all the first drafts of my books by hand. Yes, even the big fat novels like The Great Tree of Avalon trilogy started out as handwritten scrawl on note pads. Why in this modern age of high tech would anyone do that? Because the chemistry works for me. Maybe it brings me back to the creative mindset of my childhood, when I was writing my very first stories and poems, leaning against an old apple tree. Sure, this system isn’t the most efficient…but it’s worked now for over thirty books, so I will probably stick with it. At least for my next thirty books.

This might surprise you, coming from someone who often writes about wildly imaginary characters and places — but my best ideas come from real life. From observing the world closely. If someone really pays attention, really notices, then their senses are more alive and their minds are full of ideas. That amounts to a whole lot of source material! Just add a pinch of imagination…and anything, literally anything, is possible.

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A Giant Interview with T. A. Barron by Elizabeth Bird A Fuse #8 Production An SLJ.com BlogOctober 28, 2021Original Article | PDF Years and years ago, a fine fellow by the name of Tom (or T. A.) Barron took me to the Bemelman’s Bar in the Carlyle Hotel in New York City. I should probably mention as well that we were both living in the area and it was just for a sit down talk. Even so, I’d heard of the bar (illustrated entirely by the man behind Madeline) for a number of years and yet had never made it there. I still think back on it fondly, and I think fondly too of Mr. Barron. Now, lo and behold, he has a new book out and it’s a darned fun premise:

When a terrible attack forces young, peace-loving giant Shim and his mother to flee the magical isle of Fincayra and a wager shrinks him down to the size of a man’s knee, they must embark on a perilous journey to reach the only person who could possibly help them, the mysterious Domnu.

Now, after all these years, I get to ask Tom more questions. A delightful proposition:Betsy Bird: Tom! So good to “see” you again (so to speak). Let’s talk about your latest. I can’t say I’ve ever heard of a book where a giant is shrunk down to knee-high height. Where on earth did you get the idea for this title?T. A. Barron: The simple truth is this: Every kid I’ve ever known, no matter how small or insecure, really has a giant down inside themselves. A desire to be big and powerful, a wish to shape their world, and a special magical power that they haven’t yet discovered. (If you’d like to see how I put that point in a recent video announcing the publication of GIANT, just check my Facebook post from October 21.)BB: Will do! Now I know that you serve on a variety of environmental and educational boards including the Wilderness Society, World Wildlife Fund, and Earthjustice. To what extent does nature engulf the story of GIANT? What role does it play in the storytelling?TAB: Nature is, for me, much more than just a setting for my stories. More than just a backdrop. It’s really a full-blown character in those stories. Because places are alive! They have moods, histories, and specific character qualities. They can be bizarre, funny, surprising, dangerous, comforting, mysterious, or sensuous. Part of my job as a writer is to make the imaginary places in my stories feel so real, so fully alive, that readers feel like they’re really there, experiencing the adventure.On top of that, I weave environmental questions and ideas into my stories. That needs to be done organically and humbly, in ways that are never ever preachy. I believe in letting readers decide things for themselves. But I do raise the questions, hoping that might improve readers’ awareness. Saving our home planet depends on our being deeply aware of nature and our fellow living creatures… and their many gifts of wonder and inspiration.BB: Hero characters interest me. You’ve given Shim a double problem with this title in that he’s now not only diminutive but has gaps in his memory. In terms of plotting, what advantages does the memoryless protagonist offer you, the author? TAB: Oooh, what a good question! The loss of memory is a powerful storytelling tool — but it has to be used sparingly. I used it when the young lad who just might grow up to be Merlin the wizard washes ashore at the very start of The Merlin Saga, and that leaves the reader wondering, Who is this person really? So the hero’s quest also becomes the reader’s journey of discovery. In Shim’s case, the reader already knows who the hero is, but now is left wondering, Will Shim ever remember his true identity? And will that actually happen in time before all is lost? That dials up the suspense, making the reader lean more into the adventure.BB: I can see that this is a prequel to your Merlin series. To what degree should a young reader be familiar with that series? Or do they even need to have read it at all?TAB: This book is a stand alone story. Readers don‘t need to have any idea of the rest of the Merlin series to enjoy Shim’s adventures. All they need is a good imagination! Having said that, readers who like Shim and the magical isle of Fincayra will have an easy time entering into the complete, wondrous world of Merlin.BB: Speaking of Merlin, I hear that Disney is making a movie of that series. Is there anything you can tell us about that progress at this time?TAB: Well, the best news is that Disney has brought together an awesome team of people to make the Merlin movie — including director Michael Matthews (who recently made the highly acclaimed film Love and Monsters), producer Gil Netter (who did Life of Pi and The Blind Side), writer Chris Weitz (who wrote the scripts for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Golden Compass, Twilight: New Moon, and Disney’s Cinderella), and previously, writer Philippa Boyens (who won an Oscar for her work on the film scripts for The Lord of the Rings). Most importantly, while some of the plot points will change for the film, the Disney folks have stayed true to the key elements and core values of the books. So I’m quite sure that Merlin, wherever he is right now, is feeling pleased!For more info and the latest news, visit the Merlin the Movie page on my website.BB: Awesome. So dare I ask it? What are you working on next?TAB: You can certainly ask. But I might not be able to answer! You see, I’m still playing with ideas, which include a rather unusual tree with some surprising magic of its own. So far, alas, there aren’t any giants… but you never know when a giant might suddenly appear. They are so unpredictable. As Shim likes to say, “Certainly, definitely, absolutely!”A thank you to Olivia Russo and the folks at Philomel / Penguin Random House for setting up this interview. Thanks too to Tom for so patiently answering my questions. GIANT is on shelves now so be sure to pick it up today! Looking for Something? 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Barron: From Colorado to Camelot A Giant Interview with T. A. Barron Giant: The Unlikely Origins of Shim Excerpt The long-awaited prequel to the bestselling saga is here… GIANT Virtual Book Tour

GIANT EXCERPT BIG FEET

“Seventeen boulders!” crowed the midwife Gargolyn. Though she herself was a giant, she strained to lift the squirming baby in her hands. “That’s a hefty weight for a newlyborn, even for a giant.”

Turning slowly in the sunlight, Gargolyn observed the baby closely, from his pudgy nose down to his unusually large feet. True to the giants’ ancient traditions, the baby’s mother, Vonya, had chosen to give birth outdoors. It had been a long pregnancy, lasting thirteen months—but here they were at last, in the roofless, open-air Birthing Pavilion.

Set in the middle of a garden and walled by hedges, the Pavilion was encircled by columns that had been carved centuries before from a hillside of silver quartz, the sparkling white rock that Fincayrans called giantstone. Those majestic columns reached skyward to the height of medium-size spruce trees—which is to say they reached only up to the elbows of most fully grown giants. On each column were carvings of paired faces—one belonging to a famous giant, about whom bards had sung songs and told stories for ages, and the other belonging to that giant’s mother . . . who had, in most cases, given birth right here at this very place.

“Hefty weight indeed,” Vonya declared, a proud smile on her face. Carefully, she raised her enormous bulk higher on the mattress stuffed with willow boughs and rushes. “Now give him back to his mother, you hear? Before you drop that weight on your toes.”

Wrinkling her leathery brow, the midwife scowled. Even as she trembled with the weight, she grumbled, “I’ve held hundreds of babies in my time, and never dropped a single one.”

Vonya reached her arms, as thick and sturdy as tree trunks, toward her baby. “I’m sure that’s true . . . but not many of them weighed as much as half a mountain.”

“Right.” Gargolyn’s scowl melted into a grin. “In fact, none of them was as big at birth as this one.” As she passed the baby over to Vonya, she added, “Half his weight, I daresay, is from these plumpish feet. Just look at the size of them!”

As if on cue, the baby kicked wildly, almost smacking the midwife’s nose.

“At least half.” Vonya chuckled as she took the baby and folded her strong arms around him. “I’m tempted to call him Big Feet . . . until he earns his true name.”

“No, too irreverent,” said the old midwife, shaking her ropes of gray hair. “A young giant deserves a nickname that’s more, well, respectable. Something befitting a member of Fincayra’s oldest race—the island’s first people, the ones our great spirit Dagda carved out of the holy mountain.”

“I know, I know,” Vonya replied. “But sometimes the old traditions need a new look. Even our creation stories need to be rewritten from time to time.”

“Nonsense,” Gargolyn sputtered. “What kind of mother would teach her child such silliness?”

“This one,” declared Vonya. Brushing back her auburn curls, which looked more like a wild bramble bush than a head of hair, she peered closely at her child. His pink eyes stared up at her, bright with life and curiosity . . . and also a hint of mischief.

“Well, hello, my little jelly roll,” she cooed. “Something tells me you’re going to be writing a whole lot of new stories with your life.”

The baby giant blinked his eyes, slowly and meaningfully, almost as if he understood.

Vonya sighed, slumping a bit on the willow mattress. “I only wish your papa could be here to see you.” She wiped her huge forearm across her eyes. “He’d have loved to play with your chubby toes.”

Like a tall tree that suddenly folded itself down to a smaller size, Gargolyn knelt beside the young mother and her baby. Although her old knees cracked so loud they frightened a nearby family of rabbits, who scampered away to hide in the hedges, the midwife spoke softly and gently. “My dear, I feel your loss. Jonkl was a great giant—and he would have made a very fine papa.”

Vonya drew a halting breath. “He told me to be brave . . . that day when he left to fight against Gawr.” She wiped her eyes again. “He just didn’t say how brave.”

Gargolyn’s wrinkled hand touched her shoulder. “When our wizardking Tuatha asked us to send our strongest giants to help him defeat the evil warlord Gawr, we all knew there was great risk. And when your Jonkl left, he knew he was fighting for all of us . . . including your child.”

“I just wish . . .” said Vonya in a whisper that seemed impossibly soft for a fully grown giant, “that I could see him again . . . and show him our son.”

“Someday you will,” assured the older giant. “In the Realm of the Spirits. Without doubt, he is there right now, standing next to Dagda. And,” she added with a nod at the varied faces carved into the columns, “with the spirits of all these great giants who came before.”

She paused, looking at Vonya with compassion. “He knows, I’m sure, that his great bravery helped Tuatha win that battle and drive away Gawr.”

With her free hand, Gargolyn gestured toward the immense stone towers and buildings, fountains and gates, visible beyond the Pavilion. “Thanks to him, we are safe here in Varigal. All of us . . . including his beloved wife and child.”

Vonya nodded slowly, then turned back to the baby in her arms. Looking deep into his eyes, she said, “Now we must be brave together, you and I.”

Even as he gazed up at her, the baby giant reached out his hand and wrapped it tightly around his mother’s thumb. Astonished, she caught her breath. Was that just a coincidence? Or had that tiny little hand just made a gesture with giant-size meaning?

“I daresay,” she told her son, “you will give us some very special stories.”

DISCOVER THE BOOKS OF THE MERLIN SAGA!

The long-awaited prequel to the bestselling saga is here… Boulder, CO
October 26, 2021
PDF ★ “Shim is a wonderfully relatable character imparting a message of empathy that should resonate long after the last page turns. Simply delightful.” – Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW

It’s been 25 years since readers were first introduced to the land of Fincayra and Penguin Young Readers is thrilled to return to this world in the delightful prequel from bestselling author T. A. Barron. With millions of books in print, Barron continues to dazzle fans of fantasy and adventure. GIANT (Philomel Books; On Sale October 26, 2021) follows Shim, a fan-favorite of the Merlin Saga, in his own adventure to save the world. New and returning fans will also have another opportunity to dive further into Shim’s world as the Merlin movie, based on Book 1 of the original Merlin Saga, is actively in development by Disney.

In GIANT, Shim has only ever known a world of peace. Unusually big and strong even for a young giant, he lives on the magical isle of Fincayra, immersed in nature as well as tales of wizards, mer folk, and dragons.

Suddenly that world explodes in chaos. A terrible attack forces Shim and his mother to flee — and take a hazardous journey to reach the only person who could possibly help them, the mysterious Domnu. But when a wager goes horribly wrong, Shim shrinks down to a tiny fraction of his size. Now only as tall as a man’s knee, he finds himself lost in a deadly swamp. Worse yet, he has forgotten something important, something truly essential. But what?

As small as he is now, Shim must find giant-size courage to embark on a perilous quest to discover what happened, what secret he forgot, and what it really means to be a giant.

The themes and details are sure to be recognized by a new generation of readers as Barron’s rich world-building makes GIANT perfect for young fantasy fans looking for something new. While this can be read as a stand-alone, for those who can’t get enough, the story of Fincayra and of Shim continue in the 12-book Merlin saga already available to read.

T. A. Barron is the award-winning author of many bestselling books including The Merlin Saga — soon to be a major motion picture. He serves on a variety of environmental and educational boards and is the founder of a national award for heroic children, the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes. Following a career change to become a writer, Barron has written over 30 books, including many international bestsellers. He is happiest when hiking with his family in the Colorado mountains.

Praise for The Merlin Saga:

“An extraordinary journey of mind, body, and spirit.” -Madeleine L’Engle

“Fans who have followed young Merlin through his many adventures will still enjoy trekking with him.” – The Horn Book

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GIANT Virtual Book Tour

I’m thrilled to announce that my latest book, GIANT: The Unlikely Origins of Shim, a prequel to The Merlin Saga featuring Shim, is coming to bookstores everywhere on October 26th. In honor of this magical opening to a story that means so much to me, I’ll be participating in a virtual tour hosted by three very special independent bookstores.

Below is a list of the wonderful bookstores that are hosting this event, along with the dates and times that you can join me for a reading, Q&A, and more. Because these are virtual events, you will be able to join from the comfort of your own home as I read to you from my writing room!

 

Virtual Book Tour Dates:

 

Boulder Book Store
November 1, 2021
5pm MDT | 6pm CDT | 7pm EDT
Learn more and pre-register 

Little Shop of Stories
November 3, 2021
5pm MDT | 6pm CDT | 7pm EDT
Learn more and pre-register

Books of Wonder
November 8, 2021
4pm MDT | 5pm CDT | 6pm EDT
Learn more and pre-register

 

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T. A. Barron Unveils Redesigned, Interactive Website

Boulder, CO
October 12, 2021
PDF

NEW WEBSITE FOR BESTSELLING AUTHOR & CONSERVATIONIST OFFERS ELEMENTS FOR READERS, EDUCATORS AND NATURE LOVERS ALIKE

T. A. Barron, the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of The Merlin Saga, has today revealed a redesigned website. Created with both new and longstanding fans in mind, the site features unique activities, content and resources, covering the full spectrum of Barron’s body of work.

Highlights of the new website include:

A page for readers, complete with fun games and quizzes about Barron’s books, detailed maps to guide readers further into the worlds of Merlin, Heartlight, and Atlantis; a Merlin vocabulary guide; and more.A page for educators, packed with materials designed to spark students’ imagination and foster curiosity both inside and outside of the classroom. Videos and discussion guides are available as free resources to accompany Barron’s books, along with links to sister sites Inspiring Young Heroes and the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, both of which celebrate outstanding young leaders and seek to inspire other young people to make a difference.A page for writers, including links and resources on the writing process and inspiration for aspiring authors. Especially useful is “A Special Essay For Writers” authored by Barron.A page for nature lovers, featuring Barron’s nature books, environmental writings and interviews, and favorite ways to help the Earth.User-friendly searchable databases for all of Barron’s books, media coverage, and blog posts.Information about the developing Merlin movie. For exciting news about the Merlin movie project at Disney, fans can visit this page.

“In this exciting year, I’m thrilled to unveil this brand-new website as a treasure trove of fun facts and meaningful insights about my work,” said Barron. “With the release of my new book, GIANT: The Unlikely Origins of Shim, the prequel to The Merlin Saga, just around the corner, I encourage everyone to dive in and explore all the site has to offer.”

Barron is the author of more than 30 highly-acclaimed books, including The Merlin Saga, which is now being developed into a feature film by Disney, The Great Tree of Avalon trilogy, The Ancient One, and The Hero’s Trail. His new book GIANT: The Unlikely Origins of Shim, the prequel to The Merlin Saga, will be released on October 26, 2021 and is available for preorder today.

Fans can also connect with T. A. Barron on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and YouTube.

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Introducing Quests for Young Heroes Nature is my great friend, wise teacher, and true healer, as well as my enduring inspiration. That is why I am thrilled to announce a brand new series on the website: Quests. It is my hope that by embarking upon these quests, young people will be inspired to take action toward protecting this wondrous planet that we call ‘home’. These bi-monthly Quests will each contain information surrounding a particular problem facing our beautiful planet and how to help solve this problem.

Introducing the first Quest in my new series…

Sustainability: Striving for a Better World Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. Focusing on sustainability is the only way to ensure the survival of current and future generations here on Earth.

Many people are concerned about how long the earth will be able to sustain life, especially due to problems such as global warming, air and water pollution, waste disposal, ozone layer depletion, and many more.

My national award, given to public-spirited kids from every background who have done outstanding service work for people and the planet, is all about turning the spotlight on young people who are changing the world through their actions. Why? So their stories—inspiring examples of how one person can make a positive difference—can be shared by others.

Download and print the Sustainability Quest. The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, which I named after my mother, honors twenty-five young people every year. Over the years, we have met several future Jane Goodalls, John Muirs, and Rachel Carsons. And their stories, I promise, will renew your hope for our troubled Mother Earth!

Join the adventure and become an inspiring young hero by completing the first quest!

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CategoriesCategories Select Category Adventures of Kate  (1) Adventures of Kate Excerpts  (3) Articles  (9) Blog  (143) Book Excerpt  (21) Books  (48) Books  (3) Conservation  (3) Contests  (8) Encouraging Writers  (18) Events  (15) Fantasy  (5) Featured  (15) For Educators  (22) For Educators  (4) For Nature Lovers  (12) For Writers  (16) For Young Heroes  (35) Free Downloads  (4) In the Media  (15) Interviews  (6) Movies  (6) Nature Book Excerpts  (2) News  (31) On Nature  (4) On Nature & the Environment  (42) On Reading  (12) On Writing  (23) On Writing  (5) Personal Writing  (14) Quests  (1) Sweepstakes  (2) The Atlantis Saga Excerpts  (3) The Merlin Saga  (3) The Merlin Saga Excerpts  (12) Videos  (3) Young Heroes  (3)/* */(function() { var dropdown = document.getElementById( "cat" ); function onCatChange() { if ( dropdown.options[ dropdown.selectedIndex ].value > 0 ) { dropdown.parentNode.submit(); } } dropdown.onchange = onCatChange;})();/* ]]> */ Recent Posts Introducing Quests for Young Heroes Tapping Into the Heroic Potential of Every Child Congratulations to the 2021 Barron Prize Winners! Giant Courage Writing Contest The Power of Stories

Nature is my great friend, wise teacher, and true healer, as well as my enduring inspiration. That is why I am thrilled to announce a brand new series on the website: Quests. It is my hope that by embarking upon these quests, young people will be inspired to take action toward protecting this wondrous planet that we call ‘home’. These bi-monthly Quests will each contain information surrounding a particular problem facing our beautiful planet and how to help solve this problem.

I invite you to discover my first quest below, “Sustainability: Striving for a Better World.”

Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. Focusing on sustainability is the only way to ensure the survival of current and future generations here on Earth.

Many people are concerned about how long the earth will be able to sustain life, especially due to problems such as global warming, air and water pollution, waste disposal, ozone layer depletion, and many more.

My national award, given to public-spirited kids from every background who have done outstanding service work for people and the planet, is all about turning the spotlight on young people who are changing the world through their actions. Why? So their stories—inspiring examples of how one person can make a positive difference—can be shared by others.

The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, which I named after my mother, honors twenty-five young people every year. Over the years, we have met several future Jane Goodalls, John Muirs, and Rachel Carsons. And their stories, I promise, will renew your hope for our troubled Mother Earth!

Join the adventure and become an inspiring young hero by completing the first quest below!

Click the image above to download and print the Sustainability Quest.The post Introducing Quests for Young Heroes first appeared on TABarron.com.

Each year, the Barron Prize awards outstanding young people whose personal stories and service work act as inspiring examples of the power we all have to make the world better. During a most difficult time in our lives, these outstanding young people rose to the challenge of helping others with creativity, compassion, and perseverance. By honoring and supporting these young heroes, we hope to inspire many others.

I invite you to take a moment to read through this year’s list of marvelous, accomplished young people, to visit their project sites, and learn more about them!

Abigail Y., age 17, of North Carolina, who founded the Sustainable Hunger Initiative (SHI) to help underserved families access healthy food and to address residential segregation and poverty.

Adarsh A., age 16, of California, who founded Green Environment Initiatives to design solutions for environmental crises and to provide STEM education for underserved students. 

Alexandra C., age 17, of Illinois, who co-founded Students Against Ethylene Oxide (SAEtO), a nonprofit that engages youth in fighting to ban the carcinogenic gas EtO near schools and residential areas.

Brooke and Breanna B., age 14, of Alabama, twin sisters who co-founded Women In Training (WIT) Inc., a youth empowerment nonprofit that advocates for menstrual equity and menstrual education.

Duncan J., age 18, of Florida, who founded Bring Butterflies Back to protect and repopulate South Florida butterflies through education, conservation, and research. 

Faraz T., age 14, of New Jersey, who invented TalkMotion, a device that helps people who are deaf and aphonic (voiceless) communicate with people who can hear by translating sign language into verbal language and verbal language back into sign language.

Gitanjali R., age 15, of Colorado, an inventor, young scientist, and advocate for STEM who conducts workshops for students around the world to support them in creating solutions to pressing problems.

Jordan R., age 15, of Missouri, who co-founded Born Just Right, a nonprofit that inspires kids with disabilities to design innovations based on their own differences and experiences. 

Michael P., age 16, of Maryland, who created Michael’s Desserts to use his love of baking to help others. For every sweet treat he sells, he donates one to someone in need. He also founded P.L.L.A.T.E. – Power, Love, Learning, and Access To Everyone – to address food insecurity. 

Miles F., age 9, of Florida, who founded Kids Saving Oceans to fundraise for ocean, beach, and marine conservation and to educate kids about saving our oceans, one choice at a time. 

Olivia S., age 17, of California, who created The Cramm, a daily digital newsletter that summarizes the news for Gen Z in order to educate and activate her generation. 

Rachel P., age 18, of California, who founded Curieus, a nonprofit that brings hands-on science to underserved kids to spark curiosity and increase diversity in STEM.

Shreyas K., age 16, of Kentucky, who founded Community AI (Artificial Intelligence) to support students in building AI-driven projects that help communities and the environment, unleashing the power of AI for good.

Sonja M., age 17, of New Jersey, who works to protect wetlands and drinking water sources using a novel bioassessment method she created.

Vivian W., age 18, of California, who co-founded Linens N Love, a nonprofit that rescues
gently-used hotel linens and donates them to shelters that support women and children, people experiencing homelessness, veterans, and animals.

When I look at the accomplishments of these inspiring young people and the scope of what they have achieved, I am filled with awe and appreciation. Their hard work makes their ideals and passions a reality and they are an example to us all. Please join me in celebrating their accomplishments!

The post Congratulations to the 2021 Barron Prize Winners! first appeared on TABarron.com.

I’m often asked why I chose to write about the early years of the great wizard, Merlin.

What really made me fall in love with stories of young Merlin was the realization that Merlin, the original wizard and the greatest mage of all times, didn’t just spring into life as the ancient, wise, eccentric, powerful fellow we all know — the wizard in The Sword in the Stone or the many tales of Camelot. No way. So where did he come from? I started asking, What happened in his childhood? How did he come to be this great exalted wizard who is so beloved around the world? And also… what strange and terrible and mysterious things happened to him in his youth that made him want to keep those years a deep secret for centuries — his Lost Years?

Around that time, I woke up in the middle of the night from a vivid dream — a dream of a boy, half-drowned and only barely alive, who washed ashore on a strange land. He had no memory, no identity, no idea who he was. But he did have something special, maybe even magical, down inside. He felt drawn to the wonders and powers of nature. He had a great love for humanity, even with all our flaws. And he had that magic, which was destined to grow into something truly majestic. That was when I knew who he was — Merlin.

The story of Merlin’s youth is, at its heart, a metaphor for the heroic potential in every child. I sincerely believe that all kids have that wonderful capacity. But they need to hear heroic, inspiring stories to realize that. And every hero —whether fictional or real — must face some sort of obstacles, some sort of difficulties, in order to reach down inside to find the courage they need to triumph. This is as important in stories as it is in real life.

I believe that every person has some magic down inside.  That’s true regardless of age, gender, background, or description.  Everyone has the potential to find that special magic… and use it to help themselves and the world. 

That’s why there are heroes are in all my books — and always will be. Why? Because heroes are important – today more than ever. Heroes (whether real or fictional) remind us who we really are, what we can become, and just how far we can go. Best of all, they remind us of our own heroic potential. For anyone, no matter how young or small or unlikely, can find heroic qualities down inside. Just like that half-drowned boy I once wrote about: He washed ashore on a strange, hostile coastline … and ultimately became Merlin, the greatest wizard of all times.

I’d also like to say a few words about what a hero does not mean: a celebrity. In our society, we often confuse the two, but they couldn’t be more different. A hero is someone who, faced with a tough challenge, reaches down inside—and finds the courage, perseverance, or wisdom to triumph. That someone could be utterly unknown to most of the world. It could be a girl or a boy; a Tibetan refugee you’ve never met or the person next door; a member of any race, culture, or economic group. But in every case, it’s someone with impressive qualities of character.

By contrast, a celebrity is just someone who has won our attention—whether for fifteen seconds or fifteen years. You can see the difference, can’t you? For a celebrity, what counts is fame—period. For a hero, though, what counts is character.

More than anything, heroes are important because they show that every person — young or old, black or white, rich or poor — can make a positive difference to the world. Each of us can be more than just what Madison Avenue calls consumers: We can be creators! Of our own lives, our own destinies.

Just like the young Merlin, all of us are washed ashore, half-drowned, at some point in our lives. All of us have hidden struggles… and hidden potential. And all of us, like the greatest wizard of all, have great magic within us: the ability to reach for the stars.

The post Tapping Into the Heroic Potential of Every Child first appeared on TABarron.com.