Nelson Telson: The Story of a True Blue Blood by Heidi Mayo
A must-read for humans of all ages, this middle grade novel grows up before your very eyes. Painfully shy and lonely, eleven-year-old Mariah Miller hates being a human; she’d rather be an animal so she wouldn’t have to go to school and deal with mean old Mrs. Tarbox and her nasty cousin, Travis, who has…
A must-read for humans of all ages, this middle grade novel grows up before your very eyes. Painfully shy and lonely, eleven-year-old Mariah Miller hates being a human; she’d rather be an animal so she wouldn’t have to go to school and deal with mean old Mrs. Tarbox and her nasty cousin, Travis, who has invaded her life. Enchantment abounds when she finds a magic spearhead on the beach that allows her to talk to a wise old horseshoe crab and a host of other animals. Her father becomes seriously ill, and throughout her trials in the real world, she is often surprised by the unpredictable power of the spearhead. As she travels through time and space, and listens to the wisdom of creatures and people, Mariah makes leaps in her own personal growth, discovers the interdependence of all living things, learns how perspective creates reality, and what it really means to be human.
“A wonderful read!”
Five Star Review on Amazon By Paula Marcoux
You don’t have to be part of the “target audience” of middle-grade students to enjoy this surprising and unique offering. The author manages to seamlessly deliver educational content (biology and history) wrapped up in an absorbing magic-realist story of youthful self-discovery. Recognizably real-world family and social difficulties are played out accessibly, but not patronizingly, as the protagonist is pushed to face her fears and prejudices head on.
I expected to enjoy it, as I am familiar with the geography of marsh, seashore, and forest described lovingly in the text, but I ended up really loving it.
About the Author
Heidi Mayo is a renaissance gal who lives in Plymouth, MA where she makes art and teaches pastel painting and fine art to students of all ages. Her love of the local shoreline, all of its inhabitants, and the natural world that sustains us is the inspiration for NELSON TELSON.
She is currently collaborating with Lars Helgeson, PhD to create a supplementary curriculum for NELSON TELSON – AN EXPANDABLE UNIVERSE OF TEACHABLE THEMES – that will be available soon.
“When I decided to self-publish I embarked upon a highly successful Kickstarter campaign that was funded 415%. Rewards for backers amounted to pre-sales of nearly 200 books distributed directly by me. Many of the reviews posted on amazon reflect those early pre-sales.”