Erica’s books have been a source of joy in my house and lessons, and Taya is one of the most positive preteen heroines girls could have. Read all about why her creator, Erica Gore, loves her.
Why I Love Taya
Taya Bayliss (Taya Bayliss Mysteries) is the bold, daring little girl that I wanted to be.
When I was growing up, I was a red-haired, freckle-faced child with a tendency to throw up when I was nervous. I was outwardly shy but inwardly adventurous.
I wanted to know and to do everything.
My favourite thing in the world was reading. Books fired my imagination and created new worlds for me to explore. I was the star of the books I read.
Now Taya is the star of the books I write.
She has the adventures that I dreamed of having. She is a child who wonders about things and likes to figure out puzzles. She can be a scaredy-cat, but she can also be amazingly brave, far braver than I could ever be. She has a social conscience that leads her to step in to help senior citizens, stand up to bullies, and to protect the environment. And she never throws up when she’s nervous. I like that about her
I also like that she is not perfect. Eleven-year-olds are rarely perfect. Taya tells the occasional fib, has sulky moments, and disobeys her parents. She doesn’t like closed in places or boys who pick their noses. (Yuk!)
Her best friend, Chris, would tell you that Taya has Chronic Nosy Parker Syndrome.
I like that about her too, but I would call it a thirst for knowledge.
Taya asks questions of the world. She is driven by the need to know things. She likes to know what makes things tick and what would happen if they didn’t. In my case those questions usually resulted in my being told to be quiet, mind my own business, or leave the classroom. For Taya, however, curiosity leads to interesting and exciting times.
I love that Taya doesn’t live in a fantasy world, that she has no super powers, that she has no weapons. I love that she is clever and observant. I love that she snorts when she giggles. I love that she has a happy dance.
I love that Taya Bayliss is an average kid – just like the kids I taught, like the kids who live in my street, like that little freckle-faced, red-haired girl from so many years ago.
And what I really love is that now a whole lot of young readers love her too.
Links:
www.facebook.com/EJGoreAuthorpage
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+EricaGore
Thank you so much, Erica. Go on creating wonderful books for kids.
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