To Hobbyville We Go! By Timothy & Alicia Santana-Taylor, Illustrated by Robyn Leavens (2020) – Paperback
One day, a young girl is bored after her T.V. stops working. But her friends from Hobbyville save the day by introducing her to a plethora of hobbies. To Hobbyville We Go! is the perfect resource to help children find a fun, new hobby. It’s also a concept book, using the alphabet to introduce characters with names from A to Z.
Aa – Alice sews such pretty bows.
Bb – Bobby goes to broadway shows.
A nice addition is the diverse representation of skin tones and hair textures, and a few ethnic names used throughout the book.
In addition to the alphabet and hobbies, these simple sentences also make for a great resource to teach verbs and nouns. Alongside Robyn Leavens bold illustrations, this book is sure to keep children’s attention.
I love that this books encourages children to explore the world around them and discover unique hobbies. From hiking and fishing to origami and wood carving, To Hobbyville We Go! covers a wide range of potential interests. In an ever-increasing digital world, it’s refreshing to see a book about getting back to the simple joys of life.
Take-away message: Kids should never be bored! There is a plethora of hobbies yet to be discovered.
TAGS: diverse characters, self-published, paperback
Additional resources:
To Hobbyville We Go! Lesson Plan & Student Response Sheet
About the Authors:
Timothy Taylor has worked for the Los Angeles Unified School District for two decades as an elementary school teacher, bilingual school psychologist and District administrator. He recently earned his Juris Doctor degree, and plans to establish a law firm which advocates for special-needs students.
Alicia Santana-Taylor is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with the Los Angeles Unified School District, and a 2019 recipient of the Heroes in Education Award for her inspiring work with at-risk youth. She founded Alicia’s Bow Shop in 2017 after developing an interest in crafting, and hopes that more children will pursue creative and stimulating hobbies.
Timothy and Alicia live in Southern California with their amazing daughter, Juliana, who loves crafting, baseball and ballet.
About the Illustrator:
Robyn Leavens loves to illustrate children’s books and lives in New Westminster, British Columbia, with her lovely husband, Sheldon, and two fluffy cats, She loves to draw, laugh, walk about in forests and eat sushi. You can see more of her illustrations at robynleavens.com.
