Mary Smathers
Author, Writing Coach
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Tropical Tales is a bilingual children’s picture book series created by Mary Smathers. Each book features an ocean or jungle animal from the tropics who faces a challenge that young children might experience. Mary hopes that these stories will help introduce the existence of different languages, and the concept of bilingualism, to very young children.
Cuentos tropicales es una serie bilingüe de libros ilustrados para niños creada por Mary Smathers. Cada libro presenta un animal del océano o de la selva tropical que enfrenta retos comparables a los que pueden experimentar los niños pequeños. Mary espera que las historias ayuden a introducir la existencia de diferentes idiomas, y el concepto del bilingüismo, a los niños en una edad temprana.
Cuentos tropicales es una serie bilingüe de libros ilustrados para niños creada por Mary Smathers. Cada libro presenta un animal del océano o de la selva tropical que enfrenta retos comparables a los que pueden experimentar los niños pequeños. Mary espera que las historias ayuden a introducir la existencia de diferentes idiomas, y el concepto del bilingüismo, a los niños en una edad temprana.
Positive Reviews for Debut Novel
How do you know who you are if you don’t know where you come from?
In This Land of Plenty is an expansive American family saga
set against California's rich history.
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…the prose is smooth and the research strong....Smathers’ novel offers a nuanced and appreciative illustration of a complicated past, threaded through with hope for unity and understanding. A rewarding and enriching read. --Historical Novel Society Magazine Review, February, 2021 Edition ...truly a treat for the mind....If you love a good story and a great history lesson, In This Land of Plenty is a book for you. --Readers' Favorite 5 Star Review In this epic tale, Mary Smathers captures the grand sweep of California history from the arrival of the Spanish to 21st-century Silicon Valley through the bloodline of a single family....You’ll ache for some of these people, loathe others, and be left with much to ponder on the complexities of love, culture, and family. --Larry Habegger, Executive Editor, Travelers’ Tales I can’t think of a better way to learn history than through such a readable and well-researched story populated with juicy characters set into a well-paced plot. She also shows how, despite huge differences in our backgrounds, we are all part of the same story. --Dr. Christine Sleeter, Award-winning author, Professor Emerita, Multi-Cultural Education, CSU Monterey Bay |
When Nicole discovers through DNA reports that her ancestry is far different from the white, northern European background she thought was hers, she enlists the help of her great grandmother to investigate their roots despite protests from her father. The search takes Nicole and Great Gram into the attic of their historic San Francisco Victorian where the family’s true history unfolds. Slowly the two women unravel the mysteries of their 250-year family tree, from California’s native inhabitants and its earliest European colonizers through the generations to the Gold Rush. In This Land of Plenty is a meticulously researched and beautifully written historical fiction family saga that introduces a diverse cast of characters and the complex social issues that populate California’s rich history while drawing a direct line to today’s residents.
Fans of historical fiction will fall in love with this novel’s:
- Strong research and vivid depictions of historic California
- Inspiration from the original Spanish soldiers on the Portola expedition to explore and settle Alta California
- Connections to the native Ohlone people and other tribes who populated the area for thousands of years, and to the De Anza settlers who walked eighteen hundred miles from Sinaloa to the San Francisco Bay
- Strong characters, and many women, who are both relatable and fascinating
- Emphasis on the importance of family and understanding your past
In This Land of Plenty is perfect for book clubs or as a gift for the reader in your life.