When Steven Smith asked me if I’d like a copy of his book, I wasn’t sure it was something I’d really enjoy. After all, it’s written for ages 7-12 and I figured it was just another kid’s book.
But boy was I surprised! As the father of 3 boys, Smith certainly has a good handle on what boys enjoy and that makes this book a must-have for young boys (and even girls will enjoy it too!). A local ‘dad blogger’, he is very engaged as a dad, author and entrepreneur. (Don’t miss his MyBoys3 video below).
The Story
Summer of the Woods is about ten-year-old Derek and eight-year-old Sam who move with their family to Virginia. Just like normal boys, they’re inquisitive about everything and they love exploring around their old house and the nearby woods. They eventually uncover a sixty-year-old mystery of a valuable coin collection stolen from the local museum. And that’s when the excitement really begins. The two young boys spend their summer running from danger and searching the woods, secret caves, and plenty of places that present excitement and danger. Their search continues for a most unusual treasure – but you’ll have to read the book to learn about what it is.
Summer of the Woods was chosen as the 2013-14 WEaver READs book at Bettie Weaver Elementary School in Midlothian. The entire school will read this single book together during their 3rd annual school-wide literacy event in January. This program has included such great classics in the past as The Trumpet of the Swan and The Cricket in Times Square so this is truly an honor for Smith’s book.
Mystery on Church Hill is Smith’s next book, soon to be on shelves everywhere. His next book follows the same two young brothers, Sam and Derek, this time on a historical mystery that takes them from the cemeteries of Richmond to the streets of Colonial Williamsburg.
About Steven Smith
Smith is not only an author, but an advocate for reading throughout our community. He volunteers his time and works with different schools to promote reading and learning. His most recent adventure with C.H.A.T. in Church Hill provides a glimpse into the organization, where several times each week they reach over 140 kids in the Church Hill section of inner city East Richmond with a variety of programs. His recent visit was to read to the group and talk with the kids about writing a book – something many of them had never dreamed possible until they heard Smith’s talk.
Smith donates 10% of the proceeds from both books to support the non-profit organization, C.H.A.T.
Visit this link to purchase a copy of Summer of the Woods as a Christmas or birthday gift, or just a way to encourage boys to read. Your kids will love the book and you’ll support a local author at the same time. You’ll also enjoy his ‘dad blog’ by clicking here.
See his Myboys3 video below – you’ll love how these kids ROCK!
For a list of more books by Local Richmond Authors, click here.
