Books Written and Illustrated by Kevin Earl
In addition to tours and traveling, Kevin writes children’s books! This started as part of his job at Amerlish where he helped create several story books for the Amerlish Language and Culture Program. Inspired by this work, Kevin wrote and illustrated some of his own and plans to continue. Books by Kevin Earl are available through Amazon as both ebooks and paperbacks.
Kevin believes that through the stories of people and places we learn to appreciate and understand others we share the world with, we learn valuable lessons about why things are the way they are, and we pass down our culture and traditions to connect the past with the future.
A Night Unlike Any Other by Kevin Earl
The greatest story ever told is the story of of a baby born in a stable. The players and setting are well-known, but this colorfully illustrated children’s book brings a bit of whimsy and fun to the author’s inspiring poetic text. This book focuses on what it may have been like as a shepherd or an angel on that first Christmas night and how that night impacts each of us still to this day.
Paperback (8.5×8.5 in.) edition on Amazon
Picking the Perfect Pumpkin by Kevin Earl
Every year, when fall rolls around, kids start thinking about two things. They think about what their Halloween costumes will be and the perfect pumpkin for a jack-o-lantern. In towns and cities across America families visit pumpkin patches to select the perfect orange squashes to line their doorsteps. They are carved or decorated with scary faces, funny expressions, and artistic images. This fun illustrated children’s poem shares the excitement and decisions that a child experiences during this annual tradition. A visit to a pumpkin patch by the author with his nieces and nephews inspired this story.
Paperback (8.5×8.5 in.) edition on Amazon
Mondays in the Palace Museum by Kevin Earl
What happens in the Forbidden City when it is closed? This fun book answers that question. The Palace Museum or Forbidden City in Beijing, China, closes only one day a week. Something magical happens within its walls on that day. The dragons and other beasts come alive and take some time to enjoy the palace without any visitors. Take a peek over the walls to see the guardian lions swimming in the moat or a dragon riding the last emperor’s bike. In this beautifully illustrated book, experience the Palace Museum and its treasures. In the digital version, tap different parts of the pages to reveal interesting facts and information about the palace and Chinese culture.
Paperback (8.5×8.5 in.) edition on Amazon
The Legend of Maize: Quetzalcoatl and the Corn Plant, an Aztec Legend by Kevin Earl
An ancient Aztec myth explains the how they got corn and why it is so important to their culture. This colorfully illustrated children’s story uses geometric patterns and traditional motifs to represent this important Aztec legend.
Paperback (8.5×8.5 in.) edition on Amazon
How the Birds Got Their Colors & the Kaha Bird by Kevin Earl
Legends, myths, and folklore have featured birds for ages. This book has two of these ancient tales retold in poetry with fun, colorful illustrations.
“The Kaha Bird” is a retelling of an old Tajik tale about a selfless bird and a selfish fisherman told in limericks. Kevin wrote this story as an example for his students of retelling a folktale in poetic form.
“How the Birds Got Their Colors” is a retelling of an Australian Aboriginal myth that explains why all of the birds have colors except one. This story was written and illustrated as part of the Amerlish Level 4 curriculum.