Milo and His Magic Skateboard by Kristina Tanso
About the Book:
Join Milo – an adorable French Bulldog – as he embarks on
his very first adventure! Simply by clapping his little paws together and
jumping on his magic skateboard, Milo takes flight and explores Europe! This
fun, heart-warming adventure will charm children and adults alike, while
exploring different iconic places and cultures!
Interview with Kristina Tanso
Congratulations on
your debut book!! How does it feel to have Milo’s story out in the world?
It feels really good! I’m so excited that Milo gets to take
children –and adults—on a magical adventure through some of our favorite places
that we’ve visited so far. Milo has brought so much joy in to my life, and it
feels so good that I now get to share that joy with my readers!
Please tell us about
your book Milo and His Magic Skateboard.
Milo and His Magic Skateboard follows Milo on his first
international adventure through Europe. By clapping his paws together, his
magic skateboard teleports him anywhere he wishes to go—and that is exactly
what he does, when he’s feeling a bored at home. His skateboard takes him to a
plethora of awesome places, but there’s something missing, and he can’t put his
paw on what that is. I don’t want to give too much away, so you will have to read
the book to find out why.
The story itself is based on the real-life travels that Milo
and I have had: every location featured in the book are places we have been to,
together. More importantly, each city Milo lands in has significant cultural,
historical, and natural value. I wanted to highlight these aspects, so that
children who read the book become acquainted with places like the Louvre in
Paris, or the Duomo di Milano – and hopefully, become more inquisitive about
what the world has to offer.
What makes Milo
special?
There are so many things that make Milo special! How he came
into my life is special in and of itself: I found Milo outside the metro, and
it was clear that he had been abandoned—not to mention, abused. I took him home
with me that night, and it was heartbreaking how scared he was of everything.
The next day I found out he was in a puppy mill, and was abandoned along with
other dogs when the pet shop went out of business. Seeing him overcome his
physical injuries and fears to be the incredibly loving dog he is today is
beyond special. I love that Milo is curious, friendly, and always pauses to
smell the flowers—literally. He teaches me, and everyone around him, to be more
observant, present and engaged. Of course, the fact that he understands three
languages (Spanish, Italian, and English) and picked up skateboarding in a day
makes him pretty special as well!
What do you hope
readers take away from this book?
I hope that the book will inspire curiosity amongst young
readers, both in terms of wanting to spend time outdoors and in nature, and in
terms of learning about different countries and cultures. I also hope that
“travelling” with Milo and observing how he interacts with his surroundings
will inspire children to spend more quality time off their screens, and spend
more time engaging in nature and with their loved ones.
Will we see Milo in
more books?
You definitely will! Milo and I have had so many
adventures—we are not running out of material anytime soon. I aim to get Milo’s
second and third collection of travels published by next Spring. So, watch this
space!
Please tell us about
yourself.
The first thing I should tell you, is I am not a writer. I
love writing, but I see it as a creative outlet that brings me a lot of joy.
What I am, is a scientist, and I have spent most of my career in the
conservation and education. I’m a third culture kid, in the sense that I am
Chinese, English and Spanish, and grew up all over. Today I live in the
beautiful, quaint town of Oxford, where I work with the University’s Medical
Sciences development team, but Milan is where my heart is—and the place I will
always consider home.
What do you like to
do when you are not writing?
I really enjoy gathering friends together and cooking a nice
meal for them. I also love spending time in the mountains and lakes. Point of
fact, one thing I do on a monthly basis without fail, is I will go off-grid for
a weekend with Milo. We will hike, discover new trails, explore surrounding
villages, and – if it’s warm enough—go for a swim in the lake!
Where can readers
find out more about you?
Readers can visit my website www.kristinatanso.com or follow
me on Instagram @kristinalifefiltered.
Giveaway:
Milo and His Magic Skateboard: Book GiveawayAbout the Author:
Kristina Tanso is an animal lover whose life changed the day she rescued Milo from the streets of Hong Kong in May 2019. Milo and His Magic Skateboard is inspired by the real-life adventures the duo have had since: prompted by Kristina’s affinity for travel, and Milo’s curious personality. Kristina is also the author of the critically acclaimed psychological thriller, Bad Things (2023); and is a producer on Searching/or Chinook, a documentary about the future survival of the last remaining Southern resident orcas, starring Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones).
Beautiful cover
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