Author Spotlight with Erik Christopher Martin

For our first author spotlight, Foster Book Club is excited to feature Erik Christopher Martin, a county social worker by day and children's book author in his spare time. With his background in writing books for kids and serving the children's community, Erik is the perfect person to help kick off our first blog post. Welcome to the Club, Erik!

Here is a Foster Book Club Q&A with Erik Christopher Martin...

Q: Why is reading books important for kids in foster care? 

Stories connect us. Reading opens us up to something shared across generations, borders, and circumstances. For younger kids, it is especially important for the adults in their lives to read to them. This instills a sense of the importance of stories. It forms intergenerational experiences that people carry with them throughout their lives. 

Q: How have you noticed the power that a book can have for a child? 

I've seen stories ignite passion and creativity in kids of all ages. Having a reading habit improves one's communication skills and fosters learning, but is mostly just a fun, healthy way to engage one's imagination. 

Q: What are some books you suggest or books that you’ve seen kids in foster care enjoy? 

Kids in foster care are just kids, so obviously they can enjoy any book. Some of the books that I recommend that have themes that might resonate with kids in foster care are:

"The Great Gilli Hopkins" by Katherine Paterson

"Pippi Longstocking" by Astrid Lindgren

"Stellaluna" by Janell Cannon

"A Shelter in Our Car" by Monica Gunning

"Still a Family" by Brenda Reeves Sturgis

"Tune It Out" by Jamie Sumner

"Planet Earth is Blue" by Nicole Panteleakos

"Primer" by Jennifer Muro

Q: What are some books that influenced you as a kid?

When I was a child, my favorite books were the Harper Hall trilogy ("Dragonsong," "Dragonsinger," and "Dragondrums") by Anne McCaffrey, "The Chronicles of Prydain" by Lloyd Alexander, "The Great Brain Books by John D. Fitzgerald, anything by Judy Blume, "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster, "Encyclopedia Brown" by Donald J. Sobol, "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis, and the Alvin Fernald books by Clifford B. Hicks.

Erik Christopher Martin is the author of the Dotty Morgan Supernatural Sleuth children's book series, including his latest "The Case of the Greensboro Gremlins." To learn more about Erik and his books, visit ErikChristopherMartin.com.