Disclosure

This is a sponsored post. I recieved a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Affiliate links are used in this post. You can read my full disclosure here.

Captain Curriculum Saves Circle Time! Book Review

Captain Curriculum Saves Circle Time! by Curtis Andrews is the perfect book for any primary school classroom or childcare worker!

The story starts out with Ms. Weeble, a teacher struggling to get her class to come together for circle time. She starts to read but the students are distracted. Enter Captain Curriculum, who asks her if she had done a transition between cleaning and circle time. Ms. Weeble claims there's no time, Enter Tracy Transitions, who helps Ms. Weeble come up with a simple transition song to help the students ease from one activity to the next.

The transition song is included in the book. At the end of the book, there is a section for the teacher and students to come up with their own circle time activities to help kids be more excited for circle time.

Where Can I Find Captain Curriculum Saves Circle Time!?

Captain Curriculum Saves Circle Time! by Curtis Andrews is available on Amazon.

An Interview With Author Curtis Andrews

Q. What was the inspiration behind Captain Curriculum Saves Circle Time!?

Being an Early Childhood Educator myself, I understand the challenges of managing a classroom. I wanted to create a teacher resource guide in the form of a children’s story so that both educators and children can benefit from.

Q. How did you come with the transition song in Captain Curriculum Saves Circle Time?

It was never planned. One day during circle time, the children were distracted, and I needed to get their attention, so I started tapping my knees to start a rhythm and the words just came out. I‘ve been utilizing it ever since.

Q. How do you select the names of your characters?

I usually play around with various names until I find the ones that seem best suited for the characters. Captain Curriculum’s original name was Captain Childcare Provider. His character is loosely based off of me and his sidekick Tracy Transitions is inspired by my fiancée who’s an Early Childhood Educator as well.

Q. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Well, it probably began in my early twenties. That’s when I remember becoming interested with the craft of writing. I started purchasing writer’s magazines and reading scripts. I’m fascinated by a really good story.

Q. Describe your writing space. What does it look like?

Well, the physical space is just a desk nothing spectacular at all. If you’re referring to my process, I usually begin outlining on loose-leaf paper. After transferring it to a word document, I’ll begin writing the manuscript. There have been a few times when I’ve chosen to skip the outlining phase because I spontaneously had a story idea that I didn’t want to forget. When writing this way, it can be challenging for me because I have to now build a story around this one idea versus writing in a sequential order.

Q. What do you think is the most difficult part of the writing process?

For me, without a doubt, it’s character development. The writer has to make the reader care about the character which means they have to either relate to them, have sympathy, or find them unique in some way while delivering a compelling story.

Q. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I can’t say I had any childhood ambitions. My upbringing wasn’t ideal. When I became an adult is when I discovered what my purpose in life is. In my adulthood, I’ve had quite a few mentors. I thank God for placing these individuals in my life.