School children across the world are no stranger to Johnathan Rand. The author, a life-long Michigander, is best known for his American and Michigan Chillers novels, and has sold millions of books. While the Chillers novels were geared for the middle school crowd, his new series, Dollar $tore Danny, aims for early elementary school kids.
Some people may wonder why Rand is reaching out to a younger age group when he’s had so much success with older kids. He says it’s not about recreating Chillers’ success, but rather instilling a love of reading from an early age.
“Over the last year or so, I talked to a couple of teachers and they’ve talked about these kids who see the books I write for Michigan Chillers or American Chillers or Freddie Fernortner and they want to read but they’re not really there yet,” Rand says, “So I thought, well, if I do this series, I can really hit those kids, and hopefully pull them into this wonderful world of reading.”
Rand, who lives in Cheboygan county, says the new series isn’t as scary as his Chillers books, but more focused on adventure. He says he wants young readers to be inspired by the adventures in the new series, and hopefully use a little more imagination in their own lives.
“They’re funny stories but they’re exciting and they’re adventurous, and that’s what I’m hoping kids will do,” he says, “Whether it’s walking into a dollar store or anywhere and just looking at something, and thinking, “well, what would Danny think? You know, maybe that’s not a pencil, that’s a spear or that’s a rocket ship,” or something of that sort.”
The first two books in the series, Dollar $tore Danny and the Dangerous Dinosaur and Dollar $tore Danny and the Salt Shaker Spaceship will be available at major bookstores this November. He says he has at least four more books planned for the series.
To learn more about Rand and his books, or to order copies of Dollar $tore Danny, visit http://www.americanchillers.com/