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Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Author Interview - Heather Manley, ND


What inspired you to write your first book? Basically, I was flipping pancakes one Sunday morning when it dawned on me that I could write a series of entertaining and educational adventure stories through the different systems in the body; however, it all began in the classroom. When my kids were younger, I spent time in their elementary classrooms, talking about the digestive system and nutrition. It was quite obvious that kids loved learning about how their bodies work and what foods best fueled them. I searched through the library, book stores and Amazon but was unable to find any books about the human body that were engaging. When I was flipping those pancakes, I was pondering all this and knew that kids would gravitate towards these books and in return, would provide a profound, long-term healthy effect on them. Human Body Detectives, specifically, The Lucky Escape: An Imaginative Adventure Through the Digestive System, was then born.
Do your books have a teaching objective?  If so, what is it? Yes! But what is so wonderful about the series is that kids do not even realize they are learning. My goals for students are:
  • Have a basic understanding on how each body system functions, how they work independently, yet are dependent on each other to function optimally.
  • Understand the important role nutrition plays in having a healthy body.
What is your writing schedule? I usually spend a few hours in the morning writing down ideas and key medical points for the story and then begin writing. It maybe a little backwards but I like to just get writing as you can always edit!
What projects are you working on now, or plan for the future? My fourth books on the skeletal system right now and plan to write journeys through the nervous and muscular systems.
What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest? At the end of each story there are a few more pages to reinforce what the kids have learned: a brief journey through the specific story, trivia, jokes, diagrams, and glossary. I really want kids to understand how their bodies work and why eating healthy food is important.
Do you plan on doing a series for older kids? Funny you ask this. I recently launched the Human Body Detectives Go To School Nutrition 101 for Middle and High School curriculum. It is an extensive nutrition unit for grades 6 through 12. It is full of entertaining labs, practical information and simple everyday guidelines to food and nutrition.

For those wanting to know a little more about Dr. Heather:
Dr. Heather Manley, who in 2001 received her medical degree from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon, is a practicing physician whose primary interest is preventative healthcare for families. She is the author of the award winning Human Body Detectives, her children’s educational series of story-telling books, curriculum, eBooks, and iPhone/iPad apps.  She also promotes wellness and naturopathic healthcare on her website DrHeatherND.com. She lives on the Big Island of Hawaii with her husband and two daughters, and is currently at work on the next human body adventure for kids.
The Lucky Escape
Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre - Children’s Books
Rating – G
More details about the author & the book
Battle of the Bugs2
The second case in the Human Body Detectives kids’ series where two young Human Body Detectives are exploring the immune system. With the ability to jump in and examine the various systems in the body, Merrin and Pearl’s adventures are fun stories and helpful tools to educate children. Ideal for ages 4 to 10.
Merrin and Pearl’s little cousin Max is sick, threatening everyone’s Mexican holiday. This time the girls land themselves in Max’s body, witnessing firsthand the immune system in action. They befriend a white blood cell warrior who leads them into battle against the offending bacteria…
Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre - Children’s Books
Rating – G
More details about the author
Connect with Heather Manley on Facebook & Twitter

A Heart Pumping Adventure3
Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre - Children’s Books
Rating – G
More details about the author & the book
Osteoblasts to the Rescue4
Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre - Children’s Books
Rating – G
More details about the author & the book
Connect with Heather Manley on Facebook & Twitter

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