Clarizio adds coloring book to 'Magic Carpet' series

Cranston Children’s Book author and Glocester illustrator launched a new picture book called Liam’s Magic Carpet Adventures and most recently an accompanying title named Liam's Magic Carpet Coloring Adventures. On May 23, Children’s Book author Laura Clarizio brought Liam’s Magic Carpet and Coloring Book to the students at Orchard Farms.

Orchard Farms was chosen as the school building that is in the coloring book.

"I was so thrilled when second-grade teacher Jennifer Waterman of Orchard Farms asked me to do a book reading,” said Clarizio. “I had read there before and was so impressed with the school, so when I was creating Liam’s Magic Carpet Adventures I gave the illustrator, Jamie Forgetta, pictures of the school to use as the character Liam's school. It is so fitting to do a reading there and debut the coloring book at the school. The students were so excited when I told them their school is a feature in the books."

Many people recognize Laura Clarizio, of Cranston, from her reporting days on WPRI and WB 56 in Boston, and more recently as an anchor at WPRO. Touched by the many stories she covered the New England journalist set out to write the If I Had A Magic Carpet series to encourage children to use their imagination.

Throughout the series Clarizio sprinkled valuable life lessons like bullying and stranger danger to help keep kids’ safe.

After finishing the fourth book in the series Clarizio thought it was complete, until she met one very special little boy, in foster care, named Liam.

“It was love at first sight,” said Clarizio, “and when the same friend who encouraged me to write the If I Had a Magic Carpet series said I should write a book for Liam, I was hesitant, because I knew the book would need to be geared towards toddlers and I am not an illustrator.”

The very next day Clarizio said she went for a teeth cleaning and her hygienist said, “My daughter, Jamie Forgetta, is an illustrator and would love to collaborate with you on a book.” At that moment Clarizio said it was fate and she knew this was something she needed to do for Liam.

That is when she says she decided to create a prequel to her Magic Carpet series.

“It all fit so perfectly, since William is a main character in the series and Liam is derivation of that name, I was able to make it all flow,” said Clarizio. “My illustrator Jamie Forgetta made Liam’s Magic Carpet Adventures soar off the pages. Jamie really took the time to listen to my visions and add her own magical touch to her bold and beautiful pictures. It was evident when I showed Liam the book proof and at eighteen months he laughed and giggled at the beautiful pictures and asked me to read the book over and over.”

To date she has published: If I Had a Magic Carpet, If I Had a Magic Carpet II: Key to Kindness, If I Had a Magic Carpet III: Haunted Holidays, Traveling Through Time: If I Had a Magic Carpet III, and now Liam's Magic Carpet Adventures and Liam's Magic Carpet Coloring Adventures.

“Liam's Magic Carpet book and Liam's Magic Carpet Coloring Adventures are great ways to teach children about the world and to use their imaginations. The coloring book is great with crayons, paint, pencils,” said Clarizio.

Clarizio's series ‘If I Had a Magic Carpet’ is one that teaches children life lessons through magic carpet adventures. The goal of the series is to touch on topics like bullying and stranger danger, but keep it fun and imaginative. The series is designed to grow as children grow. If I Had a Magic Carpet is geared toward first and second graders while book 4 is a chapter book geared towards older grades.

In 2016, she expanded the series to include the beautifully illustrated toddler picture book Liam’s Magic Carpet Adventures and in now the 2017 Liam’s Magic Carpet Coloring Adventures. All of her books are available at Amazon.com.

"Liam's Magic Carpet Coloring Adventures seemed like a perfect extension to my newest book Liam's Magic Carpet Adventures and to my series If I Had A Magic Carpet,” said Clarizio.

“Although the book is geared to toddlers I wanted children and adults of all ages to enjoy this latest magic carpet ride. The idea came to me one day when I was coloring with the real-life Liam and thought he should not only have his own book but a coloring book as well. I saw at even his young age how much he enjoyed coloring and quickly called the illustrator Jamie Forgetta to see if this was possible. I was so excited when she said she could turn the book into a coloring book too," said Clarizio.

In 2005 while reporting in Boston the first book was published. Clarizio wrote four books to grow as her audience grew. “I often get invited to do author days at elementary schools, and I wanted to make sure I had a book appropriate for each grade level,” said Clarizio.

“I love the array of ideas and challenges different clients bring to me, as an artist you are very much in your own head and what you draw can become very stagnant if you never push yourself to do something different,” said illustrator Forgetta of Glocester.

“As an illustrator I am given the challenge of bringing someone else's ideas to life and it has broadened my horizons as an artist and helped me think in ways I wouldn't have on my own. I have gained so much practice and inspiration from working with others as an illustrator,” said Forgetta.

Clarizio said out of all her books this one has extra special meaning because it is dedicated to Liam and all the other foster care children. “I was fortunate to spend a great deal of time loving Liam, this book is a gift to him and if it does take off I plan to give back to him and other foster care children,” said Clarizio.

Liam's Magic Carpet Coloring Adventures is also a tad different than most coloring books because they included the original magic carpet story as a bonus, so there are sentences on the pages and it tells a story too. The book teaches children about the world in which they live and allowing them to color and use their imagination to allow them to be creative.