Thanks so much to author Carolyn Fraiser for chatting with me about her newest children’s book, “M is for Mason Jar.”
As someone who blogs about natural living with a pretty heavy focus on knowing, growing, and preserving food, I’m so excited to share her new book with you!
Carolyn, would you like to tell us a bit about what inspired you to write this book?
Thank you for hosting me, Darcy. I’ve been immersed in homesteading for many years, but to be honest, I never even thought about writing a children’s book about homesteading. Most of my books focus on natural science or history. I actually wrote it on a dare.
During the summer of 2020, we were all in lockdown mode and going a bit stir crazy. One day, someone started a stream on a Facebook homesteading group I follow about the ABCs of homesteading. Tt was a fun to read, but definitely for adults. I joked with my husband that I should write a kids’ version. He totally dared me to do it! We worked on a list of words together. I began playing around with a lot of alliteration that would take it beyond the simple A is for Apple structure.
Around the same time, I had read on a few blogs posts from parents who were frustrated by the lack of books about modern-day homesteading (there were plenty about pioneer homesteading). I felt there was a real need for a book like this.
That’s so great. One of the ongoing messages I share with my readers is that learning by doing is a great way to expand your knowledge. I love that you are educating children about food preservation. What is your favorite kid-friendly food preservation project that learning parents could start with for their young learners?
Food preservation is my specialty on our small homestead. I think one of the easiest ways for kids to get involved is in gathering and drying herbs. I use an oven for some of my herbs, but I love to hang dry or sun bake when I can. Of course, this takes time and A LOT of patience! Something kids – and let’s face it, us adults too – can have a hard time with that part.
One of my favorite activities is gathering dandelions in the late morning and drying them in the sun all afternoon (and sometimes the next day). Once they are dry, I soak them in Jojoba and Avocado oils in a mason jar and use the infusion to make a skin salve. This would be a great activity for even the youngest homesteaders!
I know your book isn’t only about food preservation. What else can readers find within the pages?
Oh, the book covers a variety of activities! I tried to touch on the wide scope of a homesteader’s life instead of taking a deep dive into a particular topic—including baking and canning to family and traditions to fun things a young child might do, like exploring the fields and participating in county fairs.
What is your favorite letter of the alphabet as it relates to the content of your book?
Oh, that’s a hard one because there’s something special on each page. But if I had to choose, I would pick “F is for Family” because it ties what the text and images are trying to convey throughout the whole book, that special connection when a family – the entire family, including young kids – work together on a homestead.
What else would you like to share about “M is for Mason Jar?”
On the surface, “M is for Mason Jar” looks like a book for preschoolers (and it is marketed that way), but I think even older kids can learn a lot about what a homestead looks like. There are so many places that a parent or teacher could use as a launching place to discuss science (canning or jam-making) or even poetry and language.
When and where can we purchase it?
You can find it at the following retailers:
- Abrams Books
- Amazon
- Barnes and Noble
- Highland Books (This is my local independent bookstore in North Carolina. To get your pre-ordered book signed, just write “signed copy” in the comment field and I’ll personally sign it before it ships out.)
How can readers follow you?
I love to connect with readers. You can find me on most social media platforms at @CarolynBFraiser (Facebook, Instagram, X, BlueSky, Pinterest), or feel free to sign up for my monthly newsletter on my website.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
It was great chatting with you today, Darcy! Thank you so much for sharing “M is for Mason Jar” with your readers.