Interview with the Author of Zoe the Crab – Lucia Matuonto
Check out Book 2: Mystery Island – the Second Book in the Zoe the Crab Series!
Qn 1: Can you tell us more about your Zoe the Crab books, what are they about?
The Zoe the Crab series of fiction books is about courage, strength and friendship.
Zoe is a little crab who lives on the beach with her family and looks forward to making new friends. She does not enjoy moving around the beach and going to the shore because she always needs to run away from humans and flee from predators. Surviving such dangerous situations is even more difficult for someone who walks sideways and needs help from others. During an accident she ends up losing one of her claws and getting lost on the beach. Zoe has to struggle to face her fears and find her way home.
In this new adventure (Mystery Island), one-clawed Zoe is taken to a mysterious island, where she meets different animals and gets involved in incredible and funny situations. The book shows that even though we are all different, together we can accomplish a lot of awesome things.
Qn 2: Who do you think would be interested the Zoe the Crab books, are they directed at any particular market?
This is a chapter book directed to children from 8 to14 years old and can appeal also to the whole family. Zoe the Crab can be a good font of inspiration for people with special needs and people who enjoy adventures and love animals.
Qn 3: Out of all the books in the world, and all the authors, which are your favourite and why?
My favorite book is “The Physician” by Noah Gordon.
This book inspired me deeply, and after reading its 608 pages, I decided to get out of my comfort zone and follow my dreams. The message is very clear and simple: even though things are not easy, it can be even more difficult if you don’t try hard.
Qn 4: What guidance would you offer to someone new, or trying to enhance their writing?
I would say that they should read as many books as possible, listen to interesting podcasts and write daily.
Qn 5: Where can our readers find out more about you, do you have a website, or a way to be contacted?
Zoe the Crab Book Series
Book 1: Lost on the Beach
Zoe is a clever little crab, who is very curious about the exciting world around her. However, she is also afraid to face the many challenges that wait for her on the crowded beach, outside her safe and cozy hole. To accomplish her desire of getting out, discovering new places and making many new friends, she has to deal with predators, humans, snakes, and all kind of unplanned surprises.
Zoe is puzzled and bothered by the fact that she walks sideways. She thinks it is silly and very inefficient. She keeps trying to walk forward. She is always questioning her brothers why only crabs walk like this, while her brothers keep making fun of her. She has no friends and sometimes she is so tired that she just wants to stay at home with her mom.
She is the youngest of three siblings and she is sometimes more mature than her teenager brothers, who are always getting into trouble.
One day she gets also dragged into it, suffers an accident and ends up lost on the beach. Zoe needs for once and for all to face her fears and have the courage to search for her way back to her family. In fact, this turns out to be the best day of her life yet, because she finally meets friends and proves to herself and to her family how much she can accomplish and how strong she can be.
How can all this happen in just 24 hours? Let’s find out!
Book 2: Mystery Island
In this new adventure, Zoe, who is now older and smarter than before, is enjoying summertime with her friends and family on the white sands of her beach. A big holiday is approaching and the risk of being trampled on by the multitude of humans that will populate the beach in the coming days, forces Zoe and all the animals into a four-day reclusion. She is enjoying her last minutes outside with Sofia, when she is suddenly taken away from the beach. Zoe , who is afraid of heights, lands in a dangerous new world, that is full of mysteries and secrets. There, she meets different animals, who are being oppressed by a mean creature and ends up in the same condition. Her plans to escape are practically impossible since she lacks swimming skills and has only one claw. To survive that obscure environment, Zoe needs to be cautious, use her creativity and her captivating personality to survive, find her way home and help the other animals.But, how can Zoe run away from a mysterious island, from which nobody has ever escaped?Will Zoe be able to meet her family and friends again?Discover what happens and be ready for some excitement and funny situations.
About the Author
Lucia Matuonto is eclectic and multitalented and considers herself a dreamer. Indeed, she puts her dreams into reality through her writing. She also illustrates, paints and loves telling stories to her little patients (she is also a Physical Therapist). She started writing a long time ago, on the side, but now she finally decided to write children’s book and to focus on it as her primary activity. The decision came after she learnt more about special needs children’s feelings, enthusiasm and desire of inclusion.
This book is utterly charming. The ‘Dear Diary’ format made me become enamoured with Zoe, and her confiding in the diary was heartwarming, and often very funny. I enjoyed the family dynamic, and the insight into crab life (particularly Zoe questioning why they had to walk sideways!). I would definitely recommend.