Mom’s Choice Awards is excited to announce another post in our interview series where we chat with the inventors, designers, publishers, and others behind some of our favorite family-friendly products.

Welcome, Mom’s Choice readers! Today we have the opportunity to talk to Angelina Natale, author of the award-winning Sky View Farm Adventures. This children’s book series is about a young girl and her escapades with her beloved animals. Geared for children ages 3-8, these stories are lighthearted but show the importance of love and respect. Concepts incorporated into the stories include problem solving skills, setting realistic expectations, helping others, family traditions, and respect for the people, the animals, and the world around us.

MCA: Welcome, Angelina, and thanks for joining us today! Won’t you tell us a bit about yourself to start things off?

I’ve been self-employed for over 20 years as a fractional CFO. I have many different interests, including horses, reading, gardening, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. I should probably mention that I’m a cancer survivor. My daughters, Ashley and Gabi, are my anchors and my inspiration.

MCA: Won’t you tell us what your path to becoming a writer was like?

In high school, I had an English teacher who was also a published author.  She encouraged me to pursue my dream of writing. When it was time to head off to college, I headed to Business School and graduated with a degree in Finance and International Business. After working as a Financial Controller/CFO for over 30 years, I decided it was time to flex my rusty creative muscles.

In 2021, my oldest daughter, son-in-law, and I purchased a 250-year-old home on top of a small mountain in New Hampshire. It was this very special place that made me pause and reflect on where life had taken me and my daughters.

I looked back over the years when my two daughters and I spent a lot of time together traveling with our horses. I learned so much from watching them grow up with these magnificent animals. It was our animals that reminded me, and taught my girls, about patience, perseverance, communication, strength (both mental and physical), grace, humility, empathy, community, and so much more. In fact, it was these adventures that inspired me to write what is now the Sky View Farm Adventure series.

MCA: Could you provide us with a brief synopsis of the four books in this series? 

Pony Parade – Maggie is asked to watch the horses while mom runs a quick errand.  The horses escape and Maggie has to problem-solve, keep her cool when things get hectic, and then decide whether or not to tell her mom the truth about what happened.

Mudman and Meatball – This story is a conversation about what it means to be a hero, and poses the question of whether anyone can be a superhero.  Maggie renames two of her horses, figures out what their real life superpowers are, and then they go off incognito and do something nice for their community.

The Cookie Jar – Inspired by our rescue dog, Dougie. Maggie has always dreamed of a puppy of her own and one day, a stray crosses her path. She quickly realizes there are lots of animals that need help sometimes, so she creates an event where she pairs rescues with their forever homes.

Twinkle – this is a holiday story that focuses on family and traditions. There is a fun word game embedded in the story. The reader can change the word and make it unique to their own family—and then take the game we play in the story and play it in real life.

MCA: What a great lineup of stories for children! Could you share some of the key lessons found in your books?

Each book touches on a soft, high-level theme or message. These include honesty, problem-solving skills, rescue, community, empathy, family and traditions, keeping your composure, and the idea that anyone can be a hero/superhero. I have been told that the love and respect between the main character, Maggie, and her mom, is so clear in each story. That was one of my goals when I started the series.

MCA: And what a worthy goal that is! Tell me, if you could ensure that readers of your book walk away with one main lesson, what would it be?

I hope that readers will see the stories for what they are: simple, heartfelt stories that remind children and adults of the importance of relationships, and that age is not always an indicator of wisdom.

MCA: What kind of response from readers have you received?

The response to the series has been overwhelmingly positive, and many families have come back to get more of the books. A lot of parents have reached out and shared how much their kids have enjoyed the stories; sometimes they even send pictures. In some cases, a parent lets me know that the story has touched them as well … reminding them of their pets when they were young.

MCA: What is next for your writing endeavors—do you have anything in the pipeline?

There is always something in the pipeline! We have several adventures that involve newer horses, cats and people that need to be introduced into the series. I released six titles in less than a year; I’d like to enjoy sharing the current titles for a little while longer. I’m thinking there will be new titles in 2025.

MCA: Angelina, it has been lovely talking with you today. We look forward to your upcoming books and wish you the very best!

You can learn more about Angelina Natale and her award-winning “A Sky View Farm Adventure” series, by visiting their MCA Shop page.