Draft:Catherine Fet

Catherine Fet is an American writer and scholar, author of innovative children's and young adult educational books, and a series of illustrated Latin language textbooks for children and adults. Based in New York city, she is married, and has one child. As a children's writer, Catherine is best known for the Magic Spells and Potions - How-To for Kids in Magic Training activity books series based on fantasy fiction, and ''History for Kids - Traditional, Story-Based

Magic Spells and Potions book series
The Magic Spells and Potions series was prompted by the popularity of fantasy fiction novels and films featuring magic and magicians, such as the Harry Potter novel series by J.K. Rowling, or Disney films - Descendants, Sofia the First, and Elena of Avalor. Catherine Fet's Magic Spells and Potions - How-To for Kids in Magic Training books are readers / activity books for kids ages 7-12. The idea for the series was born as Catherine tried to get her son interested in reading. To engage him in reading-based play, Catherine started writing "magic potion recipes" for him. Later assembled into a book series, these 1-page instructions encourage young readers to study each "recipe" and follow up by performing a "spell" or making a "potion" using safe everyday objects and substances like milk, sugar, salt, mirror, a ring, a ribbon, tree leaves, and rocks. The goal of the series is to engage children not only in reading, but also in imagination-developing pretend play, vital for their intellectual and emotional development. In addition, the task of gathering objects and ingredients for "spells" and "potions" helps kids learn to organize and plan their own activities. The "spells" in this series are original fantasy-fiction-style creations, not based on any esoteric or religious lore or rituals. Each "spell" or "potion" prompts the discovery of either a scientific principle or a fact of history explaining the "magic." In this series, the author of the books presents herself as a professor at the fictional North Landing Academy of Magic Arts.

History for Kids - Traditional, Story-Based Format book series
Catherine Fet's History for Kids - Traditional, Story-Based Format book series is based on the premise that children learn best from narratives which contain a story with a plot. Explaining the methodology of story-based history-teaching, Catherine points out that children easily remember the content of myths and legends (storytelling format) as opposed to sequences of historical events typically presented as driven by political and economic forces, rather than by individual human actors. Each History for Kids book follows the "old-fashioned" story-based format, teaching history through biographies of historical figures and historical anecdotes. As Catherine states in the foreword to the Ancient Greece for Kids Through the Lives of its Philosophers, Lawmakers, and Heroes, "Culture is memes. And that means historical figures, and anecdotes about them." The target audience for this series is 8- to 14-years-olds.

Latin for Kids book series
Catherine Fet's Latin for Kids illustrated book series teaches Latin "the traditional way - in a highly non-traditional presentation." It's best described in Catherine's own words from the foreword of the Latin for Kids, "Every page is bursting with color and overflowing with funny illustrations, silly humor, surprise captions, and recurring Latin-speaking animal characters and Roman statues...You won't be lost in an endless desert of conjugation charts and exclusions from exclusions. The dialogues will not feature boring Roman farmers, soldiers, or sailors – yawn!" The books of the series include basic grammar, vocabulary-development through memorization of classical Latin sayings and quotes, reading texts, translation exercises, and the instruction in spoken Latin - "for play and bragging rights."

Magic Spells and Potions - How-To for Kids in Magic Trainings

 * Invincible Magic Book of Spells: Ancient Spells, Charms and Divination Rituals for Kids in Magic Training, 2018, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * Magic Potions and Elixirs - Recipes and Spells for Kids in Magic Training, 2018, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * Star Magic Book of Spells: Ancient Spells and Talismans for Kids in Magic Training, 2018, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * Alchemical Potions and Dragon Spells for Kids in Magic Training, 2019, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * Palm Reading for Kids, 2019, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * The Shadow Card - Playing Cards Fortune Telling for Kids and Teens, 2019, North Landing Books (paperback)

Heritage History for Kids - Traditional, Story-Based Format

 * Ancient Greece for Kids Through the Lives of its Philosophers, Lawmakers, and Heroes, 2020, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * Ancient Rome for Kids through the Lives of its Heroes, Emperors, and Philosophers, 2020, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * The Middle Ages for Kids through the lives of kings, heroes, and saints, 2021, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * The Renaissance for Kids through the Lives of its Artists, Tyrants, Scientists, and Saints, 2021, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * European Explorers for Kids, 2021, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * Native People of North America for Kids - through the lives of their chiefs and heroes, 2022, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * The French Revolution & Napoleonic Era for Kids through the lives of royalty, rebels, and thinkers, 2023, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * The Victorian Era in Europe - The Age of Empires - through the lives of its royals, rebels, and empire-builders, 2023, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * Life of Jesus in European Art - for Kids, 2019, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * Independence and Freedom Movements for Kids - through the lives of rebels and nation builders, 2024, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * Unicorn - A History for Kids Who Believe in Magic, 2019, North Landing Books (paperback)

Latin Textbooks for Kids and Grownups

 * Latin for Kids, 2020, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * Latin for Kids - Companion: Translation and sentence building exercises, 2020, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * My Dragon Speaks Latin – Draco Meus Latine Loquitur - LATIN FOR KIDS Companion Reader, 2021, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * Latin to the Rescue! How to make sense of English spelling by learning a bit of Latin, 2022, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * Church Latin for the Third Millennium, 2021, North Landing Books (paperback)

Math and Science for Kids

 * Speed Math and Math Magic for Kids - Easy Times Tables, Fun Math Tricks, and Mental Cheat Sheets, 2019, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * Star of the Seven Seas: Math Word Problems and Their Solutions Step-by-Step for Grades 1-3, 2019, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * 3-Minute Science: A Reader for Kids: Physics and Chemistry Are All Around Us!, 2019, North Landing Books (paperback)

Early Readers

 * Treasure Hunting and Real-Life Treasure Hunters, 2019, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * Monsters in Legends and in Real Life, 2021, North Landing Books (paperback)

Speech Development and Social Skills

 * The Magic of Big Words: How to impress grownups with grownup words and get anything you want from them, 2018, North Landing Books (paperback)


 * The Truth About Lies, Liars, and Lying, 2021, North Landing Books (paperback)