Backyard Jungle is the fourth installment in the new children's book series, "The Adventures of Maddie and Albert.” Maddie is mischievous, daring, and witty. Albert is intelligent, rational, and sharp-witted. Who would have thought two total opposites could be the best of friends? But with his brains and her imagination, they are the perfect team! In Backyard Jungle, these two best friends, along with their beagle pal, Houdini, invite readers to celebrate imagination, adventure and quirky fun facts as they travel through Maddie’s backyard on the animal adventure of a lifetime!
Through brilliant art and skillful dialogue, author and illustrator, Alexandra Adlawan, brings to life the activities that she dreams of doing in her own life through her books. Having been diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum at age fifteen, Alexandra began sharing her talents with the creation of The Adventures of Maddie and Albert book series. Maddie and Albert are two characters that have come to the forefront over the last several years. Using their imagination, they explore a limitless world of adventures.
Her first three books in the series include:
Flying The Imaginary Skies, The Adventures of Maddie and Albert (January 1, 2020)
Whether flying kites on the Great Wall of China, or riding kangaroos in Australia, Maddie and Albert know how to have fun wherever they go. Join these two best friends as they "Fly the Imaginary Skies" in their hot air balloon.
How I Spent My Summer Vacation, The Adventures of Maddie and Albert (January 1, 2019)
With Maddie’s ability to come up with crazy things to do and Albert’s willingness to go along with anything, the fun this summer is guaranteed. Join these two best friends to see what adventures they have planned for their vacation.
Wild Imagination, The Adventures of Maddie and Albert (January 1, 2018)
Maddie and Albert are the central characters in the story, and although they are opposites, they find a way to form a bond. Albert is shy, quiet and loves to read. Maddie, on the other hand, is boisterous and full of energy. Alexandra’s first book encourages the search for adventure within young people and guide them into embracing the differences in others.
You can learn more in this interview.
Why did you start writing books?
Ever since I can remember I’ve always loved to read and draw. I’ve been drawing stories for fun since elementary school. I didn’t start writing stories until later in life.
I actually didn’t do well writing in school because the writing prompts were never about something I could relate to or had any knowledge of.
I didn’t know I wanted to write and illustrate stories for a living until I went to Exceptional Minds, an Art and Animation school in California for young autistic adults.
I was good at animating, but it caused me more stress than I could handle. I decided I’d rather have my characters on a page instead of moving on a screen.
Can you share a little bit about how autism has inspired your work?
That’s a difficult question to answer because autism has not really inspired my books, it’s more the special ingredient that keeps me focused and immersed in my story telling. The characters of Maddie and Albert exemplify two things. Maddie is the type of person I would like to be and Albert is the type of person I actually am. Having autism and what comes with it, has inspired me to write about experiences I would have liked to have had growing up had it been not for the social anxiety I experienced.
Why is it important for people of all ages and backgrounds to engage in imaginative play?
Using one’s imagination encourages individual creativity. Kids and adults in general spend too much time on devices. I myself am guilty of this. We depend too much on technology to entertain us. We fall into its trap because it is so easy to be drawn in.
With so much mindless entertainment at our fingertips, it’s hard to come up with other things to do. For an example of creative play, as a kid I played with giant cardboard boxes on a regular basis. I would sit inside for hours and draw on the walls.
In my opinion, “Imaginative Play” allows for more creativity and a sense of accomplishment of creating something from nothing.
About
Alexandra Adlawan is a writer and illustrator from Long Beach, CA, and creator of the Amazing Artists publishing company. A naturally gifted visual arts and written word communicator in reaching children, Alexandra enhanced her skill set by graduating from Exceptional Minds – a professional digital arts & animation studio for artists with autism. Alexandra’s children’s book series includes, The Adventures of Maddie and Albert, Wild Imagination, How I Spent My Summer Vacation, Flying the Imaginary Skies, and the forthcoming, Backyard Jungle.
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