Ferd and the Magic Hat!
Announcing Ferd and the Magic Hat!
In a golden valley at the foot of gentle, green mountains, there is a village that appears to be made of gingerbread. This village is named Solvang. It is a real place, a fairy tale come true, where sunbaked fields and palm trees give way to thatched roofs that resemble mounds of chocolate shavings and criss-crossed wooden beams that look like zigzags of icing.
Settled by Danish immigrants over 100 years ago, Solvang, California, in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley, is an enchanted town all year, sprinkled with wooden windmills and Danish bakeries that serve up a rainbow of gooey treasures, but at Christmastime its magic is on full display. It is at that time of year, Scandinavian folklore suggests, that mischievous tiny creatures called nisser emerge from their dwellings to animate the holiday season, bringing treats to animals and gifts to children.
Ferd and the Magic Hat is a children’s picture book that tells the story of one of these quirky creatures. He is the namesake of a man named Ferdinand “Ferd” Sorensen, who is called the Father of Danish architecture in Solvang and was even knighted by the Queen of Denmark for his creative influences. Ferd Sorensen built the first Danish windmill in Solvang and eventually helped inspire the town council to recreate storybook Copenhagen in the Santa Ynez Valley. He installed weathervanes inspired by the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen, stork nests above gabled roofs, ornate woodwork in Solvang Restaurant, and the Dragonspire atop King Christian Tower.
In Ferd and the Magic Hat, Ferd the nisse wakes up at the dawn of the Christmas season in a wooden windmill on a hill. He has a pointy hat with enough light to power Christmas in his beloved village, until it gets snatched away by a pesky stork! Will he be able to retrieve it in time to light the big Christmas tree in the town square tonight? He’s going to need the aid of his animal friends, who are usually more hungry than they are helpful, if he’s going to make the whole town glow.
Solvang is called “The Danish Capital of America” and is also considered one of the most Christmassy towns in the country. In Ferd and the Magic Hat, you can join Ferd on his delicious adventure and experience the magic of Christmas in Solvang!
Note: If you would like a copy mailed to you or as a gift to a child or picture-book loving grownup in your life, email me adammchugh@gmail.com - $30 with free shipping in a padded green envelope with snowflake stickers. Or you can purchase on Amazon. Which comes in a boring brown box. Only 1000 copies in print with almost 500 already sold.
About the Authors: Adam and Kate McHugh live just outside Solvang on a farm for retired horses and bouncy barn cats. Adam is the author of several books, including the award-winning memoir Blood From a Stone, which helped inspire the story of Ferd and the Magic Hat. Kate fell under the magic spell of books as a little girl, and she has been telling stories ever since. As an English professor, high school teacher, and children’s librarian, Kate loves enticing others to discover the wonders of words, too.
About the Illustrator: Allie Daigle is a freelance illustrator who has designed and illustrated dozens of children’s books, as well as posters, advertisements, and even labels for craft beer. She graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Fine Art in Illustration and Design. To see more of Allie’s work visit her website https://alliedaigle.com/
In a golden valley at the foot of gentle, green mountains, there is a village that appears to be made of gingerbread. This village is named Solvang. It is a real place, a fairy tale come true, where sunbaked fields and palm trees give way to thatched roofs that resemble mounds of chocolate shavings and criss-crossed wooden beams that look like zigzags of icing.
Settled by Danish immigrants over 100 years ago, Solvang, California, in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley, is an enchanted town all year, sprinkled with wooden windmills and Danish bakeries that serve up a rainbow of gooey treasures, but at Christmastime its magic is on full display. It is at that time of year, Scandinavian folklore suggests, that mischievous tiny creatures called nisser emerge from their dwellings to animate the holiday season, bringing treats to animals and gifts to children.
Ferd and the Magic Hat is a children’s picture book that tells the story of one of these quirky creatures. He is the namesake of a man named Ferdinand “Ferd” Sorensen, who is called the Father of Danish architecture in Solvang and was even knighted by the Queen of Denmark for his creative influences. Ferd Sorensen built the first Danish windmill in Solvang and eventually helped inspire the town council to recreate storybook Copenhagen in the Santa Ynez Valley. He installed weathervanes inspired by the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen, stork nests above gabled roofs, ornate woodwork in Solvang Restaurant, and the Dragonspire atop King Christian Tower.
In Ferd and the Magic Hat, Ferd the nisse wakes up at the dawn of the Christmas season in a wooden windmill on a hill. He has a pointy hat with enough light to power Christmas in his beloved village, until it gets snatched away by a pesky stork! Will he be able to retrieve it in time to light the big Christmas tree in the town square tonight? He’s going to need the aid of his animal friends, who are usually more hungry than they are helpful, if he’s going to make the whole town glow.
Solvang is called “The Danish Capital of America” and is also considered one of the most Christmassy towns in the country. In Ferd and the Magic Hat, you can join Ferd on his delicious adventure and experience the magic of Christmas in Solvang!
Note: If you would like a copy mailed to you or as a gift to a child or picture-book loving grownup in your life, email me adammchugh@gmail.com - $30 with free shipping in a padded green envelope with snowflake stickers. Or you can purchase on Amazon. Which comes in a boring brown box. Only 1000 copies in print with almost 500 already sold.
About the Authors: Adam and Kate McHugh live just outside Solvang on a farm for retired horses and bouncy barn cats. Adam is the author of several books, including the award-winning memoir Blood From a Stone, which helped inspire the story of Ferd and the Magic Hat. Kate fell under the magic spell of books as a little girl, and she has been telling stories ever since. As an English professor, high school teacher, and children’s librarian, Kate loves enticing others to discover the wonders of words, too.
About the Illustrator: Allie Daigle is a freelance illustrator who has designed and illustrated dozens of children’s books, as well as posters, advertisements, and even labels for craft beer. She graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Fine Art in Illustration and Design. To see more of Allie’s work visit her website https://alliedaigle.com/
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