Casey is the author of five award-winning children’s books. Her passion has always been centered around children, and she has been actively involved with children in sports and academics from preschool to high school for over 25 years. These moments have added to her love of all things picture books, as who doesn’t love a great story during some quiet time? In 2011, she finally decided it was a good time to start on her new creative outlet.
Casey has a Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Montana State University. She has taught for many years, and is endorsed in early childhood and special needs. The last eight years have been devoted to writing, reading, and sharing the love of these arts with children.
For more information, visit her website here. Read our review of her latest children’s book, Love.
BOOKS:
Time Together, Time Well Spent! (2011)
Love is Forever (2013)
Come In, Open the Doors to You! (2015)
Imagination Bigger Together (2017)
Rowdy Randy (2019)
Last book read:
The Antlered Ship by Dashka Slater and the Fan Brothers and In a Jar by Deborah Marcero (picture books with my sons)
The book that changed your life:
Different books at different times. I loved the Walt Disney Production books in 1970/80’s like Bambi Grows Up and Aladdin as they caught my attention for hours, between both the story and illustrations. Also, Dr. Seuss for the same reason but also for the wonderful element of reading the crazy words out loud.
Since I have taught — I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont, Nancy Tillman books, Karma Wilson’s series of Bear Books, Jan Brett books, and Olivia book series by Ian Falconer. Anything that could entertain and teach a lesson. These were favorites!
Since I have had children — the new books I picked up in my adult life I absolutely love include The Magic Hat by Mem Fox (and many more of her books), The Little Blue Truck and follow up’s of this version by Alice Schertle, Those Darn Squirrels book series by Adam Rubin, Lita Judge books, Oliver Jeffers books and Beyond the Pond by Joseph Kuefler. I also think Alexander Steffensmeier’s book, Millie Waits for the Mail, is laugh out loud fun. Many I have fallen in love with have to do with the magic of turning each page, the stories that keep you mind moving, and the amazing creativity of both the author and illustrator as when I first fell in love with books at a very young age.
Your favorite literary character:
Again I cannot just pick one character as there are too many amazing ones:
Young age: Bambi for the sweetness and curiosity. Aladdin for the magic, unknown future, and big dreamer.
Teenage Years: JR Tolkien’s Hobbit series- I enjoyed the Hobbit best as he was living a normal and quiet life and then embraced the adventure in his life almost immediately. His traveling to new lands and meeting new characters along the way kept my attention for years.
Teaching Years: Ian Falconer’s character Olivia is an extremely fun personality to keep up with. She is adventurous and it surrounds her immediate world. She makes ordinary things become the biggest story. Probably helps she reads a lot! The other character I loved was Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman’s Bear book series (Bear Says Thanks, etc). I enjoy all the sweet woodland characters and their daily adventures. As a teacher, they were wonderful learning lessons of being grateful, being a good friend, and things that young children will encounter like a loose tooth.
Mom Years: We laugh every time my children and I open Those Darn Squirrels series books. They are laugh out silly, witty, creative, and just fun! The squirrels are our favorite characters in these books.
Currently working on:
My first baby board book Love.
Words to live by:
Life is what you make it!
Advice for aspiring authors:
Be you, be bold. Be open to learning, be open to daily commitment.
Articles:
Love Is Forever: A Children’s Book That Helps Kids Deal with Losing a Loved One
Buzzing About Rowdy Randy: Casper Author and Illustrator Team up for New Children’s Book
Readers’ Favorite: Open the Doors to You
101 Classic Books for Children About Death, Grief, Pet Loss & More
Testimonials:
“Got these books all the way from Casper, Wyoming! I love these books very much- they are wonderful stories with beautiful illustrations. Thank you to Casey Rislov. Check out these books for your little ones: caseyrislovbooks.com.” ―Dana Perino, Former Press Secretary for the White House and Currently Fox News
“Rowdy Randy, a horsefly who calls herself the “toughest cowgirl around,” is undeterred by her small size. Rislov’s (Imagination Bigger Together, 2017, etc.) phrasing emphasizes the Western setting, often employing alliteration (“best buckaroo”; “dangerous desperado”). The author clearly portrays Randy’s attitude and cowgirl abilities. Pullen’s (Hockey Hero, 2015, etc.) textured and colorful illustrations offer realistic animal portraits and rich landscape scenes, often spanning two pages.” ―Kirkus Reviews
“It’s rare to see a picture book about love that begins with easy admonitions that focuses on how to identify acts of love in the world and how to ‘pay it forward’ – but Open the Doors to You is such a read, and is so well done that it lends to both parental read-aloud and pursuit by picture book readers who already have basic reading skills under their belts,and the maturity to understand the wider concept of understanding generosity and giving. It wouldn’t be an exceptional picture book without superior illustrations, and Open the Doors to You packs its pages with watercolor works that are realistic, colorful, and welcoming throughout; capturing the young reader’s eye with a delightful visual embellishment to a story that emphasizes giving love and finding success in the world. At times the storyline becomes more of a series of admonitions, teaching young readers about the basic elements of happiness and success which, after all, are the foundations of love: “Most things in life take time to learn. So walk through the door and take your time to get it right. Persistence means try, try again! You might excel in math but need to try harder in something else. You might prefer to learn as you go. Games are fun to play in gym class. Art is a blast when messes become part of the creation.” Every open door (whether it be sports, art, or exploring the outdoors) becomes an opportunity for fun, growth, and success under Rislov’s hand: “The door to outside opens to fun in every season.”Every door leads to other doors. A positive attitude and enthusiasm towards life is best cultivated early: start with Open the Doors to You. Despite its propensity for admonishments, the total result of this picture book is a positive, upbeat tone that encourages kids to explore the world with positive results in mind. The colorful format enhances the message and assures it will be delivered to an interested audience.” ―Midwest Book Review
