Author Ernesto Zollo Touts Curiosity as the Cure for the Apathetic Child

Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and Scooby-Doo are just a few of many iconic characters that have taught generations of kids the importance of being curious.

Leonardo Deangelo introduces the next generation of kid sleuth in "The Crystal Cave" and "The Lost Valley."

The books focus on Sam, a young boy with a wild imagination but a less-than-exciting life, and his faithful canine, Spot. Sam's own curiosity and tendency to get into trouble lead him on exciting adventures in magical worlds. Even while battling evil wizards to evading prehistoric beasts, Sam and Spot's adventures are full of important lessons about friendship, life and perseverance.

The duo's first adventure is chronicled in "The Crystal Cave," the first book in the children's series. The story continues in the second book, "The Lost Valley," when Sam and Spot find themselves racing against the clock in a land that time has forgotten. The series continues with other titles, all of which feature a different, exhilarating adventure for the two.

Deangelo wrote the series to help showcase the love between a young child and his pet. The goal, he says, is to help children realize that the power of friendship and loyalty is its own kind of magic.

"Children should grow with stories like this to help their minds and imagination to grow," Deangelo says. "Magic lives first in the mind and then it manifests around us."

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"The Crystal Cave"
Book 1 of the Sam and Spot series
By Leonardo Deangelo
ISBN: 978-1-45678-803-2
Available in e-book and softcover

"The Lost Valley"
Book 2 of the Sam and Spot series
By Leonardo Deangelo
ISBN: 978-1-46789-013-7
Available in e-book and softcover

About the author
Leonardo Deangelo was born in Italy and went to Australia when he was six years old. He was a soldier, artist, sculptor, designer, shop owner, movie director, art tutor, and writer. He wrote and published his first children's book in Great Britain in 1984. He has been writing ever since and enjoys sharing his creative mind with all who are interested.