Boulder Creek’s Christina Davis to Release New Children’s Book

Story Aims to Teach Kids About Personal Finance

Christina Davis, a Boulder Creek native and Central Coast author, will release her fourth children’s book for National Financial Literacy Month in April. “Tilly the Troll’s Shopping Spree” aims to teach kids the difference between mindful spending and impulse buying through a relatable story.

“I’m really passionate about teaching personal finance to kids because it’s one of the biggest skills you need to be successful in life,” Mrs. Davis said. “With any luck, this book will help give kids a solid foundation for making smart money choices.”

The story follows a young troll named Tilly through the Flea Market, where she intends to buy a pair of enchanted teleportation high-tops. However, the sales people have other ideas. Before she knows it, Tilly runs out of money. Her journey to finding a solution is an important example, and the activity in the back of the book shows kids how to apply the lesson to their own lives.

Tilly the Troll lives in the Enchanted Rainbow Realm, where the clouds are made of cotton candy and chocolate-filled pinecones can be found throughout the Troll Forest. She’s the youngest in her family, so she always gets her brothers’ hand-me-downs and leftovers. She only gets one new thing each year – a pair of scratchy underwear on her birthday. So, when she sees a pair of beautiful teleportation high-tops at the Flea Market, she gets out her life savings to make her first-ever purchase. But the salespeople have other plans. Will Tilly be able to avoid unplanned purchases?

Christina launched the book through a crowd-funding campaign on Kickstarter, which is a website that connects artists and founders with everyday people who want to support their creative projects. The funds she raised went toward offsetting the cost of hiring her illustrator, Jane Sparks.

“I love being able to truly connect with readers and put a personal touch on the experience,” Christina said. “On Kickstarter, I post updates about the project and before I send books, I
personalize them so when kids unwrap them, they see their name and a special message.”

Christina also sells signed books through her website at inkpotquill.square.site, where “Tilly the Troll’s Shopping Spree” is currently available for order. All of her children’s books take
place in the Enchanted Rainbow Realm, where the clouds are made of cotton candy, the animals can talk, and magic is real. She established Inkpot & Quill, LLC, and began publishing
children’s books in 2023 with “Princess Periwinkle Sprinkle Saves Summer,” which was about a courageous rainbow unicorn princess.

Since then, she’s also penned Princess Periwinkle Sprinkle’s Glitter Toots (Oct. 2024) and Princess Periwinkle Sprinkle vs. Holly Tamale (April 2024). Up next, she will have another
unicorn book releasing later this year, and she will host a unicorn storytime and craft at the Capitola Branch Library on June 18.

Christina was homeschooled in the Santa Cruz Mountains. She attended Cabrillo College, graduated with a Bachelor’s in Science from San Jose State University (summa cum laude), and took part in NYU’s Summer Publishing Institute before embarking on a decade-long career in journalism.

Paperback $12.99 (ISBN: 978-1961404106), hardcover $21.99 (978-1961404083)
Release date: April 21, 2025

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