Magical Arkansas Tales

Ranked in the Top 100 of Amazon's Children's Multicultural Literature 

Accessed 4/20/2023

Ranked #34 on IngramSpark's best sellers list for Juvenile Fiction/ Humorous Stories

(Data from IngramSpark accessed 4/20/2023)

Jackson Green desperately wants a bike for his tenth birthday. But in 1919, times are hard in Cabot, Arkansas. When the best his father can do is give him an ugly stray dog, Jackson’s wishes mysteriously start coming true.

Charlie is a nine-year-old girl in the Great Depression who loves reading about aliens from the moon. When a new kid moves to town, she becomes convinced he is the beginning of an invasion that only she and her best friend, Porter, can stop.

In the 1950s, eleven-year-old Joy feels abandoned after her mother’s death. Feeling picked-on by her stepmom, she retreats into a fantasy that she’s a character in a story. When Joy goes on the lookout for her main antagonist, she can’t believe who it turns out to be.

Designed for ages eight and up, a father and his nine-year-old son have penned these children’s fictional short stories that span nearly 100 years, from 1919 Arkansas through 2007. The interconnected tales use themes of magic, science fiction, and fantasy to explore the challenges, perceptions, and dilemmas children face, including bullying, prejudice, step-parents, new kids in class, the needs of others, and making friends. These learning points are embedded in stories of tornados, space-alien invasions, magical rings, the horrors of dodgeball, reluctant superheroes, time-traveling tunnels, and naturally, more tornados. It is Arkansas, after all.

"Congrats to Dr. Mike Wiggins and his son, Jack, for writing and publishing this collection of wonderful short stories!! What an accomplishment. You will lose track of time as you experience the Mid South and Arkansan culture through these adventurous characters. What a treat! #writing #publishing #childrensbooks"

—Tayyeba K. Ali, surgeon and author

Additional reviews

(Amazon accessed 7/16/2023)

 5.0 out of 5 stars: Really fun short stories
"This delightful book may have you laughing out loud, or gasping at the plot twists, and is appropriate for all ages. I look forward to future collaborations from this father and son duo of clever writers."

5.0 out of 5 stars: Exciting and Fun!
"Really enjoyed reading this with my children. Fun stories with entertaining twists. Highly recommend this charming book."

5.0 out of 5 stars: Such a good read!
"Really enjoyed this book. Interesting stories from a child's point of view, and engaging for adults as well. Highly recommend."

5.0 out of 5 stars: A must read for any age!
"Couple the limitless imagination of a young teen to the writing skills of an adult, and you end up with a series of fascinating stories."

5.0 out of 5 stars: Modern Fairy Tales
"Great stories featuring modern day adventures with a pinch of spooky threats and hidden magic. I loved the richly complex characters and personalities, who tell us that anyone with courage can make a difference in this world. A perfect book to snuggle up with at a fireplace."

5.0 out of 5 stars: Fun!!!
"My 7 and 11 year old daughters LOVE this book! The adventures are truly magical and wonderfully written by Mike Wiggins and his son Jack. Magical Arkansas Tales is geared toward younger readers, but I enjoyed it as much as my girls did. I highly recommend!!"

(Goodreads accessed 7/20/2023)

 5.0 out of 5 stars

"I highly recommend this book, written by a father and young son. The short stories are perfect for an amusing read while waiting or traveling. I read Story 2, The Alien, while on a short flight, and laughed out loud several times. I plan to loan it to family members, young and young at heart, but will keep a copy for myself. It's that good."