Story Extras

Meet Martin & Sylvia!

Martin and Sylvia were our very first characters when we launched Sparkle Stories in 2010. Our newest Martin & Sylvia adventure is about to launch: Martin & Sylvia: Nine and Seven begins March 20!

This new collection includes our favorite family of four, their dear friends, and some new characters as well. Here's a quick guide to everyone in the collection to help orient you to the community!

Martin

Martin is the delightful older brother in all of the various Martin & Sylvia collections. Known for his bright ideas, his enterprising spirit, and his kind heart, Martin finds adventure at all turns and in all seasons.

• Favorite foods: Mrs. Brown's apple turnovers, breakfast tacos, lemon bars, poached eggs with greens.
• Dislikes: "Sylvia foot sauce"
• Favorite activities: Making inventions, riding his bike, playing Sylvia, reading books, doing projects, sledding
• Friends: Sasha, Sam, Griffen
• Super Power: can put things together – whether it is an engineering project, a family event, or a playdate, he knows how to get all the parts working so that there is flow and purpose
• He won a pie baking contest with a pie that had apples and bacon crumbles in it

Now that he is nine years old in the new Martin & Syvia: Nine and Seven collection, Martin is curious about the science of magnetism and gravity. He is sensitive, full of questions, and is learning about the complex feelings of being nine.

Sylvia

Sylvia, Martin's younger sister, is now seven years old. She is full of spunk and energy.

• Likes: her pets Bill Bill and Pickles, breakfast tacos, being with her family, the woods, animals, and anything from the local bakery.
• Dislikes: being without Martin, long car rides
• Favorite activities: building fairy houses, helping with summer canning, going to the library, and playing in the backyard with Martin
• Friends: Jonathan, Sofia
• Super Power: able to find something fun in any situation, even when she is grumpy. She is a spotter of the magical, a detective of delight.
• Sylvia sprained her arm once jumping off the tree swing into a pile of leaves

Now that she is seven, she is growing in her natural leadership skills and trusting her instincts. She is proud of her new grown-up teeth.

Momma

True name: Margaret. Mother to Martin and Sylvia. Wife to Daddy. An environmental scientist. A homeschool mom. Endlessly curious about the natural world. Full of tender love for her children.

Daddy

True name: Bruce. Father to Martin and Sylvia. Husband to Momma. An artist and teacher and former amateur baseball player. A homeschool dad. Loves cooking and hiking. Finds parenting fascinating.

Bilby

New puppy in Martin and Sylvia’s family. Naturally chaotic and curious. Prone to wander off, chew on shoes, or get into other mischief. Irresistibly adorable.

From Martin and Sylvia’s community:

Sasha & Jonathan Weber Longtime friends of Martin & Sylvia’s family. Sasha is Martin’s age and participates in Science League with him. Jonathan is Sylvia’s age and has joined Woodsies. Parents manage a restaurant in town.

Sophia, Micah, and Laura Members of Woodsies. Sophia and Sylvia had a Nature home-school group in the past. Micah met Sylvia through a knitting class. Laura is the young granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Brown. All love exploring in the woods, listening to stories, and nourishing snacks.

Ella & Ollie Ages 14 and 11. Neighbors to Martin & Sylvia. Have spent the last year in Cuba and just returned. Homeschooled with a sense of independence and creativity. Mother Rachel, stepfather Daniel, and father Marcus parent them together with kindness and respect.

Mr & Mrs Brown Neighbors to Martin & Sylvia’s family. Farmers with small animals, lots of vegetables, and a sweet granddaughter. Mrs. Brown is renowned for her scones and popovers. Both Mr. & Mrs. Brown possess vast reservoirs of wisdom — the right story for the right moment.

Margaret the librarian A steady presence at the public library. Knows how to talk with children and adults both. A fount of knowledge. Resourceful in finding out what she doesn’t know. Reveals unexpected insight into growing up.

Arya Martin’s friend at Science League. Attends a school outside of town. Has a brother who participated in Science League. Depends on Martin for in-depth conversation and giggles about important scientist topics. Trying to make a car that is motorized entirely by rubber bands.

Felicia and Stephan Mentors in Science League. Excited about the scientific method, cool experiments, and training young minds. They know about rejection, insecurity, and doubt — and how to give kids encouragement when they’re stuck. Fans of the Science Competition.

Want to explore more of Martin & Sylvia? Find all twenty-five collections in the series here!

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