Children’s book helps readers grieve loss of pet

By Timothy P. Howsare (Hernando Today)

Where do pets go when they die? Will I meet my pet again in heaven? Children, as well as adults, often ask these

Local author and illustrator Dara Boland-Bonomo has published a children's book titled "Woody's Garden" that helps children and adults cope with the death of a pet. HT photo by TIMOTHY P. HOWSARE

 questions.

“Woody’s Garden,” a children’s book published by local author and illustrator Dara Boland-Bonomo, was written to help grieving pet owners of all ages go through the terrible time of losing that special friend.

The book’s main character, an unnamed little girl, is sad because her dog and best friend, Woody, is gone.

To help her through her grief, the little girl and her family plant a flower garden with a sign over it that says “Woody’s Garden.”

In the middle of the garden is Woody’s food dish with bird seed scattered around it.

Every day the little girl visits Woody’s Garden. Although she misses her friend, she sees the happiness the garden brings to the birds and butterflies and thinks that Dog Heaven must not be far away.

“Every time the breeze blows, I imagine Woody wagging a mighty tail …” the little girl thinks to herself as she visits the garden.

Every page of the book is graced with Boland-Bonomo’s charming color-pencil drawings, and in the back are brief instructions on how to care for your pet garden.

Boland-Bonomo, a Weeki Wachee resident originally from Long Island, N.Y., said the death of her own dog, Woody, inspired her to write the book.

A small mixed-breed, Woody died at age 14 in 2003. She now has a toy poodle named Teddy.

Boland-Bonomo said she and her husband David were especially close to Woody because they got him shortly after they were married and have no children.

Woody was like a son to the couple, she said. Though they realized Woody’s life would be short compared to theirs, his death was nonetheless a traumatic experience.

“We had all the warning signs, he had heart attacks, but seeing your 14-year-old dog die was just a terrible experience,” she said.

She also remembers Woody’s death as a sad day for her veterinarian, who had to put him to sleep.

“The look on his face was so helpless,” she said.

She hopes local veterinarians will stock copies of her book, which retails for $12.99, to sell to their pet owners. Discounts are available to buy the books in quantity, she said.

Boland-Bonomo’s current veterinarian, Dr. Don Cooper of the Animal Care Center of Weeki Wachee, said he thinks planting a garden in memory of a pet is a good way for families to deal with their loss.

“This book would definitely be helpful, especially for small children,” he said.

Boland-Bonomo is the author of two self-help books, “How to Sleep Like a Bear” and “How to Eat Like a Tree.” The first is intended for people who have trouble sleeping and the second is about healthy eating.

Her nutrition articles and artwork have been published in Your Health, Total Health, FIT, The Raleigh News and Observer, The Phoenix and Herb Quarterly, according to a press release. A pen and ink and color-pencil artist, Boland-Bonomo also illustrates greeting cards.

Copies of “Woody’s Garden” can be ordered online at www.xlibris.com/WoodysGarden.html. The book should be available on amazon.com by the end of the month, she added.

You also can order the book by contacting Boland-Bonomo directly at 352-596-3232 or daraboland@bellsouth.net.

She said anyone who purchases “Woody’s Garden” can receive a $10 voucher toward a pet portrait she will draw from a photo.

Community news editor Timothy P. Howsare can be reached at 352-544-5284 or thowsare@hernandotoday.com.

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A Young Animal’s Determination to Spend a Cold Christmas in the Mountains

Christmas is a joyous season we spend with the ones we love. In Farmer Anton’s barn, Christmas is celebrated in another farm in the lower hill, since all the animals need protection when the weather turns extremely cold – except Clarabelle, a calf who wishes to spend her Christmas in the icy mountains, away from her family and friends. Find out if she realizes this dream in a delightful picture book authored by Yolande Gershel, Clarabelle’s Christmas.

During the spring, when Farmer Anton takes his herd to a hilltop to witness the beauty of the vast lands, the cows and their calf are overjoyed. They spend their time running, rolling, and kicking the marvelous grass – but Clarabelle isn’t really interested in playing. Instead, she climbs the highest spot behind the farm and stares at the breathtaking mountains. She reveals to her friends that she wants to spend Christmas on that place. Farmer Anton and the other animals become worried because Clara Belle might not survive the weather during the holidays. Despite her friends’ warning, Clara Belle is determined to make her wish come true.

Will Clarabelle realize her dream? Tag along as this young animal explores the beauty of her newfound haven and meets new friends. Find out if Clarabelle’s Christmas this year will be the most memorable event of her life. Clarabelle’s Christmas is a lesson-filled tale crafted for children across cultures. Interesting and truly entertaining, this charming book teaches your kids the beauty of having dreams and doing everything to make them happen. Grab a copy now.

For more information, log on toXlibris.com.

About the Author

Yolande Gershel was born in Berne, Switzerland in 1948. She was raised in Geneva and completed all her schooling there. When she was nineteen, she lived in England to perfect her English. She now speaks French, German, and English.

She worked for a few years in international agencies before going to Swissair as flight attendant. She met her American husband of thirty-two years in Brazil. They lived in New York for ten years before moving to Florida, as her husband demanded relocation. She misses Switzerland very much and relocated there on a permanent basis with their two dogs. She took an interest on watercolours a few years ago and had a book printed. She loves reading, hiking, photography, skiing and snowshoeing.

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The Importance of Kindness and Cooperation Through a Delightful Picture Book

Even at a young age, parents should instill in their kids the important values that would shape their character. Their learning will guide them in dealing with others and in facing life’s tests. In a charming story authored by LaVonne L. Lewis, kids and their parents will discover how light a burden becomes when they receive love and support from the people around them. Author Lewis inculcates kindness and cooperation through her book, The Caretakers of the Animals.

Readers will meet a family of gnomes, known as the caretakers of the animals. Helping animals in need has been their job since the beginning of time. One chilly evening, a bunny couple visits their humble home to ask for help because their baby is lost. The Daddy and Mommy gnome then organize a search team, including Daddy and Mommy Bunny, to rescue the baby bunny before she gets harmed. The team has to go to the place where her parents left her, and to get there, everyone has to cross a bridge inhabited by mean trolls.

The Caretakers of the Animals exhibits the admirable leadership of the gnomes and the strategies they employ to rescue a poor animal. Kids all over the world will get to know the gnome family and learn how they use their role in the animal community in a selfless way. With vibrant pastel illustrations between its covers, this book entertains the young ones and cultivates understanding and love for learning.

For more information on The Caretakers of the Animals, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Dr. LaVonne L. Lewis has a Doctoral Degree in Psychology and is also a Critical Care Nurse. She spent a great deal of her time working with children in both areas of her expertise. She received the 2007 National Nurse Hero Award. She has also received the prestigious Call to Service Lifetime Achievement Medal from the President of the United States for volunteering over 6,000 hours helping others in need. She closed down her private practice of Psychology when her daughter Elizabeth was born. She lives in a log home with her husband and daughter (their tree house) in a forest community in California. LaVonne’s inspirations for her story came when it was nap time for Elizabeth. She and Elizabeth would cuddle together on the couch and LaVonne would begin weaving gnome stories. Elizabeth loved the stories and could not get enough of them. This is the first of the many stories LaVonne told Elizabeth.

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Stories-In-Rhyme for Young and Old

Young and adults alike are in for an exciting reading and listening experience as author Helen Diane Wilcox offers a wonderfully written and illustrated book, Twinkle Town Tales. It is a collection of lesson-filled stories told in delightful rhymes. Both readers and listeners will encounter a myriad of characters — people, animals, and even inanimate objects — to bring color to the tales, ignite spark in everyone’s imagination, and bring them sweet dreams.

Twinkle Town Tales is a charming anthology of stories in rhyme, with each story accompanied with vibrant illustrations and images that make this picture book even more engaging. Readers will meet an ensemble of personalities and creatures, some fascinating, others eccentric, but each one emulating a value, trait, or lesson.

In “The Grandfather Tree,” readers will get to know a very old, timeless tree who sacrifices himself for the safety of the animals he loves. There are also cute little chicks, “BeeBo and BoBee,” who learn to value their mother hen’s warmth and protection. Children will love the magical “Twinkle Town” — a town floating on a cloud and situated perfectly to catch the radiant shine of the sun, stars, and moon — where Twinkies enjoy working, playing, living, and making little Earth kids happy with their invisible drops. Many other enchanting characters like “Mari, the Leaf that wouldn’t let go,” “Old Lou,” “Treetop,” “Sunny,” “Lovely,” and more await readers of all ages.

Twinkle Town Tales is definitely a perfect book for a reading-and-listening session inside or outside the class. It is also recommended to everyone who wants to enjoy good quality time with family and friends. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Wanting to give something to her new great granddaughter, Helen Diane Wilcox started writing these little stories. Rhyming words has always been a great joy and so much fun. She lives with her husband and Cairn Terrier “Katie Lou” in Clayton, California.

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New Children’s Book Follows a Team of Animals on a Mission to Get Lost Ducklings Back Home

Children and animal lovers alike are about to experience a memorable quest that emphasizes helping others and keeping the community safe in The Adventures of Oliver Wagglebones and the Watchers: Duckie Doo One, Three, Two, the first book in the adventure series of Oliver Wagglebones & the Watchers(tm) created by Rachel M. Laghi.

The Adventures of Oliver Wagglebones and the Watchers: Duckie Doo One, Three, Two tells a fascinating tale of a group of animals on an exciting mission. Readers will meet Oliver (a Yorkshire terrier) who leads the fun, adventurous and sometimes silly crew of neighborhood detectives called the Watchers. Their members include Sir Lawrence the Cardinal, Chester the Squirrel, Bella the Beagle/Basset Hound and Freckles the Woodpecker.

This colorful team, each with their own unique qualities and strengths, works together and investigates curious events, solves neighborhood mysteries and makes sure that the neighborhood is safe for everyone. Through each adventure, the Watchers exemplify how teamwork and clever, creative thinking can solve any problem. Duckie Doo, One, Three, Two follows the Watchers as they cleverly and creatively figure out just how to best reunite a mother duck with her lost ducklings.

With its fascinating artwork and touching story, The Adventures of Oliver Wagglebones and the Watchers: Duckie Doo One, Three, Two will keep its readers entertained from the first page until the very end. In addition, this release includes a glossary that gives the definitions of more advanced words, highlighted throughout the story, encouraging reader independence and an expanded vocabulary. To order a copy, please visit Xlibris.com and Oliverwagglebones.com, or call (888) 795-4274 today.

About the Author

Leaving “corporate America” after sixteen years of working in media and marketing for full service advertising agencies, Rachel Laghi, aged forty, decided it was time to hang out with a different kind of animal – the four-legged kind – and opened her own pet sitting business, Happy at Home Pet Sitting, LLC. Working with animals all day and observing their truly unique behaviors was the inspiration behind Laghi’s first children’s book, The Adventures of Oliver Wagglebones & the Watchers(tm): Duckie Doo One, Three, Two.

This is the first book in a whimsical adventure series that follows a colorful team of animals – the Watchers – along on their mission to investigate mysteries, help those in need, and keep the neighborhood safe. Through each adventure, the Watchers exemplify how teamwork and clever, creative thinking can solve any problem. With a degree in English & Literature from Barry University, Miami, FL, Laghi truly understands the importance of instilling a love of reading in children at an early age.

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Writer’s love of moose and kids inspires book

by MATT MCALLISTER (WatertownDailyTimes.com)

OGDENSBURG — Of all her worldly interests, Cris Rishe says she really loves just two things: kids and moose.

The kid part of her story is simple, it’s the moose part that takes a little time to figure out.

Born and raised in Ogdensburg and having married into an already large family, there always have been lots of children around for Mrs. Rishe to dote upon.

When her daughters (Jadie and Jessica) were growing up, many of their friends called Mrs. Rishe “Mom” and many still do. Her grandchildren’s (Adreannah and Luca) friends now call her “Grandma Crissy” and that’s all right with her also.

It was Mrs. Rishe’s love of moose, however, coupled with her love of children, that led her to self-publish her first book, “There’s a Moose on the Loose!!“

The children’s book will soon be available online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Xlibris. For more information, contact Xlibris at 1 (888) 795-4274 or on the Web at Xlibris.com.

For Mrs. Rishe, what started as “a whim”, has turned into the adventures of Horace T. Moose, “a seven-foot, three-inch moose that lives alone way up the mountains.” Horace is an overly curious and friendly animal and throughout the story, has adventures and learns valuable lessons along the way.

“I’ve been writing for a long time — years,” Mrs. Rishe says, adding, “Mostly for my kids, and then my grandkids.”

An article in the newspaper, along with some loving persistence by her husband, Steve, eventually resulted in the book.

“There was this thing in the paper about a moose being loose somewhere around Heuvelton,” Mrs. Rishe explained. “And the whole moose is loose thing really stuck with me. I sat down later that day, after reading about it, and wrote the entire story. Two or three months later, I did all the illustrations for it.”

Mrs. Rishe still didn’t plan on doing anything with the manuscript, but gave copies of it to her friends and family members. “That’s how it started out,” she said. She read her book to a granddaughter’s Head Start class at Kennedy Elementary School and later at Madill Elementary.

Some time later, after a bit of prodding by her husband, who kept telling her she could go somewhere with her idea, Mrs. Rishe read a how-to book, “How to Get Your Book Published”, and the bigger project of publishing her work began.

“It’s an amazing experience for anybody who wants to do something like this,”Mrs. Rishe said of the self-publishing experience. “The first thing that book tells you is not to just send your manuscript to the company,” Mrs. Rishe says, “It’s complicated. It’s not like it used to be.”

Mrs. Rishe said she sent letters of interest to five companies, most of which eventually asked for a manuscript. Tate Publishing, a Christian book self-publisher, offered Rishe a contract, which she said she turned down because she didn’t want to relinquish any of her rights.

Eventually, and again at her husband’s suggestion, she chose to publish through Xlibris, a self-publishing and print-on-demand company that allowed her to retain copyrights. “Everything remains in my name and nobody can do anything with it without my consent,” she said.

Rishe was presented with a finished copy of “There’s A Moose on the Loose!!” on July 1. “I had given them my original manuscript and drawings and they continuously sent me proofs as they developed them,” she said. “It happened in stages, all the way down to how they will market it.”

Mrs. Rishe hopes to donate copies of her book to each of the elementary school libraries in the city, as well as to the Ogdensburg Free Library, when they become available. “I’ve always loved Ogdensburg,” she says. “It’s a good place to raise children.”

But what about her infatuation with the moose?

“I don’t know what to tell you,” she said. “My home is filled with them and my life’s dream has always been to someday see one up close in the wild. If you look closely, there’s a big white wooden one in the trees by the driveway. It gets worse in the fall and around Christmas.”

“I’ve always asked for one. There’s room in my back yard and I could fence him in,” she said. “But my husband probably will never go for it.”

Another moose story is in the works, as the sequel, “Horace meets David T. Eagle”, has already been written.

“My Dad had polio as a child and really loved eagles,” Mrs. Rishe said, providing a preview to the next book. “He (her father) is the eagle with a weak wing that ends up meeting Horace and riding him around.”

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Follow the Exciting Adventures of a Red Fox and a Huge Pig as They Discover Fun and Friendship

Have a fun-filled escapade with your kids as author Nancy D. Kramer brings to you Sly Fox And Hambone, a delightful picture book that will instill valuable lessons for the little ones to follow.

What happens when a bored fox meets a lazy pig? A huge, exciting adventure will surely take place! Sly, a red fox becomes bored while reading his newspaper in his den. So he ventures out of his house to see what he can find. He walks to the nearby farmyard and sees a huge pig playing in the mud. He invites the pig, Hambone, to his underground house. But after a long walk, they both get hungry. Thus, off they go into a secret tunnel that Sly created to get to the hen house where they could get some food. As they venture into the hen house, they come against a few problems. Leaving the hen house with the food is much of a challenge for them, especially with the farmer around. Worst, the tunnel they are walking in is crumbling down on them! Will they ever get back home alive?

Teach your child the values of selflessness and teamwork as Sly and Hambone brave a big adventure while keeping each other safe. With colorful and amusing illustrations, Sly Fox And Hambone is a tale that your kids will no doubt enjoy!

For more information, please visit Xlibris.com or call (888) 795-4274 today, or see the website Slyfoxandhambone.com.

About the Author

Author Nancy D. Kramer was born and raised on an apple farm in Elkridge, Maryland. Nancy is the oldest of four children who grew up on the farm. She wrote short stories in high school. Later, she took a college writing course “Writing Stories for Children and Teenagers”. The first non-fiction human-interest story she wrote was published in the September 2001 issue of “Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred”, a national magazine. She worked as an administrative secretary at a local county public school system in Howard County for thirty years. After retiring, she enjoys horseback riding, giving riding lessons to children and adults, and writing stories for children. She also has another book entitled, Bret and Pale Face Saved the Day. See details on website, www.bretandpaleface.com.

Illustrator Brittany M. Byers is a college student that lives in Nancy’s neighborhood in Westminster, Maryland.

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Appealing Alliterative Alphabetical Book

Announcing A Book of Creature Ditties, an artistic use of alliteration in absorbing the alphabet for “Fun-to-Mental” learning. Written and illustrated by Lori Lee Ericson.

Alive with alliteration, rhythm, rhyme and song, along with colorful, whimsical illustrations, this little creative book of alphabetical ditties serves as an entertaining educational tool. Written for preschool and elementary ages, parents and teachers alike will find this imaginative book a wonderful resource for teaching letter-sound association, reading and language development.

Educational magic occurs when children recite or sing these imaginative twenty-six ditties to the alphabet tune. They can be used for learning fun, classroom performances, while traveling or at bedtime. Other learning activities include having one person choose a letter and the other recite the ditty or have children discover which ditties have the most alliterative words. There are many fascinating ways to use this book creatively!

Since research supports the use of alliteration, rhythm, rhyme and song to enhance learning and maximize memory, A Book of Creature Ditties is a smart choice! To learn more and view excerpts from the book, log on to Abookofcreatureditties.com or Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Lori Lee Ericson, (Anne Rasmussen-Salajekeh) grew up in Greenville, Michigan, a small Danish community, in a family of five. As young as age nine her enthusiasm for motivating children to learn began to emerge. She and a friend organized a little neighborhood “preschool” in her garage, which ran for several months. Even then, she created little books and dreamed of becoming an author. She loved babysitting and always adored inspiring little children.

Anne received her bachelor’s degree in Applied Arts and Sciences, with a major in Sociology and minor in Psychology from Central Michigan University. She and her professor husband, Robert, raised three children and over time, her natural gifts and true passions blossomed. She became involved in teaching preschool in a variety of settings and wrote over fifty colorful and stimulating books (yet to be published) in the “fun-to-mentals” of learning. These books have highly motivated her young students as well as children in afterschool reading programs.

Presently she is pursuing publishing of these “works of the heart” which she has dedicated almost fifteen years so far. If you have comments for her please email her at Datesandgrapes@aol.com.

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Enter The Wonderful World Of Mannaland

Welcome to Mannaland and enjoy a fun place where children can learn and grow. Let them learn important life lessons as they join in the Adventures in Mannaland, a delightful picture book co-authored by Tony Durkin and Jo’Ann Zimmermann.

Mannaland is a wonderful place where humans and animals all live together in peace and harmony. It is where children have fun as they learn good morals and grow a little closer to God. Man does not live on bread alone. Thus, they feed on the fruits of the earth and God’s word. Just as God sent manna from heaven to feed His people, these stories will inspire and allow children as well as adults to feed on God’s word and nourish their souls as they learn more about Jesus and His love.

Enjoy these spiritually uplifting tales and build a closer relationship with God. Join the Adventures in Mannaland and be blessed. For more information about these escapades, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Authors

Tony Durkin is a Sunday School teacher in the Charlotte, NC area who met Jo’Ann at church. His passion is for God’s Word and the Lord’s creation. He loves his sweet wife, Terri, praise music and kids everywhere.

Jo’Ann Zimmermann, more affectionately known as “Mama Jo’Ann” is a grandma, retired from twenty-six years in the Florida court system, now living with her family in Charlotte, NC. More importantly, at age sixty, she became a new child in Christ. “The Lord has shown me, with the help of these two other believers, how to share His word to children, no matter what your age,” says Zimmerman.

About the Artist

Katie Wekall is an elementary education student at UNC-Wilmington. This is her third illustrated book. God has blessed her with a passion for art and children’s stories.

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A Colorful Lesson-Filled Picture Book Spiced Up With Numerous Literary Figures

A simple, yet poetically tended story line extracted from a previous tale starts out on a grand ranch, an animal farm. A Sheep Tale Unveiled In Color by author K. P. Palla will take us to the lesson-filled adventures and lives of Big Black Sheep and Gnarly Little Lamb.

A Sheep Tale Unveiled In Color is a fascinating condensed book that will bring us to the animal farm where the two main characters, Big Black Sheep and Gnarly Little Lamb, met and became friends. This short story tells about BB trying to teach Gnarly many lessons. As they started their adventure, they went searching for the vineyard, but they were a little lost, though they were not bothered about it. They made a good plan on how to get into the vineyard, which was surrounded by the crystal, blue river. When they made it, they enjoyed every fruit they could taste until they were so full that it became difficult to move. On the other hand, the shepherd was looking for the two lost sheep out in the farm just to bring them back for the yearly shear. After a stirring search for the two, they were found and brought back to the farm. Then, there was the dramatic twist of fate and plot that happened concerning the reward after the stressful yearly shear, which they didn’t care about. What is the yearly shear all about? How many lessons did Gnarly Little Lamb learn from Big Black Sheep? How will their story end?

This colorful book does not only contain beautiful illustrations, this is also spiced up with various literary figures, Bible quotes, and meaningful quotations that enrich the storyline and fill the story with distinctive arty elements that truly make it a very exciting read. The picture-illustrations present the story in a much more striking, attractive, and enlightening way. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

K.P. Palla is a writer, author, researcher, poet, and illustrator. For many years, worked on a farm, tending and caring for animals of all types. This experience has sparked ideas and helped her write and illustrate this book. If you have any comments, criticisms, or suggestions about this book or if you like the colorful illustration that make up this book and would like similar type illustrations such as these in your project, please contact the following email to receive information and fiduciary details. Email: kpp7kpp@yahoo.com

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Join a Lovable Cat as She Searches for Her Favorite Toy!

From the moment Sunshine saw Mousey, she never let go. She and Mousey had many memorable moments together. But what if Mousey got lost? Will Sunshine ever find her favorite toy? Find out in Where Is Your Mousey?, a delightful picture book written by Audrey E. Simonson.

The first in a series of six books, Where Is Your Mousey? tells a fun story about a cat who lost her favorite toy. The author takes you on a rhyming photographic journey as the cat searches the house. Meant to be read aloud, both adults and children will identify with the loss of an object because they just can’t remember where they left it. Those who think they don’t like cats will be able to identify with the search; those who LOVE cats will chuckle as they see her doing what cats do best — acting like a cat.

Based on a true story witnessed by the author, Where Is Your Mousey? is an engaging tale that is both entertaining and educational. Through Sunshine, the feelings and unique personalities of pets are revealed. Parents and their kids will enjoy reading this charming story together, as will cat and pet lovers.

Where Is Your Mousey? will be featured in the 2009 Beijing International Book Fair at Beijing, China in September 2009. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Audrey E. Simonson is a lover of animals, having grown up on a farm in Minnesota. Today she lives on a farm in Iowa with her husband Roger, her cat, dog and three miniature horses. With three grown children, she now has time to observe and photograph the cat, dog and other farm animals. The stories evolve out of the funny things pets do when they are just being themselves. She likes writing stories that adults will enjoy reading aloud to children.

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When a Peacock Follows You Home

A day at the zoo with her grandchildren inspired author La Verne Olsen to write a collection of amusing tales for them. A peacock followed her grandchild, Matthew, around the zoo all day. When they got home, the little boy asked, “Grandma, what would happen if the peacock followed us home?” This tender moment marked the beginning of the first children’s story that would soon be followed by more.

In the book, If A Peacock Follows You Home, Matthew and his grandma spend a nice day at the zoo. There, Matthew examines the differences of the animals — their habits, their food, and why there are certain rules in the zoo. Suddenly, a peacock appeared looking for something to eat. Matthew fed him popcorn that his grandmother bought from the stand. The big bird ate the popcorn until it was all gone. Soon, it was time to go home. What Matthew and his grandma didn’t know was that the peacock had jumped onto the roof of the car and came home with them. What would the little boy do? Can he keep the beautiful bird as his pet? After all, it did follow him home.

Find out how what happened after the peacock followed Matthew home in this endearingly illustrated and engaging read by La Verne Olsen. The illustrations are done by children of a children’s art class in Tucson, Arizona. It also includes other short stories for children, some told by the author’s grandchildren themselves. Kids and parents will surely enjoy reading these wonderful tales over and over. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com. This book is returnable through Ingram Distribution.

About the Author

La Verne Olsen is a retired medical transcriptionist. She wrote her first story, If A Peacock Follows You Home, at the age of seventy-three, after she took her grandchildren, Matthew and Garrett, to the zoo. From then on, Grandma and Matthew wrote the story and more followed. When her grandchildren talked, she listened. They have been her inspiration. If A Peacock Follows You Home is her first book of children’s stories written especially for her six grandchildren, Kyle, Ryan, Kristyn and Chad Olsen, and Matthew and Garrett Prellberg, but now it is for everyone to enjoy. The author lives in Tucson, Arizona with her daughter Jana. She still works part time as a medical transcriptionist.

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From Six to Twelve — a Rich and Vibrant Poetry Book for Children

In a wonderfully illustrated volume From Six to Twelve, Isaac Bell redefines metric poetry for a whole new generation of readers. The easy conversational writing style, the logic flow of the story, the vivid imagery and the rich allegory make this book an instant classic.

This book is written for children 6 to 12 years old (kindergarten through elementary school). Its goal is to boost their curiosity, to improve their memory, to encourage good behavioral and social habits, to invoke love for poetry — and all of this — while providing good entertainment. From Six to Twelve starts with simple 4-liners for the youngest kids and gradually progresses to more complex forms and subjects. The poems are written in a well-rhymed, rhythmical format, which makes it easier for children to memorize and to recite them, and the numerous illustrations make them even more entertaining. As to the general subject of the book — the subtitle “Animals, things with the wings and other stories” says it all.

Enhancing the poet’s outstanding job of weaving a child-friendly tale, the illustrations are equally inspiring. Nikolay Aleksandrov’s exuberant paintings, done in a rich, colorful pallet, burst off the page. Both text and artwork combine to paint a vivid, moving story. From Six to Twelve is a rare and special treat that simply must be savored and shared.

For more information about the book log on to Xlibris.com or visit www.IsaacBellPoetry.com. You also will be able to find there information about another hit by Isaac Bell — his second book of poetry — From Russia With Love.

About the Author

Isaac Bell (Isaac M. Belotserkovsky) immigrated to the United States from the former Soviet Union in 1979 with his wife Valentina and their two children — Robert and Veronica. He received his Master’s Degree with Distinction in Radio Engineering from Lvov Polytechnic Institute in 1956 and had a 45-year-long successful engineering career, including the last 20 years at RCA. His numerous professional achievements include 24 patents, 15 papers published in various scientific journals and a presentation at the 1999 International Conference on Consumer Electronics. He is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Poetry has been his lifelong passion. He authored more than 450 poems and songs in Russian and English, including several dozen translations. His first poetry book for children, “From Six to Twelve,” was published by Xlibris in 2006. It was followed in 2008 with “From Russia With Love,” containing both his original works and translations of Russian classic poetry to English, and vice versa. He lives in Tucson, AZ with his wife Valentina and teaches poetry at Pima College. He often recites his poetry to various audiences and also volunteers his time to teach the art of poetry to school children and senior poetry groups.

Check on My Poetry Into Book to learn more about poetry.

Xlibris Publishing Guide - Get this free guide now and learn how you can self-publish your poems for children into a book!

Image source: Images2.fanpop.com

Zigiyama: a Cat Who was Lost, Found, Loved — New Book Tells the Captivating Tale About a Lost Cat Who Found a Home

Motivated by the belief that developing a passion for reading early in life is indispensable for a firm foundation in education, author Grace Okyere shares an endearing tale about a cat who was left scared and alone, hoping that she could fly and find her way home. Eventually, she was found by a loving couple who made her feel blessed in every way. Follow the simple yet winning story of Zigiyama the Cat as she narrates her fascinating life.

Abandoned on the highway, a lonely cat wishes that she could fly like a bird, a bee, or a butterfly. Being a cat, she could not. Soon though, she is rescued by a couple who gives her special attention and attends to her needs. They call her Zigiyama, which means “everlasting” in an African country called Ghana.

Even when the couple has their own baby, Zigi still feels the love and care of her adoptive parents and is grateful for all her blessings. Zigiyama the Cat will surely capture you child’s undivided attention while instilling morals and a deep regard for living creatures. Bond with your children while reading about the life of Zigiyama the Cat!

For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Grace Esi Okyere is originally from Ghana, west coast of Africa. She grew up in a town called Akwatia, in the eastern part of the country. A middle school (10th grade) graduate, she has the passion for the welfare and education for children. She has been a Sunday school teacher, living and working in the United States of America for the past seventeen years. Currently, she works as a home health aide for the aging.

Xlibris Publishing Guide - Get this free guide now and learn how you can self-publish your children’s book!

Image source: Thepurplejournal.files.wordpress.com

Writing is a Bow-Wow Blast!!!

by Animal Gambill  (Louisville, KY)

How did I combine my love of animals and my appreciation for the true spirit of children? I self-published a children’s book about my dog, Riley.

The decision to self-publish my book, Riley’s Bow-Wow Blast, came about due to my desire to have full creative rights with regards to telling Riley’s story. I wanted to utilize Riley’s story to help children appreciate the human-animal bond while also facilitating a feeling of empowerment by children to be a positive force in helping and caring for animals.

For years, I have wanted to share my love of animals with children in an entertaining and engaging way. When I came to the conclusion that writing books would be the best outlet for this, I didn’t want to be censored or have to wait for the approval of a publisher. What I did want was the feedback of children and their caregivers/teachers. I figured that if they enjoyed the book, then I would publish more (with the same goal).

Although I enjoy the creative rights of self-publishing, I don’t relish the roadblocks that self-publishers face with regards to distribution and marketing. For example, my local newspaper would not write an official review of my book due to the fact that my book was not nationally published and national bookstore chains wouldn’t list my book in the customer’s computer book index since this was offered only to national book publishers.

On a positive note, I did strike up a great professional relationship with a Borders executive who helped me facilitate book events at Borders. I facilitated this by showing her my book and my plan to market my book via local media, posters and book events in her stores. It was important for her to know that I had a plan to market the book once she gave the book space on her shelf.

As a self-publisher, I enjoyed the luxury of choosing and directly collaborating with an illustrator and graphic designer who shared my vision for the book. I edited my book and made every single decision with regards to text, color, images, naming the characters, etc. I didn’t have anyone telling me that I couldn’t rhyme the words, that I couldn’t put a purple eyepatch on Hobo Kitty, or that I couldn’t allow Riley to narrate the story.

However, I did have to pay for everything – the illustrator, printing, etc. I also had to initiate the placement of my book in bookstores as well as actively market the book via television, radio, newspapers, and schools.

It is a lot of work, but I am glad I did it. The experience of self-publishing has been very fulfilling and creatively liberating! I highly recommend it (and so do Riley and Hobo Kitty)!

I printed my book via the help of a local book-printing liaison. However, a friend of mine just printed a beautiful book via a print on demand website. That is a great option too.

See how Riley gets promoted on the internet.

Xlibris Publishing Guide - Get this free guide now and learn how you can self-publish your own children’s book!

Article and image source: Best-childrens-books.com

A Great Adventure in the Land of Dreams!

Sharing the world is never an easy task to achieve, especially when there are so many different kinds of people, attitudes, and cultures conflicting with each other. But no matter how daunting it is, people can still live in peace and harmony together as long as understanding and acceptance between them exists. This is the theme that author Tapan Sen shares with readers in his amazing story that will take them to a realm of fantasy and friendship in the new picture book Beyond The Land of Dreams.

Beyond The Land of Dreams tells the story of a nine-year-old boy named Sammy, who lives in the outskirts of New York City. Lonely, Sammy is lucky that he has friends and that his next birthday celebration is moving closer. Unfortunately for him, his best friend Jill would miss his birthday. Good thing however, Sammy received his birthday present from Jill, a fantasy novel titled Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland which made him ecstatic. A short time later, Sammy read the book and just when he was feeling tired, a rabbit appeared before him. Surprised, Sammy examined the rabbit to see if it was real but learned it was called a “habbit”, not a “rabbit”. But the excitement did not end as soon enough, Sammy met even one more animal, a boy and a girl, and with them he socialized, learned their names, learned their species, and even went to places beyond his wildest imagination! His experience with the animals, the boy and the girl and the new world overwhelmed him deeply, but are all of these real or is it all just a wild imagination sparked by the new book?

Imaginative and richly layered, Beyond The Land of Dreams is an entertaining fantasy enriched by the moral lesson of making friends by accepting and understanding them despite their differences. Readers will realize that the different characters in the story represent different groups of people who have differences in characteristics, customs and ways of life. As the story teaches readers not to have any problem in accepting one another (no matter how different they are from each other), parents will definitely be interested in this picture book which they can use to teach their children in an enjoyable way to accept the unity in diversity of different people. No doubt about it, Tapan Sen’s Beyond The Land of Dreams is one of the most entertaining and most educational picture books to find at your local bookstores or libraries today!

About the Author

Tapan Sen moved to the United States from India in 1972. He earned two master’s degrees in mathematics: one from Calcutta, India, and the other one from the United States. He then received a doctorate degree in Operations Research. Dr. Sen wrote fourteen books in his native language – Bengali – on various topics. Beyond the Land of Dreams is his first venture in English. Dr. Sen has lived with his wife Tripti and his son Badsha in Greensboro, North Carolina, since 1980.

Xlibris Publishing Guide - Get this free guide now and learn how you can self-publish your children’s book!

Is there a ‘Mouse in the House’ or just an author?

by STACEY McEVOY/Independent Press

MADISON — Resident Janice Reynolds Longo, using her pen name, Lucia Tuttle, wrote her first children’s book called “There’s A Mouse In the House” back in 1963.

After finding the rhymed verse story among old papers a little over a year ago, she dusted off the 45 year-old story and made copies to distribute to neighborhood children.

When delighted parents told her that it should be a book, she sat down and illustrated the story. She then self-published it with a book publishing company named Xlibris Corporation.

Mrs. Longo said that she wrote the book while she worked at a university library in a job where she hand wrote the Dewey Decimal system on the spines of books. At the time, she did not even have children of her own to inspire her, she said. She subsequently had two sons.

Mrs. Longo used the pen name Lucia Tuttle, which is her Grandmother Reynolds’ maiden name. Although she never met her, she wished her parents had given her the beautiful name, she said.

Geared for three- to eight-year-olds, the story is about a mouse that lives in a big, old house. When his traditional enemy the cat discovers the mouse, there is a major upheaval in his previously contented life.

The story ends on a happy note as “Mousie” and “Miss Kitty” work things out between them.

Dedicated to her two granddaughters, Miren and Madeleine Longo, “There’s A Mouse in the House“ will be available for $14.99 at Sages Pages in the Staples Shopping Plaza on Main Street in the near future.

Xlibris Publishing Guide - Get this free guide now and learn how you can self-publish your children’s book this year!

Article and image source: Nj.com

Rub Elbows With Legendary Creatures in Oolie and the Fox — A Journey to the World of Make-Believe

Dragons are legendary creatures depicted in cultures all over the world. We get to read about them in storybooks and watch them on television. But what if these dragons are real? What if they are coming down to earth to destroy humankind? Get ready for an action-packed and fun-filled adventure as Paul Breer brings us into the world of Vikings, Wizards and Valkyries in his newest children’s book, Oolie and the Fox.

Breer’s charming storybook tells the tale of Oolie, a four-year old girl, and her friendship with a wise and caring fox who lives in the trunk of a front yard beech tree. Through a telescope high in the tree, Oolie and Mr. Fox become witnesses to an epic battle between winged dragons who want to rule the world and lightning-shooting wizards who do their best to prevent it. Their front row seat on this unfolding drama is not without its price, however, as they in turn become the target of the losers’ wrath. Oolie and her furry friend are separated when the fox is forced to flee his home as the beech tree mysteriously goes up in flames. Eventually they are reunited when Mr. Fox finds a new house in the forest — but things will never be the same again!

Oolie and the Fox is a delightful work perfect for kids of all ages and cultures. With easy-to-read texts and colorful pages rich in vibrant illustrations, kids will surely have an exciting experience. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

As a retired college professor, author Paul Breer spends his pastime composing music and writing books. Some of his published books are about philosophy, psychology, and music, but his greatest love is making up stories about animals, little people, and faraway worlds that exist only in the imagination.

Xlibris Publishing Guide - Get this free guide now and learn how you can self-publish your children’s book this year!

Can This Young Boy Reach the Vet Before It’s Too Late for His Mare?

WESTMINSTER, Md., Jan. 9, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Children on the lookout for unforgettable adventures are in for an enjoyable treat from author Nancy D. Kramer as Xlibris releases her new children’s book, Bret and Pale Face Saved the Day.

In this book, readers will meet Bret, a young boy who lives on a farm in Kansas, where thunderstorms like to rule the land. He goes to school worried about his mare that is going to have a foal anytime soon. That evening, a storm arrives causing heavy rain and strong winds all over the land. After Bret and his family bring their farm animals to safety, a power outage occurs. Worse, they learn that their mare will definitely give birth that night. Bret tries to call the vet over, only to find out that the phone line is dead. Since trees are blown over on the roads, the boy figures out that the only way to reach the vet is for him to ride his favorite palomino, Pale Face, through the fields to the vet’s house. Will Bret and Pale Face be able to reach the vet safely before time runs out? Read the book to find out.

For more information, please visit Xlibris.com or call (888) 795-4274 today, or see the website, www.bretandpaleface.com.

About the Author

Nancy D. Kramer was born and raised on an apple farm in Elkridge, Maryland, just south of Baltimore. She is the oldest of four children who grew up on the farm. The whole family was involved in the apple business. They climbed trees, picked apples, weeded the gardens, cut grass, and swam in the pond. The author wrote short stories in high school. Later, she took a college writing course, “Writing Stories for Children and Teenagers.” The first non-fiction, human-interest story she wrote was published in the September 2001 issue of “Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred,” a national magazine.

Kramer worked as an administrative secretary at a local county public school system in Howard County for thirty years. After retiring, she enjoys horseback riding, giving riding lessons to children and adults, and writing stories for children. She also has another book entitled, Sly Fox And Hambone. See details on website, www.SLYFOXANDHAMBONE.com.

Xlibris Publishing Guide - Get this free guide now and learn how you can self-publish your book this year!