Imagine a dot so
bored with its existence that it takes a journey.
In “I am a Dot: A Tale about Punctuation and
Purpose”, Dot encounters many characters along the
way: a line, a hook, a semi-circular line and other
dots. With each new relationship, Dot learns more
about how it feels and what it wants through a
selective process which leads to self-discovery. In
the end, Dot develops a new understanding of its
function and what it wants to truly be. The story
reminds us that we have many choices about how we
wish to function in our lives. It is a fun way for
teachers and parents to help children learn about
the many functions of a dot. Most importantly, it
reminds us all to pay attention to our feelings.
They are our internal road map and can show us the
way to our hearts’ longing. Illustrated by Alex T.
Lee.
Irregular Joe
deals with the issue of “same naming”, a family
custom which is practiced all over the world. Every
Sunday, and especially on holidays, the Normale
family gathers for dinner. They are a large Italian
family. Yet Young Joe feels ordinary among them. In
"Irregular Joe", each family member is named Joe in
some form. Then a family member announces a new
addition to the family. How many more Joes can
there be? Young Joe wonders. Even the coffee is
called Joe! A one-day sale of irregular items helps
put young Joe’s feelings in perspective. This story
mingles family customs with homonyms and humor to
show what's really in a name. Illustrated by Casey
Gathy.
Makin'
meatballs is easy. Or is it?Massimo finds out when
his father isn't home one Sunday to prepare them.
Besides, what are the neighbors for anyway? Using
his own recipe of determination, ingenuity and
humor, Massimo gets it done! Join Massimo as he has
his first creative cooking experience and learn
about makin'’ meatballs Brooklyn style! The theme
is that a recipe is not just for cooking: A recipe
for accomplishment can turn out to be as satisfying
as a recipe for meatballs. Massimo’s
Meatballs will delight children,
as well as some adults, especially those who love
to cook! Illustrated by Margot
Miller..
Papa
in the Sky, told gently in a childs voice, is an
inspiriting story about death and heaven. The
Author describes heaven as a glorious table where
everyone eventually gathers to eat and there's
always an empty chair waiting... The imaginative
journey begins with a young girl Ruby, along with
her brother Jimmy, who every night blesses Papa in
the Sky. They've seen Papa in pictures throughout
their house. Now they want to know more about him.
Their mother tells them about the man, then pursues
her childrens other questions about Heaven. Jimmy
and Ruby discover the power of remembering and how
it keeps loved ones alive. Illustrated by Bri
Hermanson.
Un-Identical
Twins is a genuinely warm, bouncy tale about being
part of a matching set: As an identical
twin, Mure has the inside scoop. Can twins be
Unique and Identical? Would that make them
Un-Identical? It's something to consider. Although
they look alike, Abby and Gabby are very different
in personality and in the way each feels about
being a twin. Abby doesn’t like the attention being
a twin brings. She doesn’t like sharing birthdays,
wearing the same clothes or that her name has to
rhyme with her sister’s. Abby asserts herself. She
sets out to prove that she is unique and some ways
above being a twin but instead discovers how
fortunate she really is. Illustrated by Robyn
Ng.
Mr.
Martinelli, a good natured pizza man, is amazed to
see twelve green parrots - tropical birds on the
electrical wires outside of his pizzeria in
January! He feeds the birds a scattering of
breadcrumbs but the parrots snub his offerings:
they want rice balls! Mr. Martinelli prepares the
rice balls but the hungry birds continually refuse
them. Despite his crowded pizzeria, Mr. Martinelli
tries to please the intelligent birds who begin to
make demands: no parsley, no sauce, no cheese! The
so-called adaptable creatures prove to be the pizza
man's toughest customers! Illustrated by Tom
Torre.
The
Really Jealous Jimmy Crab is a story about karma.
Jimmy Beetles has one thing on his crabby little
mind - Himself. He steals an oyster’s pearl
intending to carve the colossal jewel into a crown
and annoints himself Royal Blue, King of the Ocean
Floor. The oyster warns Royal Blue not to steal the
majestic gem, but he takes it home. Mysteriously,
strong undercurrents wedge the pearl in Royal
Blue’s burrow to trap him, and then eventually
release him. Remembering the oyster’s warning,
Royal Blue hurries to the oyster to beg for its
“spell” to be removed. In its wisdom, the oyster
shows Royal Blue what it takes to be king. He
learns the hard way that the world is not his
Oyster! Illustrated by Bobby Nelson.
Hillary is a
chameleon who lives in the rain forest. She is
pink. The other lizards reject her because of her
color. Determined to befriend them, she displays
stellar hunting and climbing skills but her efforts
fail. Exhausted and rejected, Hillary becomes
saddened causing her scales to change during the
night. She catches a glimpse of her reflection,
sees that she is no longer pink and approaches the
lizards, who then befriend her. As Hillary grows
happier, her scales turn pink again. The Pink
Lizard is an inspiring story about accepting others
based on merit. Its theme teaches that no matter
how we look on the outside, we aren't very
different after all. Illustrated by Amy E.
Chace.
* A
percentage of proceeds for The Pink Lizard will be
donated to Breast Cancer Research.
In The
Caterpillar That Wouldn't Change, A Short Story
about Never Giving Up... When her friend Franny
says they must turn into butterflies, Nelle resists
the change. She likes life as it is and worries
about changing into a flitty butterfly. When Franny
reappears as a beautiful monarch butterfly, she
encourages Nelle with a single phrase. Once a
butterfly, Nelle realizes change is better than
expected. The theme is we are the outcome of our
choices. This uplifting story may also inspire
adults or teens who face challenges with life's
changes and even eating disorders. Illustrated by
Italian Artist, Kezia Terracciano, Available in
English and translated into Spanish by Anabel
Martinez (proz.com)
Nancy
S. Mure is a contributing Author for "Life Manual
for 21st Century Women" which was created and
dedicated to all the women seekers in the world- it
contains the wisdom, experience, life stories and
hearts of 22 great women from everywhere in the
world. It is intended to help us, our daughters,
sisters, girlfriends, wives, and every woman who is
looking for guidance, support, solutions, and "what
to do" in many aspects in her life. These are real
life stories who will speak directly to your
subconscious mind and will remind us of what is
finally and truly important. Available at
Amazon.com.