"Embrace What Makes You Unique and Have Fun While Doing It-- Art is about more than technique. A sound mind, healthy body, and desire to learn are essential."
Stephanie Cameron
Tate Publishing- Children's Division
127 E. Trade Center Terrace, Mustang, Oklahoma 73064
ASIN: B00BJ8A3Z4, $7.99 Kindle, www.amazon.com
This is a perfect book for a child struggling with bullying issues. From the gorgeous illustrations to the well-integrated bible verses, Ella Mae was a delightful read. The story follows a young cheerleader named Ella Mae. She loved to cheer for her school, but had to face the daily teasing from her team mates. Even though it was difficult, Ella Mae made a choice to treat them with kindness rather than resorting to using the same tactics. Eventually, her kindness spread and she received a nice surprise.
At the end, we were greeted with a few questions and some bible verses that relates to the overall theme of "do to others what you would have them do to you". These questions help children take the concepts from the story and open up a dialogue with their family about bullying.
My daughter says, "It is hard to deal with bullies. Sometimes it is hard to know how to stand up to someone who is being mean. I like how she was able to be kind even though the girls were really mean to her. I think this book has a great message."
This book is a great complement to Christian upbringings. I believe that a reader who is not religious or does not believe in the Christian faith may have issues with the religious symbols, verses, and theme. And for that reason, I would not recommend this book for those readers. However, if the reader is looking for a great book about bullying, is Christian, religious, and/or curious about the faith, I feel this would be an excellent addition to their libraries.
Ha ha....sorry for the silliness. I know, I know....I am a professional writer, I shouldn't indulge in these emotions. (NOT)
So why am I doing a Happy Dance? Well, for all of my aspiring author friends, I received the first copy of my book over the weekend! Yes, a physical copy of the story I have been shackled to for the past couple of years. And let me tell you--IT IS AMAZING!!!!
I cannot believe this day has arrived. I am one step away from being a ... bum bad da dum...Published Author!
How cool is that?! The funny thing is that it feels so surreal.
I remember the first day when my character was nothing more than a private joke--forged from the depths of a lost soul with tons of newly useless information stored inside her brain. All of the hardships and pain squeezed until they popped into a final moment of absolute clarity. The day Bea was born.
Who is Bea? Well, Bea was actually Ruby...but, of course, I had to change her name. Why? Well, she is a part of me, and she deserved the initial of my last name--which eventually turned into Beatrice.
What are you talking about? Did you have too much to drink?
Nope, I am just giddy!
For those of you unfamiliar with Bea--she is a Retired Tooth Fairy who collects adult teeth; but there is only one problem--those easy-to-collect teeth aren't so easy to collect! And Bea isn't the best at collecting them. She finds herself in many precarious situations. And thus, my series follows her misadventures as a retired tooth fairy.
Alright, time to return from my little detour.
I can still remember the first day when my character was nothing more than a private joke. My daughter joyfully chuckled as we joked about the most unlikely tooth fairy. After we were done, I jotted everything down (in the worst chicken-scratch handwriting imaginable).
I brainstormed.....
I outlined.....
I sketched.....
And I returned with a very cranky-looking old fairy who was more scary than whimsical. Yikes!
Back to the drawing board.
So I brainstormed....
And sketched some more.....
Until my retired tooth fairy aged gracefully....and looks kind of like a funky librarian. But none the less, she was evolving into the beloved character she is today.
After putting Bea together with a pencil, I decided to add words to her mouth with my pen. Soon, she jumped off the paper and told me about the time she tied herself to a tooth, which then yanked her behind it after an unfortunate magical mistake. After that, we became best buddies! She shared her embarrassing moments, and I told her about the time I....(oh wait...this is public...I don't think I want to share that story).
But then, of course, the "First Timer's Curse" grabbed ahold of me.
...wait, what?....you've never heard of the "First-Timer's Curse"?
Well, my friend, the "First Timer's Curse" is when someone begins to do something creative, but then....it strikes......the worst case of self-doubt imaginable--Am I good enough? Is this good enough? What if no one likes my story? What if no one likes me? What if I get a wedgie while at a formal gathering?
Yes, it is the worst curse ever---even worse than that curse placed on those poor Chicago Cubs! It has devoured many poor souls at the start of their journeys. Such a sad thing. And it almost got me, too!
But, I was too determined. I grabbed a hold of my inner strength....the strength I never thought I had...and I continued on...until....well, until this weekend when I held my work in my hands for the first time.....oh, I love the smell of crisp, newly printed pages smooshed in between the shiny glossy cover featuring my hard work.
And, of course, I look at it and cannot believe I drew the pictures or wrote those words. Absolutely crazy good!
But why does this make me feel so happy?
Well, I remember the days of people telling me that "I don't belong" and the hardships I had faced. The utter depression of losing everything I had loved. Feeling like a loser or unimportant. I remember the struggles, and the unattainable dreams.
But, I don't regret my past because my past has shaped me into who I am, and has led me to this place in my life. And honestly....for the first time, I feel like I belong! I have accomplished something big!
So yes, I am going to do my Happy Dance....
And you can do one of your own too--Just believe in yourself. The journey is only as hard as your first step. And never ever for one second stop dreaming!
Okay, that's enough lip-service from me! I am going to snuggle next to my book, and dream of a brighter future for my family.
"Influenced by Native American folktales, this story teaches the phases of the
moon while emphasizing how to deal with bullies. After the sun insults her, the
moon is hurt and disappears. With the help of her many friends, the moon regains
her self-confidence each day until she is back to her full size.
2006
Children’s Choices Award (Children’s Book Council and Int’l. Reading
Association) 2007 Ben Franklin Award (Publishers Marketing Association) 2007
Moonbeam Gold Award"
From the emotionally engaging storyline to the beautiful illustrations, "How the Moon Regained Her Shape" was a delightful tale to share with my little ones. Janet Ruth Heller works magic with her storytelling skills, and Ben Hodson does an superb job bringing those words to life.
"How the Moon Regained Her Shape" merges Native American folktales with an anti-bullying message. The story begins with the moon happily dancing along the sky until she gets in the sun's way. The sun gets angry and says some very mean things to her causing her to feel unimportant. As a result, she retreats from the sky by shrinking. In order to bring her back, her friends try to help her realize how important she is. In addition to this wonderful story, the author includes a few pages dedicated to educating children about the moon, as well as a great tip sheet for dealing with bullies. Overall, this is a great book and we recommend adding this to your bookshelf.
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