THE BOY, THE MERMAID, AND THE STORM
A fairytale about battling life's storms
THE BOY, THE MERMAID, AND THE STORM
A boy sets sail as he does each dawn, but this day is like no other: a storm has come. Battling the wind and waves he is overcome. From the deep a mermaid carries the boy to the Island Of The Eye. The mermaid explains it’s the boy's time to face the storm and her time to guide him through it. The only way home is for the boy to make it through the stormy darkness. Together, the boy and the mermaid sail into four overwhelming challenges, each one testing all the boy's strengths and beliefs.
“No storm is stronger than you”, The mermaid tells the boy. Wedged between wind and wave the boy feels powerless, but faces the wall of water, nonetheless. Attacked by a Sea Dragon the boy battles physical and mental exhaustion. Tricked by the storm the boy must trust his will & spirit to survive.
Finally, the storm declares its absolute power and tells the boy his futile attempts to survive are in vain. About to give up, the boy comes to understand the power and strength of the Mermaid's words and defiantly tells the storm: "You may claim my last breath, but you will not claim me."
The Boy, The Mermaid, And The Storm is a modern-day fairytale about the battles we face through life's storms. I created this book to help adults and children alike discover the courage and inner strength we all possess to persevere and to remember all the 'mermaids' who help to guide us.
The Boy, the Mermaid, and the Storm Book Reviews
STORY GLASS
Award winning middle grade picture book
STORY GLASS
When Jen unknowingly touches a magic Story Bottle she is transported back in time. Frightened and desperately wanting to get home to safety, Jen soon realizes she's bound by the magic of the bottle. The only way home is to complete five challenges, each one more dangerous than the last. Guided by a group of fairies, Jen must not only face challenges designed to play on her worst fears, but must also conquer the master of the Story Bottle. This evil wizard will stop at nothing to keep his story from being told. Does Jen have what it takes to get back home or will she be lost in time for eternity? Will she risk everything to beat the wizard or will his secret remain hidden in the Story Bottle forever? Story Glass is an ideal chapter book for early readers.
"... I found myself smiling throughout each and every page... and recommend this book be stocked in school, home and kindergarten libraries, in order to teach self-empowerment at an early age."
-Rosie Malezer, Readers Favorite
THAT'S AL
A creative imagination makes a hero
THAT'S AL!
Al looks at the world in an unusual way. He feels anything mechanical needs modification, that hiking trails need detours and the laws of gravity must be tested. A good dose of imagination fuels most of Al’s thinking. Al's parents and the local townsfolk worry that his wild, unpredictable behavior only creates mischief & mayhem.
One day, Al spots a baby whale beached on the shore. For Al, saving the whale is another adventure. For his parents and friends, this becomes a glimpse into Al’s world - and a lesson that Al’s take on life may just make the world a better place. This exciting story, which alternates between the way Al sees the world and the way everyone else sees it, is sure to spark the imagination of every young child.
That's AL! Book Reviews
WIPEOUT THE WAVE
Wipeout is different, but learns that being unique is special
WIPEOUT THE WAVE
Watch out... Here comes Wipeout the wave! Wipeout wonders why he's so different from all the other waves on the beach. Lonely and sad, Wipeout decides to travel the Seven Seas looking for waves like him. He nearly gives up hope until he makes a new friend, Surfer Steve, in the North Pacific. Together they travel for a meeting with the Wave Council of the Seven Seas where Wipeout discovers the reassuring answer he's been searching for.
"Delightful and beautifully illustrated story that has a way of being exactly what you needed to read each time you read it. It's a story of hope for anyone who feels or has felt that they just don't fit in. It's a story of hope for those who are still lost, still searching for acceptance, belonging, and family wherever and in whatever form that might be. It's a story of the value of learning and growing and of the boundless joy and wisdom that comes from life's many lessons. I simply adore this book and cannot wait to read the rest of the collection!
- Robin Mayns Cowles
THE COOKIE THAT SAVED CHRISTMAS
A story to ignite the festive warmth of the Holiday season.
THE COOKIE THAT SAVED CHRISTMAS
This beautifully illustrated book takes you back in time to experience a heartwarming christmas full of magical holiday spirit! THE COOKIE THAT SAVED CHRISTMAS is a delightful story for children and adults who yearn to be captivated anew by the simple joys of the Holiday season. Delightful illustrations by award winning illustrator Liesl Bell bring to life beloved Children's author Billy Baldwin's uplifting tale about courageous children overcoming adversity through a combination of clever thinking and Christmas Spirit! Reading THE COOKIE THAT SAVED CHRISTMAS will transport you to a simpler time when all that was needed was a bit of imagination and creative preparation to help ignite the festive warmth of the Holiday season.
On a bleak and cold Christmas Eve Dirk, the hero of this story, arrives at Crowsfoot Hill Orphanage where children are sent when they have nowhere else to go. The orphanage is cold and bare without a single christmas decoration to welcome Santa. dirk and his new friend Anna stumble across a secret trap door and discover the mister behind why Christmas was banned from Crowfoot Hill. Determined to bring the joy of Christmas to his new home, Dirk creates one of the most beloved Christmas traditions of all time. Experience the wonder of the holiday season as you read how Dirk's love for Christmas and clever thinking combine to create THE COOKIE THAT SAVED CHRISTMAS!
THE LAST LEAF
Award winning story about courage and perserverance
THE LAST LEAF
This is the story of a very special leaf whose courage and determination helps us to see strength where others may only see weakness.
Winner of the 2017 Silver Moonbeam Children's Book Award, THE LAST LEAF is an inspiring story of the rise of an underdog whose difficult situation sets the stage for his surprising triumph. Dazzling illustrations by award winning illustrator Liesl Bell depict beloved Children’s author Billy Baldwin’s encouraging tale about a little leaf that overcomes adversity through a combination of his tenacious spirit and powerful determination.
Reading The Last Leaf will help those who face difficult challenges recognize that roadblocks can in fact make us stronger and better than we might otherwise be.
The story begins on a fine day in early spring. The newly sprouted leaves on The Great Oak Tree laugh when they see a small misshapen leaf blossom on their branch. The bright green leaves tell this odd leaf, named Crinkle, that he will surely blow off the tree with the first strong wind of the season. Crinkle is filled with fear until he is reassured by Gus, the biggest leaf, that when a leaf falls its energy is pulled right back into the tree to then sprout again the following spring. Though he doesn't fit in with the other leaves and is teased due to his strange shape and color, Crinkle discovers he has more strength and more courage than any other leaf on The Great Oak Tree.
Through the rainy season, blustery Northeastern winds, and the bitter cold, little Crinkle holds on to his branch and endures a lonely winter to become the winner of the annual Last Leaf Competition.
When the next spring arrives Crinkle blossoms again only to learn that something wonderful can happen when you conquer your fears, strive to do your best, and defy all expectations. Crinkle’s tale reminds us all that being an underdog is not an excuse for failure but rather an invitation to triumph!