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BORN TO SPARKLE – A Story About Achieving Your Dreams
“Uplifting, encouraging, and quite lovely” – * Kirkus Reviews (starred)
Author Megan Bomgaars, who has Down syndrome, is an activist, TV personality, and entrepreneur. This Fall, she adds “published children’s book author” to her list of accomplishments with her debut title arriving in stores nationwide.
Inspired by Megan’s moving “Don’t Limit Me” speech, Born to Sparkle encourages young readers to dream big and work hard to make those big dreams come true. Whether you dream is to become an astronaut, firefighter, dancer, teacher, chef or anything you can imagine, you can achieve it because, just like Megan, you were born to sparkle!
Never condescending or preachy, Megan’s pitch perfect story reassures, that there are no limits and anything is possible if one follows their dreams and works hard. It’s about doing your very best to make dreams happen. Be brave. Study. Learn. Practice. Ask questions. Educators and parents will revel in this uplifting, inspiring picture book with a cast of stuffed animals leading by example at each turn of the page.
About the author: Megan Bomgaars
Megan Bomgaars is an amazing woman who works hard to achieve her dreams every day. She starred on A&Es Emmy Award-winning and Critic’s Choice Real TV Award-winning reality television show Born this Way. Megan currently attends college and has already started her own business, starred on a TV show, and travelled the world as a public speaker. She was even invited to the White house by Michelle Obama to attend the “Beating the Odds Summit.” This is Megan’s first children’s book.
About the illustrator: Peter John Olczyk
Peter John Olcyzk was born in Manchester. He studied art foundation at Manchester Metropolitan University and then illustration at Stockport College. He uses his own experiences and memories to put himself in the mind and shoes of a child when he illustrates, as well as being greatly influenced by stories, music and nature. He currently lives in the Highlands of Scotland with his wife and two young children.
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BOOK OF HUGS – A Story About Achieving Your Dreams
Share some love and give a hug with Teddy Bear Tim. Teddy Bear Tim LOVES hugs! He loves hugs so much that he wants to share all of his favorite kinds of hugs with you. Whether it’s a happy hug, a sad hug, a fast hug, or a bear hug, Tim has three simple steps to follow to make sure you’re giving the very best hug you can give. Inspired by Tim Harris’s love for giving big bear hugs and his restaurant that offered up hugs on the menu, Book of Hugs, this charming how-to guide gives readers so many reasons to give someone a big hug!
Motivational speaker, disability advocate, and restaurateur Tim Harris’ debut picture book, Book of Hugs, publishes this September. Inspired by Tim’s love of giving big bear hugs and his restaurant that offered up hugs on the menu, this charming how-to guide inspires readers with plenty of reasons to give someone a big hug!
Colorful characters Teddy Bear Tim and his trio of energetic monkey friends share tips on delivering the very best hugs – no matter whether they are happy hugs, sad hugs, fast or slow hugs. Every type of hug is about sharing love. As the book says, “Love is the most important part!”
In our new world of pandemic etiquette and a post #MeToo era, setting and respecting boundaries and gaining consent are among the most important practices we can instill in children. Book of Hugs is an entertaining story that can lead into deeper discussions about permission and new norms.
About the author: Tim Harris
Tim Harris is a motivational speaker, business owner, and disability advocate. He is really good at giving hugs. For a long time, Tim owned his own restaurant and he even had free hugs on the menu. They were so popular that Tim has now hugged over 75,000 people, including the president of the United States! Tim really does love hugs, mostly because he loves LOVE and that is what hugs are all about. This is Tim’s first children’s book.
About the illustrator: Charlie Astrella
Chalrie Astrella graduated from the University of Teesside with a First Class Honors Bachelor of Arts degree in Computer Animation. He now works in 3D modeling, animation, and 2D illustration to create works of art he is proud of. He has experience in advertising, product design, video games, and children’s books.
Note: Upcoming National Hug Day and Hug-a-thon:
On the weekend of January 21st – 23rd, Tim and his family are relaunching the Hug-a-thon. The goal is to get ONE MILLION hugs and ONE MILLION dollars in donations, all to benefit the Hearts of Joy International charity. Details are unfolding now and more will be shared in the Fall. This incredible non-profit provides life-saving heart surgery for children born with Down Syndrome. Learn more at Hearts of Joy International.
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR BOOK OF HUGS
“With the help of some monkeys, a teddy bear teaches readers all about hugs. Teddy Bear Tim (the author’s teddy-bear persona) waves to readers and declares, ‘I LOVE hugs!’ His upbeat narration continues as Teddy Bear Tim meets up with a trio of cuddly monkeys who share the love for hugs—and bananas. The four characters list many different kinds of hugs (like ‘happy hugs,’ ‘slow hugs,’ or ‘monkey hugs’) before Teddy Bear Tim shares the ‘three simple steps’ to giving a hug. They are: ask first, open arms wide, and wrap the other person in a hug (‘tight, but not too tight’). Once the instructions are given, Teddy Bear Tim describes some hugging scenarios and acts them out with the monkeys. From running full-bore into each other’s arms to a 5-second ‘quick hug,’ the hugs all point back to Teddy Bear Tim’s key precept: ‘The LOVE is the most important part.’
Motivational speaker and disability advocate Harris’ debut picture book affirms the joy of hugs while highlighting the importance of consent. Astrella’s expressive cartoon characters and energetic hugging sequences show his animation background.”
– Kirkus Reviews
Since 2005 Flowerpot Press has been planting the seeds that help young minds grow, offering a broad range of books. The Hayes family has been in the publishing and media business for two generations now. The family members grew up living in the midst of the golden periods of publishing and media distribution.
Watching and participating in the growth of their father’s children’s publishing business, they learned from the ground up and understood the unique character and needs that publishing for young children demanded. Anne and Pat served in every role from warehouse operation to acquisition, design, licensing, printing production, and editing to name a few areas.
As entrepreneurs, they separately and together founded companies still owned, integrating other media such as video and music. This well-rounded creative team uses a hands-on approach in every aspect of the business, first and foremost because they love it. Pat is also a published author in his own right. Anne (our publisher and CEO) lives in the Toronto area with her husband and family operating the Canadian office of Flowerpot Press, while Pat and his family live in Franklin, Tennessee, and operate the US office of the company.
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Scratch your way to great art with SCRATCH & CREATE books!
Do you have an itch to create art? Then scratch it! With our Scratch & Create books, you’ll etch and scratch delightful, unique illustrations with the specially designed stylus we provide. This innovative approach to relaxing with art gives armchair sketchers a new collection of projects to reach. Plus, pages are perforated, so you can display your art when you’re done.
Read fascinating facts and see if you can guess which creature is being described as you scratch away and reveal beautiful animal portraits.
Amazing Endangered Animals
by Anne Bentley
Paperback, 20 pages
US $17.99, CAN $23.99
9781631593956
Rockport Publishers
Lose yourself in these intricate, terrestrial, designs of spirals, tangles, and geometric patterns.
Scratch and Draw Patterns
by Zoe Ingram
Paperback, 20 pages
US $19.99, CAN $24.99
9781631593918
Rockport Publishers
This unique book features inspirational and decorative illustrations of flowers, leaves, and other botanical designs.
Scratch and Draw Botanicals
by Zoe Ingram
Paperback, 20 pages
US $19.99, CAN: $24.99
9781631593924
Rockport Publishers -
Adorable New Children’s Book Encourages Patience, Trust, Loyalty and Cats!
Author Donna Sledge Casey has just released her first children’s book, “Leo at the Bus Stop,” a heartwarming children’s tale about the trust, patience and love between a young child and her pet.The story follows a loyal cat named Leo, who waits patiently for his owner, Nicole, to return home from her day at school. Leo the cat stays by the bus stop all day long, wondering when his companion Nicole will arrive, so they can finally play together.An Amazon reviewer describes the book as an “absolute treat! We can’t wait to see where Leo brings us next! This is a gem!”The book is the first in a six-part series, which will follow Nicole and Leo’s antics as they learn valuable life lessons such as trust, understanding and patience.“Leo was a present for my daughter Nicole,” the author said. “I remember how the two were inseparable. Writing this series paints a beautiful picture of the special bond between my girl and her cat.”“Leo and the Bus Stop” is sure to touch children’s hearts as they delve into the charming stories and develop key life skills.
“Leo at the Bus Stop”By Donna Sledge CaseyISBN: 978-1512767162 (softcover); 978-1512767179 (electronic)About the authorDonna Sledge Casey has always enjoyed writing, and has won awards at a local level for her work. She has three grown children and two grandchildren. Casey currently resides in the state of Washington, is retired, and enjoys writing and gardening in her free time. She hopes the adventures of Leo and Nicole will be enjoyed by all. -
Do You Believe In Miracles?
Do you believe in miracles? Well, you will now. Found at the home of an animal hoarder, Marshall was rescued and later adopted Cyndi Willenbrock. Inspired by Marshall’s own true story and how his spirit and resiliency affect those around him, Cyndi brilliantly penned a story told from Marshall’s perspective. A beautifully illustrated picture book for ages 5 and up, Marshall the Miracle Dog will encourage readers of all ages to always remember that hope is just around the corner. Marshall does not let circumstances beyond his control define him and his remarkable resilience inspires us all.It is amazing to think what love, acceptance, and nourishment can do to change a life. From a dirty and crowded pen with barely any food, protection, or love—to a loving home where food, comfort, and love abound, Marshall and Cyndi are “walking the talk” and making a difference. In fact, Cyndi left her “day job” in order devote all of her time and efforts to inspiring the lives of others. She started The Marshall Movement in order to give voice to the importance of teaching children anti-bullying and anti-animal cruelty amongst numerous other social issues facing our children today. Trained as a Certified Therapy Dog, Marshall and Cyndi visit classrooms and children’s hospitals in order to carry his message of not giving up five minutes before the miracle! `To find out more about The Marshall Movement and to pre-order Marshall the Miracle Dog, make sure to visit www.marshallthemiracledog.com.
First book review – Marshall the Miracle Dog is a story to be savored—and read over and over again – New York Journal Of Books
by Cynthia Willenbrock, Illustrated by Lauren Heimbaugh
Reviewed by Lisa Rojany Buccieri
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