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My Philosophy & Purpose
Children deserve quality books that provide a mirror into life challenges to build self-awareness, acceptance and prevent them from feeling alone. They additionally deserve a window into other children's life challenges to be able to develop empathy, understanding and tolerance of others. This increased empathy and understanding can increase kindness and decrease bullying behavior. A 2015 study by the American Journal of Public Health showed that higher social-emotional competency skills in Kindergarten were predictive of better overall success in adulthood.
The need for diverse books is not only lacking in children's literature regarding racial, cultural and gender issues, it is lacking in the area of personality, emotional, behavioral and family differences. Although there are many books available aimed at addressing children's life challenges, many gaps remain. My intention is to help fill these gaps and write quality books that provide children with insight into a wide range of topics related to social-emotional skills and life challenges.
I am a strong supporter of reading to and with your children to build the love of reading and learning and most importantly, to enhance relationships. There is nothing more important in a child's life than the strength of his/her relationships. Relationships act as a buffer for traumatic experiences, bullying and most of life's problems. The stronger the child's relationships, the more resilient the child. There is such a strong bond that comes from reading together, even into the teenage years. Reading emotionally charged books together can lead to very important, powerful discussions.
The need for diverse books is not only lacking in children's literature regarding racial, cultural and gender issues, it is lacking in the area of personality, emotional, behavioral and family differences. Although there are many books available aimed at addressing children's life challenges, many gaps remain. My intention is to help fill these gaps and write quality books that provide children with insight into a wide range of topics related to social-emotional skills and life challenges.
I am a strong supporter of reading to and with your children to build the love of reading and learning and most importantly, to enhance relationships. There is nothing more important in a child's life than the strength of his/her relationships. Relationships act as a buffer for traumatic experiences, bullying and most of life's problems. The stronger the child's relationships, the more resilient the child. There is such a strong bond that comes from reading together, even into the teenage years. Reading emotionally charged books together can lead to very important, powerful discussions.
Work in Progress
I have a story almost ready for submission about a very shy, young girl who learns that shyness and introversion, although painful at times, can prove to be a powerful strength. My second work in progress is a story about the pain of loss and how that plays out for a balloon who has lost his companion. The behaviors often associated with loss and the process of healing are presented in this sad, but hopeful, story. I am in the beginning stages of another story about the frustrations, trials and tribulations of living with an ethnic name(uhem...think...V-a-s-i-l-i-a). Greek, by the way. Oh, and then there is my Polish husband's last name-but that's a whole 'nother story!