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Wild Horse Adoption
Congaree centers around a young wild Mustang as he moves from the open range through the frightening world of capture to a life of trust and adoption. What is the most rewarding aspect of writing a series for young readers?
The most rewarding part of writing the series has been the connection the books have created with both young readers and adult wild horse lovers. From the very beginning, my goal has been wild horse education. I wanted to do more than simply tell Congaree’s story—I wanted each book to open the door to learning more about Mustangs and what it takes to help a formerly wild horse transition into what we call “People’s World.”
I’ve also loved showing readers that every Mustang’s story begins in a very different place. Each Herd Management Area is vastly different, and the characteristics of those landscapes can influence the horses that come from them. That has made it fun to highlight the unique environments in each book while also teaching readers about Mustang adoption, the programs available to new adopters, and the resources that can help make the transition from “Nature’s World” into “People’s World” successful.
Perhaps one of the most meaningful parts has been sharing the books with the people who played such an important role in changing the lives of the horses featured in the series—Congaree, Happy, and Sapphire. Their stories are a reminder that when we take the time to understand these remarkable horses, we can build a bridge between their world and ours.
Why was it important not to rush Congaree’s adjustment to his new life?
It was especially important to me to show that this transition cannot be rushed. When Congaree first arrived, he was dealing with a massive change in environment. He had gone from the world he knew on the range to an entirely new one, and he needed time to process that change before we could expect him to begin building trust.
Part of the work we do at Nature’s View involves what we call a shift from TyranT to AlphA. My partner, Bruce Anderson, is a seasoned trainer and clinician who developed a system of Natural Humanship that applies to both horses and people. His work is built around what he calls the 4 Missing Pieces: building mental tools, understanding and reading your inner positive and negative poles, rewiring your muscle memory, and learning to let a situation tell you what, when, and how to react. The goal is to create a shift in the way you respond to pressure—to find a way of dealing with pressure that is healing rather than harmful. Congaree needed the time and space to allow that shift to begin taking place and to bring himself back to what we call “ground zero” before he was even ready to start building a foundation of trust.
That process took about a month. Once Congaree was ready, Bruce could begin introducing him to this new world. Congaree gradually learned that he was strong enough to handle more and more pressure. Bruce wasn’t simply desensitizing him to different things. Instead, he was giving Congaree the tools to handle whatever might happen, which ultimately made him a stronger and more confident partner.
That lesson was important to include in the book because it applies far beyond Congaree. You can’t rush the process of internal change and healing. Every horse is different, every person is different, and every relationship is different. Trust, confidence and a mindset shift have to be built at the pace the individual needs.
What surprised you most while learning about Mustang management, training, or adoption?
Living on the East Coast gave me a very different perspective on the wild horse adoption process. There are so many horses available, yet getting the right horses into the hands of appropriate adopters isn’t always easy. Instead of treating Mustangs like throwaway horses, available for a mere $25, I think we need to foster the understanding that they are desirable and capable of so much more than many people realize.
Each year, I would wait for shipments of horses to come into our area of South Carolina, only to watch the Mustangs with striking colors or particularly desirable conformation get adopted almost immediately at the adoption events. Because I live so far from the major holding facilities in the West—and even from facilities as far east as Indiana—those annual shipments were really my only opportunity to see and adopt a Mustang in person. What struck me was the disconnect between the enormous number of horses in holding facilities in the western states and the demand from potential adopters on the East Coast. The year that Bruce and I found Congaree, the available horses arriving for the adoption event in Columbia dwindled to three within an hour.
Unfortunately, there is a different side to that story. It really surprised me in the beginning that so many adopted Mustangs end up back in the system or at auction. The challenges of handling a formerly wild horse can overwhelm new adopters. I began to realize that the issue wasn’t simply getting Mustangs into homes—it was making sure adopters had the knowledge, resources, and support they needed to be successful once they got them home.
There can sometimes be a perception within the equestrian community that Mustangs aren’t capable of competing at the same level as other breeds. But with the appropriate foundational training, a Mustang can do many of the same things any other horse can do. I have been really encouraged to see more programs developing to give East Coast adopters access to larger, more versatile Mustangs and to make the adoption process more accessible. Also, having access to programs like ours and experienced Mustang trainers like Bruce in our area can give someone a different perspective on the process and the potential end goals. The more people have the opportunity to meet these horses, understand them, and experience what they are capable of, the more I think perceptions will change. People like Marsha Hartford Sapp, with Dressage Horse of the Year, Cobra, as well as Ann Hanlin and Elisa Wallace, with their numerous successful Mustang event horses, are demonstrating that Mustangs can excel in the English disciplines as well. They aren’t limited to one type of work or one style of riding. Given the right foundation, training, partnership, and opportunity, these horses can surprise you with what they are capable of. I personally experienced a team of Mustangs carry Lisanne Fear and her team across the country on the American Discovery Trail in 2022 during the Mustang Discovery Ride. Having the opportunity to ride her horse Pistachio while filming the documentary 5000 Miles 5000 Mustangs was the catalyst for my own personal Mustang journey.
For me, that’s one of the most exciting parts of Mustang advocacy—helping people see the horse that’s in front of them rather than simply seeing the word Mustang. Once you understand where these horses come from and give them the tools and time they need to succeed, the possibilities are remarkable.
What conversations do you hope families have after reading Congaree together?
I hope that families will use Congaree: The Little Black Mustang from Arapaho Creek and the other books in the Adopted by a Mustang series as an opportunity to start important conversations together. As a child, I remember reading a book about adoption with my own family, and one message stayed with me: my brother and I had been chosen by our parents. That simple idea had a profound impact on my life and shaped the way I understood love, belonging, and family.
As I began telling the stories of adopted Mustangs, I recognized a meaningful parallel between wild horse adoption and the experiences of children in adoptive or foster families. While every story is unique, themes of trust, transition, patience, acceptance, and finding a place to belong are universal.
I hope these books encourage conversations about compassion, understanding, and the many different ways families are formed. I also hope they help children and adults alike see that adjustment takes time, relationships are built through patience and trust, and that being chosen—and choosing to care for one another—can be a powerful thing.
If these stories can help even one family begin a meaningful conversation, create a deeper understanding, or make someone feel seen, then I believe they have made a difference.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
From the Red Desert Complex in Wyoming to a holding facility, the Mustangs from the Arapaho Creek herd were learning a new way of life, but the little black horse would travel even further before he found his forever home.
Congaree: The Little Black Mustang From Arapaho Creek is the first book in the series, Adopted by a Mustang. An Activity Book is also available for this title.
100% of the proceeds from the sale of the books, coloring books and activity pages in the series provide for the care of the Mustangs and rescue horses in the Wellness Through Mustangs® program.
The Science of Positive Psychology
Positives follows three children as they discover how practicing gratitude can transform their outlook, improve their emotions, and help them build meaningful new friendships. What inspired you to create this story for young readers?
Our troubled world. We’re having so many problems, and there’s so much tension and anxiety and people bickering and division going on in our world right now. I saw this, and I found myself very concerned about the next generation. Initially, I felt really hopeless and depressed. I thought, “What can I do?” I can’t change the political landscape, but I’ve been teaching a class on positive psychology for the last 16 years. Surely, I have something to offer. So I chose to write a children’s book that infuses positive psychology into the lives of these young people right at the time that they’re really going to need it. So, on the surface, the book seems to be about helping to improve happiness, but the real driving force behind it is helping them to become more optimistic and resilient.
Another strong motivator for the book is how happiness spreads. The science of positive psychology has proven that when one person becomes happier, it has the same spread as a virus. If you want to look it up, it’s Nicholas Christakis, and he has a book called Connected. So when one person becomes happier, it spreads to a thousand people per person! So if we get these books into even one classroom, it has the potential to help 30,000 people! So I’m hoping at a time in our history when we really, really need it, that this very small little book can help to make a big difference in our troubled world.
Dan begins the story feeling discouraged, while Annie and Zeke help him discover a new perspective. What did you want young readers to understand about changing difficult emotions?
I’ve been a therapist for nearly 20 years now, and I found that some people view difficult emotions like the weather. They believe the best they can do is get out their little umbrella and hope that it passes quickly. By teaching these positive psychology techniques, I’ve helped my students and my clients for years to realize that with a little bit of effort, they can improve their mood. It is incredibly empowering when you realize that there’s something that you can do to help yourself feel better. I felt like it was very important to instill this into our young people. Hopefully they take this skill home and teach it to their families. The next thing you know, happiness and optimism and resiliency are spreading throughout the country.
Annie shares a practice she learned from her grandfather. How did family wisdom and intergenerational connections influence the message of the book?
Well, I have to admit: in my personal family we’re a little short on intergenerational wisdom. So I’ll talk about my adopted family of positive psychology. In my class, Happiness 101, I often refer to Aunt Sonja, Aunt Barbara, and Uncle Dan. These are actually the giants of positive psychology: Sonja Lyubomirsky, Barbara Fredrickson, and Dan Gilbert. And in Positives, when Annie refers to Grandpa Marty, she’s alluding to Martin Seligman, the founder of positive psychology. There’s a ton of intergenerational wisdom there!
One of the things that I absolutely love about positive psychology is how it is supported by science. In fact, I think the scientific rigor for us to support what we’re saying is even more stringent. We want to prove the positive psychology interventions actually work. So, yeah, there’s tons and tons of research out there. If you want to read some books, I would highly recommend Martin Seligman’s book Flourish and, of course, Sonja Lybomirsky’s book, The How of Happiness, Barbara Frederickson’s Positivity, and Dan Gilbert’s book called Stumbling on Happiness.
What message do you hope young readers take away when they see Dan, Zeke, and Annie work through their feelings together?
My real hope for young readers is that they know they can improve their happiness – and that it is even better when you have other people to help support you. I want them to understand that they do not have to just be subject to whatever mood they are in – that they always have a choice!
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Amazon
Positives is a heartwarming children’s book that teaches kids the proven “Three Good Things” exercise from positive psychology. Through a fun and relatable story, children learn how noticing good things in their lives can lift their mood, build resilience, and strengthen friendships.
Follow Dan, Zeke, and Annie—three kids who each struggle with their own challenges—as they discover the power of sharing “positives” together. With the help of Annie’s imaginary emotional support cat, Mr. Face, they learn that even small moments of gratitude can make a big difference.
This engaging story is based on the science of Dr. Martin Seligman, the father of positive psychology, and is designed to help children:
Feel happier and more hopeful
Build emotional resilience
Strengthen social connections
Practice gratitude in a fun, simple way
Positives is perfect for bedtime reading, classroom activities, or starting a new family tradition.
Give your child the tools to feel happier—one positive at a time.
Izzy Can’t Talk But He Can Make Friends
Izzy Can’t Talk But He Can Make Friends! is a warm children’s book about autism, friendship, and communication. The story follows Izzy, a nonspeaking autistic boy who feels nervous around his new neighbor, Jimmy. As the boys spend time together, Izzy learns that friendship can grow through shared interests, laughter, patience, and simply enjoying another person’s company. The book presents Izzy’s speech device, service dog, safe space, routines, and stimming as natural parts of his everyday life.
The story works especially well as a social-emotional learning book for children because the friendship develops through believable little moments. Jimmy accidentally sits in Izzy’s special spot, visits his treehouse, watches Izzy’s favorite cartoon, and discovers that they both love chicken nuggets. Aunt Bee helps Jimmy understand Izzy without speaking for every feeling he has, while Jimmy shows a willingness to listen, apologize, and adjust. That gives young readers a practical picture of empathy and inclusive friendship.
The bright cartoon illustrations make this inclusive children’s book lively and easy to follow. Izzy’s emotions are shown clearly through his face, body language, and changes in color and lighting, including a striking scene where he appears frozen inside a blue block when meeting Jimmy. The pictures also add playful details, such as superhero costumes, toy dinosaurs, Uncle Gus getting stuck in the treehouse window, and Lucky the service dog joining the action. These visual touches keep the book energetic while helping children understand experiences that Izzy doesn’t express through spoken words.
As an autism awareness picture book and friendship story for kids, the book has a clear, encouraging message: communication can take many forms, and connection doesn’t depend on speech. Its straightforward explanations make it useful for families, classrooms, and conversations about neurodiversity, while the humor and familiar childhood activities keep the story approachable. Izzy and Jimmy’s friendship feels satisfying because it grows from curiosity, shared joy, and time spent together.
Pages: 34 | ISBN : 978-1962636087
Angelica Book 2: Rise of the Dark Shadows
Angelica, Book 2: Rise of the Dark Shadows, by Aneasa Perez, is a faith-based children’s fantasy adventure centered on courage, prayer, and teamwork. When a supernatural darkness begins bringing nightmares to the children of the Northern Lights Kingdom, Angelica and her animal companions set out to find its source. Their journey moves through dreams, icy rivers, storms, guarded valleys, and a final confrontation with a dragon, giving the story a clear quest structure that’s easy for young readers to follow.
As a Christian children’s book, the story builds its action around spiritual ideas such as the Shield of Faith, the Rope of Courage, the Sword of Truth, and the Light of the Word. These symbols are worked directly into the adventure, so the lessons don’t sit apart from the plot. Angelica leads through prayer, encouragement, and quick thinking, while the other characters contribute their own strengths. The result is a children’s Christian fantasy that presents faith as something active, shared, and connected to everyday choices.
The book also has a strong visual identity. Its full-page illustrations use dramatic contrasts between shadow and light, especially in Ruby’s dream, the appearance of the angelic army, and the dragon’s defeat. The dark blues, fiery oranges, icy landscapes, and glowing skies make each stage of the journey feel distinct. The character designs are expressive and approachable, and the large action scenes give this illustrated children’s adventure the feel of an animated fantasy story.
What stands out most is the book’s emphasis on unity. Angelica succeeds because she listens, speaks courage to her team, and allows each companion to play a role in restoring the kingdom. Young readers who enjoy fantasy creatures, brave heroines, spiritual themes, and fast-moving quests should find plenty to engage with here. Rise of the Dark Shadows is a Christian fantasy picture book that turns ideas about truth, faith, resilience, and friendship into a colorful battle between darkness and light.
Pages: 32 | ASIN : B0H53FJ2TW
Rowen and the Animal Shelter
Rowen and the Animal Shelter follows a young boy who finds a stray dog near his home and, with his mom’s help, learns what animal control does, how shelters care for lost pets, and why microchips, heartworm prevention, adoption, and volunteering matter. As Rowen visits the shelter, reads to the dogs, gathers donations with friends, and eventually adopts a border collie named Finn, the story grows from a simple stray-dog encounter into a gentle lesson about responsibility, compassion, and community care.
I appreciated how practical this children’s book is without feeling cold. As a parent, I liked that it doesn’t soften every difficult piece of shelter life into something cute. The gray dog is scared. The shelter is short on space. Heartworms are serious. Adoption takes time and thought. Those details give the story emotional weight, and I think kids can handle that when it’s presented with this much kindness. The writing is direct and explanatory, sometimes a little information-heavy, but it works because Rowen’s questions feel like real kid questions. He’s curious, worried, hopeful, and occasionally disappointed in a way that feels honest.
Animal control officer Ben and Ms. Jill at the shelter aren’t treated like background adults. They’re patient, careful, and deeply humane, which quietly expands a child’s idea of what community service can look like. I also loved the idea of reading to shelter dogs. It’s such a tender, doable action for a child, and it gives the book a lovely emotional center. Morgane Schmidt’s artwork has a soft, sketchy warmth that keeps the heavier topics approachable. The dogs’ faces carry a lot of feeling, especially the wary little gray dog and the hopeful border collie, and the simple backgrounds keep the focus where it belongs: on care, attention, and small acts of goodness.
Rowen and the Animal Shelter is a thoughtful, useful, and quietly moving picture book. It blends story and education in a way that may spark real conversations at home, especially with children who love animals or are beginning to understand what it means to help beyond their own family. I’d recommend it for elementary-aged kids, animal-loving families, classrooms, shelters, and parents who want a gentle but honest book about empathy, pet responsibility, and the many ways children can make a difference.
Pages: 40 | ISBN : 978-1966786436
Saltarico e Carmel: Aventuras no Mar/Chesty and Carmel: Adventures by the Sea
Saltarico e Carmel: Adventures by the Sea follows Chesty, a book-loving squirrel from Boston, as he travels with his friend John to California. Along the way, he meets Posso, a gentle grizzly bear who teaches him the quiet power of asking permission, and later Carmel, a surfing shark who shows him that the sea can hold stories just as beautifully as any book. It’s a bilingual adventure about friendship, curiosity, courage, manners, and the way new places can open a child’s heart.
What I liked most was the book’s tenderness. As a parent, I’m always drawn to stories that teach without tightening their grip too much, and this one has a sweet, earnest spirit. The lesson about saying “May I?” could have felt stiff, but Posso makes it feel warm and relational. It’s not just about rules. It’s about respect, patience, and making room for someone else. I also loved how the story connects reading with travel and imagination. Chesty sees books as companions, and by the end, he’s able to see the ocean itself as a kind of living library. It’s a lovely way to remind children that stories aren’t only found on pages. They’re in places, friendships, fears, and first tries.
The writing is gentle and full of wonder, with a classic picture-book sweetness that feels especially suited for children who enjoy animal adventures with a moral center. The story takes its time, moving through Boston, Yellowstone, San Francisco, and Carmel-by-the-Sea with an almost travel-journal rhythm. The bilingual format gives the book an added richness, especially for families who value language learning or cultural connection. The artwork is bright, expressive, and inviting, with glowing forests, sunny beaches, and cheerful animal characters that give the story an imaginative, almost storybook-postcard feel. I was especially drawn to the scenes by the sea, where Carmel’s playfulness and Chesty’s smallness against the waves create a real feeling of awe.
I found Saltarico e Carmel: Adventures by the Sea to be a warmhearted, thoughtful children’s book with a unique spirit. It blends friendship, travel, literacy, and manners into a story that feels sincere and full of affection. I’d recommend it for families with children who love animals, books, ocean adventures, and gentle lessons about kindness, especially bilingual families or young readers learning Portuguese and English side by side.
Pages: 111 | ISBN : 978-1962185868
Chef Quiche’s Shapes and Colors
Chef Quiche’s Shapes and Colors follows Quiche Junior and his parents on a rainy Saturday trip to the Giggle and Grow Museum, where a cheerful treasure hunt turns into a playful lesson in shapes and colors. Guided by Mr. Orange and an ancient-looking parchment, Quiche Junior searches the museum for circles, squares, triangles, rectangles, ovals, rhombuses, stars, and hearts hidden inside colorful artwork. By the end, the real treasure isn’t gold or jewels, but a rainbow outside the window, a sweet reminder that beauty and hope can appear after even the grayest afternoon.
I found the book charming in a very earnest and homemade-feeling way. The writing has a lively read-aloud rhythm, especially when the shape clues slip into rhyme, and I could easily imagine a preschooler joining in with the repeated pattern of “checked” after each discovery. There’s something endearing about how much the book wants to give children: vocabulary, observation skills, color recognition, shape facts, and a soft emotional message all at once.
The artwork is bright, quirky, and full of visual activity, which suits the museum treasure hunt nicely. I liked the mix of cartoon characters with childlike framed “artworks,” because it gives the book a handmade classroom energy that feels warm rather than polished to perfection. The quiche characters are silly in a memorable way, and the rainy-to-rainbow arc gives the illustrations a satisfying emotional lift. My favorite idea in the book is that learning comes through noticing, not lecturing. Children are invited to look closely, search the pictures, and feel the pleasure of finding something for themselves.
I thought this was a sweet and good-hearted picture book with a clear sense of purpose and a lot of affection behind it. It’s an interactive learning adventure, the kind I’d pull out when my child was alert, curious, and ready to point at the page. I’d recommend it for preschool and early kindergarten readers who enjoy scavenger hunts, bright colors, playful food characters, and books that turn basic concepts into a shared little game.
Pages: 56 | ASIN : B0GPXF7NX3
Protect the Most Vulnerable
A Strange Sound follows a toad who works as a berry delivery driver, who is perplexed by the mysterious noises she hears along her route and is pleasantly surprised to discover their source. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration comes from a deep desire to nurture a love of animals in young readers. I want children to be curious, thoughtful, and compassionate. Of course, my dog, Mazzy, was my greatest muse. I adore her completely. She gives me so much warmth and saves me emotionally every single day. I wanted to share this deep connection through a spirited story, helping children discover these feelings in a fun way.
Was Mazzy the puppy part of the original concept, or did the story evolve toward adoption as you wrote it?
Mazzy was the heart of the concept from the very beginning. She is a real-life companion whom I rescued from a dangerous situation in another country. In fact, she traveled a long way, by truck, before we met. The story is a tribute to her presence in my life.
What do you hope children learn about care and responsibility from Terry’s decision?
I hope children learn not to close their hearts to those who need help. It is important to protect the most vulnerable creatures in our world. Responsibility means recognizing when another living being depends on us and choosing to act with kindness, even when it requires patience, strength, and effort. Terry’s kindness brings a loving puppy into her life, but her decision matters most because she offered help when it was needed, without knowing what would come of it.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
The next book is titled Little Differences, the first part of a two-book series. It uses funny rhymes and brilliant art by Dainius Sukys to explain the differences between animals that are often confused with one another. For example, children will learn how to tell a hare from a rabbit or a toad from a frog. Many adults who have seen the previews told me that they themselves just learned how to tell these apart. So much fun! We plan to launch it just in time for Christmas or sooner.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Free Activity Pack | Instagram | Amazon
It opens gentle conversations about kindness and discovery where you least expect it.
Terry the Toad is driving through a beautiful landscape when something unusual breaks the quiet. First, a great roaring sound. Then, much softer, a sweet and curious sound from somewhere deep inside her truck.
Another driver might have hurried on. Terry stops. She listens. She looks. What she finds in that still, unhurried moment brings a warmth that lingers long after the final page.
For parents, this is a thoughtful gift that creates a space for quiet sharing. For children, hearing these rhythmic words feels like a comforting embrace. Through its lilting rhyme and Terry’s observant choices, the book builds real emotional vocabulary without ever feeling like a lesson. Each repeated phrase and turned page guides little readers toward kindness and an unexpected visitor.
Open this gentle story today and let curiosity lead you both home.
