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Finding the Right Balance
Hope’s Cape of Courage follows a girl who, after someone destroys her fairy village, finds the courage to rebuild it and choose forgiveness. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration for Hope’s Cape of Courage came from both personal experiences in childhood and what I’ve observed in the lives of children and families around me. Over the years, I have seen how holding onto hurt or anger after a difficult event can have a lasting impact, especially for children who are just starting to understand and navigate their emotions. This is especially difficult if they are living with, or surrounded by adults who struggle to express their own emotions in a healthy way. I wanted to create a story that would help children see forgiveness not as simply excusing someone’s actions, but as a powerful act that can set them free to heal and grow.
Through Hope’s Cape of Courage and the introduction of Hope, the little girl whose healing journey allowed a powerful transformation, enabling her to see the world in a new way, through different eyes, I have created an entire curriculum of stories specifically designed to help children navigate their big feelings and become emotionally resilient. This curriculum is designed to “nip these patterns in the bud” by giving children tools to regulate their emotions and life’s inevitable challenges, long before they become cycles that burden and cripple adult lives. I hope that by reading Hope’s Cape of Courage and the books to follow, families will feel equipped to talk openly about tough emotions like anger, sadness, fear, jealousy, divorce, blending families, and many others, and help build the skills they need to move through those feelings in positive ways.
How did you decide when the fairies should explain forgiveness directly and when Hope’s actions could carry that lesson for young readers?
When I was writing Hope’s Cape of Courage, finding the right balance between explicit teaching and lived experience was one of the most intentional choices I made. Here is how I approached that decision:
Why the fairies explain forgiveness directly-
Children’s emotional worlds are vast, but big concepts like unconditional love, gratitude, and understanding why hurt people hurt others can feel abstract or overwhelming. I created the fairies as gentle guides to give young readers the exact language they need to process these heavier themes. Having them explain forgiveness directly makes the lesson accessible and creates a natural bridge for meaningful post-reading conversations between kids and parents.
Why Hope’s actions carry the lesson-
Teaching the theory of forgiveness is only half of the story. Kids need to see what it looks like in practice. Hope’s physical choices, like going back into the woods, rebuilding the destroyed village, and actively choosing grace over bitterness, show that healing is a deliberate choice. The fairies provide the wisdom, but Hope shows the courage. Through her actions, young readers get to see that moving through grief, fear, and betrayal isn’t just something you talk about; it’s something you actively live through.
What conversations do you hope children and adults will have about Hope’s bitterness before she chooses to rebuild the village?
Children are incredibly observant; they learn so much from what adults do, not just what we say. One of the most powerful ways adults can teach resilience and empathy is by modeling these qualities in their own lives. This means being open about our own challenges, showing that it’s okay to make mistakes, and talking about how we work through setbacks or disappointments. When kids see adults acknowledge difficult feelings and keep going, it gives them permission to do the same.
Why was it important for Hope to acknowledge the harm done as she chooses forgiveness, and what does her pink cape represent?
It’s so important for kids to learn healthy ways to respond to anger because, at its core, anger is a normal and even necessary emotion; it tells us when something isn’t right. But children may not always have the language or coping skills to express their anger safely or productively. Without guidance, kids can become overwhelmed, act out, or even turn their feelings inward, which can affect their confidence and relationships. Through Hope’s Cape of Courage and the rest of the series, I aim to show children that it’s okay to feel angry or upset, and that there are healthy ways to deal with those big feelings. When we teach kids how to recognize what they’re feeling, talk about it, and choose responses that are kind to themselves and others, we are giving them tools they’ll use for the rest of their lives. These skills help children develop emotional intelligence, resilience, and empathy, qualities that not only help them handle difficult moments now, but will also support their mental wellness and relationships in the future. I believe that when children learn to process anger in a healthy way, it opens the door for forgiveness, growth, and deeper connections with others. Hope’s Cape is a representation of the freedom that comes from being connected with your heart, seeing through the lens of unconditional love, and how, when you release anger and unforgiveness, you give yourself, your heart, and your life the ability to reach their highest potential.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Heather McGlauflin | Website | Amazon
One day while playing in the woods with her cat, Remus, Hope decides to build a village for the fairies. Lined with beautiful paths and gardens, the village grows every day until it is an entire fairy community. But when a shadow moves over the village and destroys her magical creation, an angry Hope decides she will never love anyone or anything again. When the fairies emerge from hiding to offer wisdom, Hope learns to open her heart to forgive, love unconditionally, and courageously try again.
Hope’s Cape of Courage is the story of a little girl who, with help from her magical friends from the forest, finds a way to release her pain and forgive.
Pathway to Knowledge
Tiny Tot Tiger Says Happy Birthday, America! follows a young tiger and his friends as they prepare for a Fourth of July parade while learning about patriotism, military service, freedom, and the meaning behind America’s symbols. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
My father was a Marine, and I was always incredibly proud of his service. That gave me a deep appreciation from an early age for the sacrifices made by the men and women who serve our country—and by their families as well.
I wanted Tiny Tot Tiger Says Happy Birthday, America! to introduce children to patriotism in a joyful and age-appropriate way. The Fourth of July parade gave me the perfect setting to do that. Through Tiny Tot and his friends, children can learn about our flag, our military, our freedoms, and some of the symbols and traditions that are part of America’s story while still enjoying an adventure with characters they know and love.
More than anything, I want children to understand that freedom is precious. I believe our rights are God-given, and I want young readers to grow up with gratitude for those who have sacrificed to protect those freedoms. I also want them to know that it is okay to love their country, to promote unity, and to be grateful for the freedoms we share.
How did you balance the educational aspects of the book with keeping the story fun and engaging for young readers?
Literacy is a tremendous concern for me, and my background as an educator has shown me how important it is to prepare children early—not only with skills, but with confidence and a desire to learn.
Children don’t fall in love with reading because we tell them it is educational. They do it because we give them stories they want to hear and characters they want to spend time with.
That is one of the reasons I created the Dirt Dog and Friends series. If children can laugh with these characters, care about them, and wonder what they are going to do next, they are much more likely to want to turn the page. Then learning can happen naturally along the way.
Ultimately, that is what I want to do: help children want to read and eventually love to read. Reading is a pathway to knowledge, and knowledge gives children the ability to think, question, discover, and make informed decisions for themselves rather than simply relying on someone else to tell them what to think.
How did you work with illustrator Lissette Blanco to bring the colorful parade, military references, and patriotic celebrations to life?
When I write a story, I naturally see the scenes in my mind because I’m a very visual person. As I write, I include detailed illustration notes in the manuscript describing what I envision for each page—the characters, their expressions, the setting, and sometimes even small details that are important to the story.
Then Lissette adds her magic.
She has a phenomenal ability to take what I have imagined and bring it to life, often adding details that make the scene even better. More often than not, we get remarkably close to the desired result on the first try. With Tiny Tot Tiger Says Happy Birthday, America!, the parade scenes, patriotic colors, military references, and expressions on the characters’ faces were especially important because I wanted children to feel the excitement and celebration on every page.
It has been a wonderful collaboration because I bring a very specific vision to the manuscript, but I also respect the creativity and extraordinary talent she brings to the illustrations.
The book includes discussion questions and a Pledge of Allegiance activity. What conversations do you hope parents and teachers will have with children after reading it?
I include activities because I don’t want the learning to end when the story ends. Discussion helps deepen understanding, and it also gives adults an opportunity to help children connect what they have read to their own lives.
I hope parents, grandparents, and teachers will talk with children about questions such as: What does freedom mean? Why do we show respect for the American flag? Why should we be grateful to the people who serve our country? What does the Pledge of Allegiance mean when we say it? And this very important question: what does it mean to be united even when we are different from one another?
Those conversations don’t have to be complicated. Sometimes a simple question can cause a child to think about something in a new way.
That’s the purpose behind the discussion questions and activities throughout the Dirt Dog and Friends books. I want children to enjoy a good story, but I also want that story to open the door to meaningful conversations about character, kindness, gratitude, responsibility, and, in this case, freedom and unity.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Facebook | Website | Amazon
When Tiger and his friends stop for ice cream at Delicious Dairy Sweet Treats, the talk turns to the upcoming parade – and Tiger can’t stop asking “why” and “what’s that?” What’s the Navy? What do the stars on the flag mean? What’s a patriotic spirit?
As Tiger and his friends Dirt Dog, Furry Feline Frannie, Prissy Poodle, and Snicker Schnauzer enjoy their treats, they discover that all of their dads served in different branches of the military – the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. When parade day arrives, the friends cheer for floats honoring liberty, the Declaration of Independence, and the men and women who protect their freedom. And when the veterans march past and the fireworks light up the sky, even the youngest heart understands what it means to be an American.
Filled with vibrant illustrations, a discussion guide, and the full text of the Pledge of Allegiance, this timely picture book celebrates America’s 250th birthday with warmth, wonder, and faith. A perfect read-aloud for families, classrooms, and church libraries who want to raise children with gratitude for their country and the heroes who defend it.
Part of the Dirt Dog and Friends series by Lisa M. Pritchard.
Tiny Tot Tiger, Says Happy Birthday America!
Tiny Tot Tiger Says, Happy Birthday, America! by Lisa M. Pritchard is a cheerful, patriotic children’s story built around America’s 250th birthday celebration. Tiny Tot Tiger, whose real name is Tommy, joins his sister and their friends as they prepare for a Fourth of July parade. What begins with a casual visit to an ice cream shop turns into a conversation about military service, freedom, patriotism, and national symbols. Each child has a family connection to a different branch of the military, which gives Tiny Tot Tiger plenty of opportunities to ask the kinds of simple, direct questions young readers might have themselves.
The story uses those questions to introduce children to the Navy, Air Force, Army, and Marines, along with ideas such as being a veteran, showing patriotic spirit, and supporting a shared country. Once the parade begins, the book expands its focus to American symbols and history, including the Betsy Ross flag, the fifty-star flag, the Statue of Liberty, the bald eagle, and the Declaration of Independence. The educational material is worked into conversations between the characters, so the book reads like a story while still clearly aiming to teach. Tiny Tot Tiger’s curiosity helps keep these explanations accessible, especially when larger ideas such as freedom, unity, and justice come up.
The animal characters are expressive and friendly, and the pages are filled with bright reds, blues, soft pastels, flags, parade decorations, treats, floats, and fireworks. The parade scenes are especially busy in a good way, giving children plenty to look at while the text introduces symbols such as the eagle and historic flags. Later illustrations shift into deeper nighttime colors as the families watch the fireworks together, which makes the ending feel warmer and more reflective. The artwork also helps explain the story visually, whether Tiny Tot Tiger is imagining a Navy ship, Frannie is talking about the Air Force, or the children are watching military veterans march past.
This is a celebratory picture book about gratitude, national pride, military service, and the traditions surrounding the Fourth of July. The story closes with the children and their veteran parents together beneath the fireworks, reinforcing its family-centered approach to those themes. The additional discussion questions and Pledge of Allegiance activity make the book especially suited to parents, teachers, or caregivers who want to continue the conversation after reading. With its curious young hero, energetic parade setting, and colorful illustrations, Tiny Tot Tiger Says, Happy Birthday, America! turns a birthday celebration into an introduction to the people, symbols, and values the book associates with American life.
Pages: 38 | ISBN : 978-1963377989
Pocket Watch Portal Adventure
Pocket Watch Portal Adventure, by MM Myers, follows Justice, Teddy, Ellie, and Baby Artie as they discover an old pocket watch on their grandparents’ ranch in Moore, Texas, and quickly learn it can open portals through time and space. What begins with muddy chores and a dinosaur encounter grows into a much larger family adventure, carrying the children into an enchanted realm, a futuristic hospital in the year 2525, and even a museum on the moon. Through all of it, the heart of the story stays close to home: siblings protecting each other, grandparents listening with love, Uncle Jeff becoming part of the chaos, and Daddy Christopher proving himself the hero his children already believe him to be.
I appreciated the tenderness running underneath the wildness of the plot. The book has dinosaurs, unicorns, android doctors, holographic zoos, flying taxis, time travel, and moon museums, but the emotional center is always family. I found that grounding really moving. The children aren’t just having adventures for adventure’s sake. They’re scared, hungry, homesick, guilty, brave, and hopeful. Justice carrying the weight of responsibility felt especially honest to me. He’s still a child, but he keeps trying to protect the younger ones, and that tugged at my heart. The faith elements are woven in with sincerity, too. The children praying when they don’t know what else to do gives the story a warm, devotional thread, and the idea that a simple pocket Bible might matter in the future adds a surprisingly reflective note.
The writing has a lively, homespun quality. I liked the humor in the ordinary details, especially the mud, chores, poop shoveling, picky eating, and Baby Artie’s little comments. Those moments gave the book texture and kept the fantasy from floating too far away from real family life. The story moves quickly and loosely, with big events arriving one after another. That rush gives the book its childlike momentum. It feels full of imagination, almost breathless in the way kids tell a story when they can’t wait to get to the next amazing part.
I felt the book was really less about a magical pocket watch and more about the people we trust to come looking for us when we’re lost. It’s adventurous, openly faith-filled, and deeply family-centered. I’d recommend Pocket Watch Portal Adventure for Christian families, especially parents and grandparents who enjoy reading imaginative stories aloud to children who like time travel, dinosaurs, futuristic worlds, and stories where love, courage, and prayer matter just as much as magic.
Pages: 80 | ASIN : B0FW178PKP
The Very Angry Toolbox
The Very Angry Toolbox follows Leroy, a thoughtful eight-year-old who longs for a toolbox of his own so he can be like his hardworking dad and care for the special tools passed down by his grandfather. When Leroy discovers a lonely grey toolbox in an industrial mart, he sees past its shouting and grumpiness to the fear and sadness underneath. What begins as a story about anger slowly opens into one about kindness, second chances, teamwork, and the quiet pride of doing useful work well.
I found the heart of this book genuinely tender. I appreciated that Leroy isn’t written as perfect or overly saintly. He’s excited, unsure, disappointed, and even a little wary when the angry toolbox becomes his only real option. That hesitation made his compassion feel earned rather than automatic. The book has a lovely idea at its center: anger often comes from loneliness, fear, and feeling unwanted. I liked that the toolbox doesn’t magically become wonderful in one page. He has to practice being different. That’s a message children can actually understand, especially the children who feel big emotions before they know what to do with them.
The writing is earnest and full of detail, more chapter-book than picture book, with a steady, old-fashioned storytelling rhythm. I enjoyed the family warmth around Leroy, his dad, and his grandad, particularly the way tools become tied to memory, responsibility, and pride in craftsmanship. The later scenes with the international tools are playful and imaginative, though the book does ask young readers to sit with quite a lot of explanation. The artwork by Gemma Stanley gives the story a lot of charm. The toolbox’s expressive face, the bright character designs, and the little personalities given to the tools help soften the heavier moral moments. I especially liked how the illustrations make machinery feel friendly without losing the rough, workshop feeling of shelves, dust, screws, and old wood.
The Very Angry Toolbox is a sincere and quirky children’s book with a big emotional engine and a clear respect for patience, effort, and repair, both the practical kind and the personal kind. I’d recommend it for children who enjoy talking objects, tools, building, and hands-on work, and especially for families looking for a story that opens a gentle conversation about anger, kindness, and giving someone a chance to change.
Pages: 47 | ASIN : B09K4W67RN
Hair Dreams
Hair Dreams, by Antwinette Scott, is a bright, joyful children’s book about loving natural hair and seeing it as something full of life, beauty, and possibility. The story moves through all kinds of hairstyles, from twists and locks to Bantu knots, braids, afros, and wraps, and it shows hair as playful, powerful, and deeply personal. This precious picture book feels like a celebration of self-expression and pride, told in a simple, rhythmic way that is easy for kids to follow.
I liked how warm and happy the writing felt. It has a sing-song flow that makes it feel made to be read out loud, and that gave it a lot of charm for me. The repeated line about dreaming of hair for “me” and for “you” stuck with me because it made the whole book feel open-hearted and sweet. It felt like the author was not just talking about hairstyles, but also about confidence, identity, and joy. I also liked how the hair is described, almost like it has its own personality. That made the book feel lively and fun.
This children’s book is clearly about more than hair. It is about being seen, being proud of who you are, and finding beauty in things that the world does not always celebrate enough. I loved that. It felt uplifting and full of love. At the same time, the language stays very simple, which works well for young readers. The heart of it is so strong that it made me smile, and it also felt meaningful in an authentic way.
Each page has colorful artwork that really brings the story to life. I liked how the illustrations show the hair and the character in lots of different situations, which makes the book feel lively and fun from start to finish. The artwork is clear, detailed, and easy to follow, so young readers can stay engaged while also enjoying all the different hairstyles and playful scenes. It adds a lot of charm to the book and makes the reading experience fun for kids to follow along as parents read.
Overall, I think Hair Dreams is a lovely book with a big heart. I would recommend it for young children, parents, teachers, and anyone looking for a positive story about natural hair and self-love. It would be especially great for read-aloud time, classroom shelves, or families who want books that help kids feel proud of who they are.
Pages: 34 | ASIN : B0GL9P88CG
Goldie and the Three Kind Bears
Goldie and the Three Kind Bears is a sweet twist on the classic Goldilocks story with a cozy baking vibe mixed in. Goldie stumbles into the home of three kind bears who do not scold her or chase her away. Instead, they welcome her in with open arms and full hearts. Goldie bakes a Gingerbread Man as a thank you. He then comes to life, panics about being eaten, and asks for freedom. In the end kindness wins, the Gingerbread Man goes off on adventures, and the bears and Goldie share blueberry biscuits and a real sense of home.
The tone of this children’s book feels warm from the very first page. The writing is simple but not dull. It flows like a bedtime story that wants you to relax. I liked how the bears are gentle and thoughtful. That choice made the whole book feel safe and comforting. It honestly made me smile more than once.
The ideas in this story really worked for me. Kindness is the big one, but it never feels preachy. It just shows up again and again in small ways. Letting someone stay. Sharing food. Letting someone go even when you want to hold on. I also loved the baking scenes. They feel homey and relatable. The Gingerbread Man storyline adds a fun bit of tension, and I genuinely felt bad for the little guy hiding under the bed.
The artwork on every page is adorable. It is bright, colorful, and soft in a way that feels cozy. Each scene feels full of little details that make kids want to look around. The Gingerbread Man is especially cute and very expressive. His big eyes and tiny face make his fear, excitement, and hope easy to feel, even without the words.
Goldie and the Three Kind Bears would be great for young kids who like fairy tales with gentle lessons. It also feels perfect for families who enjoy reading together at bedtime. If you want a picture book that leans into warmth, generosity, and cozy feelings, this one is a solid pick.
Pages: 26 | ASIN : B0DQ4YBG5C
Wordless Ways
Misconceptions of an Introvert follows a quiet sixth-grader who loves her own space, only to find herself misunderstood by classmates and even her teacher. What inspired you to write a story centered on an introverted child?
This story is based on one of my sixth-grade experiences. I have been an introvert since I was in elementary school and have often been misunderstood. I wrote this story to raise awareness of the personality trait of introversion.
Why was it important that Sherry advocate for herself rather than having an adult fix the problem?
Sherry needs to know how to advocate for herself because her parents will not always be there to support her.
What misconceptions about introverts did you most want to challenge?
The misconceptions I want to challenge are that introverts may not know what is happening in conversations or discussions because of our wordless ways. However, we are quietly observing and thinking. We process information more deeply before we verbalize our thoughts. Also, people may think that introverts are antisocial because of our love of solitude. Being alone helps us recharge and be better the next day.
Why did you feel this was an important story for classrooms today?
Introversion is a misunderstood personality type. Therefore, having classrooms aware of the personality type will help introverted students feel included and understood.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
