This story is inspired by actual events that took place on a farm in Arkansas. Camille wanted to live in the country, so she bought some land and built a big blue house. She called this place Cedar Meadows Farm because there were so many cedar trees on the property. It didn't have a pond, so she arranged to a have a deep hole dug and eventually it filled with rainwater.

One day, she notice about 20 turkeys in the pasture and several months later, deer also began to appear. Camille wanted to see if she could attract other animals, so she put food in different areas around the house and in the pasture. One by one, birds, coyotes, wild ducks, turtles and snakes began to appear. She noticed that every day the animals would gather around the pond but by nightfall they would leave.

While sitting on her porch one night, she heard unusual sounds coming from the woods. She got a flashlight and scanned the trees and that's when she saw some raccoons eating corn. They quickly hid behind the tree trying to avoid the light. Their faces appeared later and she was thinking how much they looked like "little bandits." The markings in their face resemble a mask.

It has been almost 20 years since Camille began her adventure with the wildlife animals. They know she will provide for them. The barn swallows and hummingbirds travel thousands of miles to came back each year. The lesson here is that humans and animals can live together in harmony. Why not try placing a bird feeder in your yard and see how many birds will come?

Please visit the Cedar Meadows website: www.lifeatcedarmeadowsfarm.com

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The Dreamcatcher is a story about a couple of kids: seventh-grader Angie Campbell; her brother, fifth-grader Ethan; and their classmates. They live in remote cattle-ranching territory in the western United States and attend a two-room school. Their teacher comes from the city and is eager to promote his 1990's college textbook views on how to care for the world. This is in conflict with the wise management practices the people in rich cattle and timber areas of the country have developed and learned from their fathers and grandfathers. The teacher has ideas of his own, as does the U.S Forest Service, regarding the cattle grazing on public land. The Campbells and their neighbors believe that their livelihood is in danger of being lost.

A new neighbor moves onto the small ranch next to the Campbells'; a disappointment to Angie's dream of another chum her age; but Ethan's quiet sense of humor carries him along with a wait-and-see attitude for the new neighbor. Both Angie and Ethan will find the newcomer to be an unexpected and unusual source of education and help: encouragement for Angie to keep writing poems and developing her imagination--an imagination that saw a dreamcatcher in a suprising object; and rescue for Ethan.

Fictional settings and characters are combined with a real person and her true anecdotes about animals, to produce a peaceful and unique story for children. This is a book that holds the reader's interest, increases the stduents vocabulary, and offers subtle humorous situations.

Andy is a big strong tractor with shiny paint and a cab to protect him from the sun and the cold. He can go through mud and water without getting stuck and his horn is so loud, it can be heard from a mile away.  All the other tractors at the tractor store want to be just like Andy.  But, even though Andy has all those things, he doesn’t have the one thing he really wants.  More than anything, Andy wants a family. One day Daddy, Mommy, Timmy, and Tommy comes to the tractor store and they want to buy Andy, but he costs too much money and they can’t buy him.  Daddy makes an offer on Andy and the man at the tractor store promises to call, if Andy doesn’t sell.

Many businesses want to buy Andy, but he refuses to crank and no one wants a tractor that won’t crank!  The weeks pass by and finally Daddy gets a call from the man at the tractor store.  The man tells Daddy that he can buy Andy, but he’s having trouble getting him to crank.  Daddy can take him home and try him out and if he won’t crank, he can bring him back.  Daddy agrees and goes out to wait for the tractor man to help him pull Andy up on their trailer.  That’s when Daddy realizes that he has bought a very special tractor.  Andy can talk and he tells Daddy that he doesn’t need the man from the tractor store to help him.  Daddy puts in the key and Andy cranks!   Andy can hardly believe that he has his family!

The story of Andy and his family continues to unfold as they welcome new members into their family.  All are loved and welcomed.

This story is told through the eyes of Andy. The importance of a home and a loving family is the central theme.

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Hi, my name is Talia and this book is about a wonderful day I spent on a farm! I spent the whole day with Farmer Bill. I fed chickens and sheep. The sheep were cuddly and cute! I drank a glass of milk that came from Betsey the cow. I saw beautiful butterflies of all colors! I had a wonderful day playing with all the farm animals and you can too!

The Adventures of Paddy and Penny Pig introduces Paddy Pig and Penny Pig his shy girlfriend. Paddy, a deeply thinking pig, is dissatisfied with the monotony of life in the piggery. However when the farmer adds scrumptious pancake scraps to the pigs' swill on a single occasion Paddy's imagination goes into high gear. Paddy dreams of escaping and discovering the recipe for making heavenly pancakes. He plans for the pigs to escape over the perimeter fence by cleverly constructing a 'live pyramid' of pigs. But, alas, Paddy's initial effort ends in disaster. Nevertheless his colleagues succeed in escaping by digging a tunnel under the perimeter fence. Once free the pigs run riot on the farm, much to the annoyance and frustration of the farmer and his wife. Bonny and Cecil O'Reilly finally entice the pigs back into the piggery with a pancake 'drop'. However Paddy and his fellows perfect the construction of their 'live pyramid' and this allows them to escape at will. Of course their secret spreads to nearby farms, and eventually far and wide across Porcine County. Although shocked at first, the farmers slowly begin to take pride in their clever pigs which mysteriously escape every full moon and faithfully return to their piggeries when enticed with pancakes. This strange activity is presently celebrated with annual pancake eating festivals in which the pigs gleefully participate.

Dedicated to Baby Bucking Bulls and their friends.

This is a story following a group of children having fun on a school trip visiting a small farm, learning about different animals, farmyard activities and taking part in some of them such as collecting eggs also feeding chickens and learning about farmyard machinery with a ride on a tractor included.

Even though the book is fictional, it is based on true characters. Mr. Hatley's nickname is 'Fat". In no way am I being disrespectful to him. He is truly a man of great character and honor. He is loved and respected by many. But he is probably loved most by Taco. Taco is a small, black, Chihuahua that travels everywhere with Mr. Hatley. Taco's reputation of being mischievous proceeds him. Any one that has ever met Taco, has a story to tell. That is where my idea for a children's book began.

Even though the book is fictional, it is based on true characters. Mr. Hatley's nickname is 'Fat". In no way am I being disrespectful to him. He is truly a man of great character and honor. He is loved and respected by many. But he is probably loved most by Taco. Taco is a small, black, Chihuahua that travels everywhere with Mr. Hatley. Taco's reputation of being mischievous proceeds him. Any one that has ever met Taco, has a story to tell. That is where my idea for a children's book began.

The Adventures of Paddy and Penny Pig introduces Paddy Pig and Penny Pig his shy girlfriend. Paddy, a deeply thinking pig, is dissatisfied with the monotony of life in the piggery. However when the farmer adds scrumptious pancake scraps to the pigs' swill on a single occasion Paddy's imagination goes into high gear. Paddy dreams of escaping and discovering the recipe for making heavenly pancakes. He plans for the pigs to escape over the perimeter fence by cleverly constructing a 'live pyramid' of pigs. But, alas, Paddy's initial effort ends in disaster. Nevertheless his colleagues succeed in escaping by digging a tunnel under the perimeter fence. Once free the pigs run riot on the farm, much to the annoyance and frustration of the farmer and his wife. Bonny and Cecil O'Reilly finally entice the pigs back into the piggery with a pancake 'drop'. However Paddy and his fellows perfect the construction of their 'live pyramid' and this allows them to escape at will. Of course their secret spreads to nearby farms, and eventually far and wide across Porcine County. Although shocked at first, the farmers slowly begin to take pride in their clever pigs which mysteriously escape every full moon and faithfully return to their piggeries when enticed with pancakes. This strange activity is presently celebrated with annual pancake eating festivals in which the pigs gleefully participate.