One day a total stranger enters her life. He is a European businessman that has befriended Duangkaew's aunt. He makes a great impression during a brief visit to Duangkaew's school when he visits all the English foreign language classes. Then he is drawn into a scheme to start a shrimp farm. In his own way he tries to assist Duangkaew in expanding her world beyond the local village.

There is a major flood that occurs and the families in the village suffer great losses. The shrimp farm is washed away. The American businessman returns to the village to find his investment is literally in the ocean. He takes a dramatic step to assist Duangkaew and her family and give the young girl hope for the future.

The text includes approximately 30 commonly used words that are always displayed in the Thai language.

This is a delightful story about a young girl in Burkina Faso, West Africa, whose village doesn't have water. Her village debates the merits of making an earthen dam and later decides to build one together. Aminata and her friends work on the dam and experience the challenges and joys of working with the village. Later, a crocodile comes to live in their pond because it has become a viable water source. The illustrations for this book were done by a young man, Michel Tioye, who lives in an area similar to that of the story. They are realistic illustrations, representing houses, villages and dress of the Lobi people of Burkina Faso. The author, Carol Shenk Bornman, and her husband enjoyed living in this region of Burkina Faso for three years while working in water resource development.

The Perfect Gift tells the story of two cats home alone on Christmas Eve who receive a visit from God. During this visit, one of the cats, Sam, is completely humbled by God's presence and soon realizes that he himself is not the king of kings as previously thought. In exchange for his hardened heart, Sam receives the gift of a new one along with a desire to live the way God had intended for him all along. The transformation in Sam is so extraordinary and complete that he is never the same after that night. He immediately begins a new life of joy and freedom through serving others.

It is very difficult for teachers and parents to understand the psychosocial effects of hearing loss on young children. This book can help all of us better understand the world from the point of view of a child with a hearing loss.

This is a story about a young boy who has a cochlear implant. He attends a mainstream school and is the only child in his family with a hearing loss.

This book describes his experiences in life highlighting how his hearing loss affects those experiences. In almost all the situations described in this book, the young boy, Jack, is involved in a conversation with someone. Conversations with his parents, his brothers, his speech language therapists, his playmates, and others are all presented in this book.

Sometimes the conversations are not successful immediately. But all the conversations eventually succeed because Jack, the main character, receives help from someone. Sometimes Jack is able to help himself. Other times, he receives some support and encouragement from his parents to help get through a communication breakdown that occurred in some way.

In this story, Jack uses a cochlear implant. The reader will have to decide how well he thinks Jack seems to be doing with the cochlear implant. The author's intent is not to evaluate the success or failure of the cochlear implant. Rather, the author is trying to focus on how well Jack is able to do in a world where everyone else around Jack has normal hearing. It is the author's belief that Jack does quite well in this world.

It is the author's belief that conversations about a child's experiences having a hearing loss in mainstream schools is vital to the child's feeling of belonging to this world. These experiences are not limited to the challenges that the child might have to overcome. It also includes the experiences where the child did well and feels happy about it.

It is the author's hope that this book helps you have the conversations that you would like to have with those who are a part of your life.

Uncle Ole's Party is the story of a large, eccentric family who travel deep into the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia to a remote fishing camp in an effort to cheer up a cowboy Uncle who's wife has just died. Uncle Ole has forgotten how to smile, and he throws himself an unorthodox party in an effort to remember how it feels to have fun.

Chip's Absolutely Awesome Birthday Wish is the first in a series of books dealing with the way children live in different countries. An adventure story about a secret wish Chip has, and how his wish becomes reality. In each book of the series the primary character illustrates, in humorous animal characters, how he or she lives, goes to school, sports and games they like, and secret wishes they have. Before the story ends that character will meet the character of the next book. Each book will have a website including songs, money denominations, common phrases in the language of that country, a photo album of real pictures from that country and recipes of simple common foods loved by the children there. Children will also be able to email characters in the books and get responses.

My background is Jamaican and Hispanic friends have always been a part of my lifestyle. I still remember growing up with the pleasant memory of my father sitting in the living room, playing bongos with our Hispanic neighbor. My books share the Caribbean and Hispanic culture with children.

This book, and the books that are to follow, will appeal to children of Caribbean and Hispanic descent as well as to ALL children who will learn about Caribbean culture and language through the adventures of Neville and his neighborhood friends. It is not so important to know exactly where they are - so many of the islands reflect the many cultures that live there, African, Hispanic, European, Indian, Chinese, Arawak, Carib and many more. A full page of current FLAGS OF THE CARIBBEAN, CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA, are included at the end of this story for your reference.

This is my first published story and it shares the work ethic which is common to all cultures. I have incorporated many West Indian and Spanish words and phrases into the story. I have included a special dedication to Mr. Harry Belafonte whose beautiful voice and lyrics inspire me while I draw and paint. I just recently learned that he knew my father. At any rate I grew up on his music and much of my art and stories are influenced by him. Thank you, Mr. Belafonte.

Lattie's doctor parents have taken her across the world to Transkei, South Africa for the summer. This land is full of people who speak a rhythmic language very different from her own. She's lonely and doesn't think there is anything for her to do until she goes on her "run of discovery" and finds a rich world, full of new and exciting things.

Funny Bone Books are meant to entertain and educate children from ages three to six years old. We want to give the highlights of each state, through the travels of Alfred, an elephant, and his good friend Mr. Monocle. They experience different geographical phenomena, historical landmarks and they witness different cultures. our goal is to show the greatness of this nation through words and illustrations.

Other books in the series:

Alfred Visits New York City

Alfred Visits South Dakota

"The Bold Eagle" is an exceptional little book telling the story of NINE ELEVEN. This historic story is told in a sensitive tone while revealing the events that did surround the national tragedy in the United States of America. Written in the form of a children's book, this political satire recounts the events of 9/11. While the story unfolds so to do the tears of nations in remembrance of those who lost their lives that fall morning and those who continue to uphold the fight for freedom; in both life and death. The story, as told through the lives of fictional characters, recounts the realism of the tragic events that occurred on September 11, 2001. Unraveled in a gentle teaching tone "The Bold Eagle" offers a unique method of reaching children and adults alike in coming to terms with the flood of unanswered questions and hunger for emotional comfort needed in our post NINE ELEVEN era. It is the hope of the author to inspire generations and nations to hold fast to what is good and always set the strength of love far beyond the strength of hate.

God Bless Democracy

Two young South African village children become detectives to solve the mystery of the missing honey from the local store and help return the honey thief safely to the wild. The illustrated story is written in Tswana and English.

Even though Salvador is mayor of the town, he still has to go to school. This day he is grumpy and hungry.

In adventures at school, Salvador rescues a baby chick and brings it home.

Then he has a good idea!

After all, he is mayor of Salvadorro. He can declare whatever he wants. At a big meeting, Salvador declares a chicken must be in every yard for laying eggs.

Then boys and girls could have egg sopapillas with honey for breakfast before school.

People of Salvadorro love his idea. Children would no longer be hungry.