Brianna’s Shining Light

Nina Chabanov

ASIN B0FF6F93GY

Author statement: “Brianna’s Shining Light is based on the true events I observed and experienced during my time in the classroom.
It follows a quiet girl with special needs named Brianna, who communicates not with words, but through the gentle glow she carries in her hands. Brianna finds comfort in the dress-up corner—until a thoughtful teacher comes up with an unusual idea to bring everyone together. This story celebrates inclusion, empathy, and the wonder of childhood, showing that connection can begin in the most unexpected ways.”


Creature Comforts at Your Fingertips

Grace Conte

ASIN B0FH4RLTKS

Author statement: “Creature Comforts at Your Fingertips was inspired by the children I taught as a special needs teacher. Early on in my education career, I noticed that providing all the educational resources at my disposal for children to learn did not matter if they were emotionally dysregulated and therefore unable to concentrate. What better way to help children notice their feelings, thus honoring their needs and turning on their innate intelligence to self-soothe, than by imitating their beloved animal friends through simple, playful hand mudras?”


The Critter Collection

Bonnie Linder

ASIN B0FRSVC8L3

Author statement: “One day, I decided to write a story about a little frog who needed glasses, and it spiraled into eight little stories about eight little animals. You will meet a bunny with no name, a lonely porcupine, and a lost baby kangaroo. I wrote each story one story at a time, and came up with the book The Critter Collection. I think you’ll like it! The stories are fun, and the illustrations are magnificent. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!”


The Dog Who Wanted to Be a Butterfly

Heather Sanderson

ISBN 978-1-06-899780-8

Author statement: “Franklin is a dog that I started walking in 2021. He’s a rescue pup and has a few quirky traits that made me not only love him but become curious about why he might be doing certain things. Then, one day, it dawned on me—obviously he had a dream of becoming a butterfly. The writing process for this story was years in the making; it never would have happened without our near-daily walks.”


Esha of Oak

Ashley Britten

ASIN B0DSFSFPF4

Author statement: “I wrote Esha of Oak from a place of love and magic. I was inspired by my two children, who remind me daily that
there is always room for kindness and whimsy. Esha of Oak is meant to be read aloud—the lilting rhymes are so much fun for children and parents alike. This is only the first in a planned series; stay tuned, as Esha has many exciting adventures ahead.”


Magpoo the Magpie

Soni Laugesen

ASIN B0F113Y28C

Author statement: “I was delighted when a tribe of magpies began to visit my Sydney balcony daily. I had always loved these birds, and seeing them close up (they ate from my hand) I started to draw them. A story suggested itself around one who was particularly noisy. It was Magpoo; he was different from the rest so I knew his name would be different too. I moved to another city, and within two months the story and the illustrations were completed.”


Our Garden of Friendship

Jennifer Rogers

ASIN B0FP3R5QRC

Author statement: “As a children’s author, I draw inspiration from my passion for literature as well as a deep empathy for how life’s challenges affect young thinking. Motivated by the losses children often face, I wrote Our Garden of Friendship to address themes of grief and resilience. My goal is to offer readers a comforting narrative that acknowledges the universal nature of grief while instilling hope and healing through the art of story.”


Pin a Tail on an Agouti

Sunny D.

ISBN 978-2-9528383-5-1

Author statement: “Often we see dogs, cats, and bears in picture books, but the wonderful agouti, nature’s gardener, is overlooked in children’s literature. Pin a Tail on an Agouti joins fact with fiction, and it is hilarious while being educational.”


The Pink Ghost

Isla Wynter

ISBN 978-1-913556-64-8

Author statement: “This book was inspired by one of those days where everything goes wrong. I opened the washing machine to find that several white items were suddenly pink. In order to avoid dealing with that problem, I hid in my office and stared at a blank page of paper. Shortly after, The Pink Ghost was born.”