Peeps, cheeps, chirps, and CAWS
My morning coffee always tastes better on the porch where I’m serenaded by a chorus of birds. Unfortunately, some birds are not blessed with beautiful singing voices, but their caws can certainly draw attention.
Bamboozling Birds
570 words Picture Book
Sailing through the summer sky, a blue jay named Sunny has no worries, but two quarreling crows pique his interest. When Sunny solves their problem, his self-serving motive and method cause a conflict that has others concerned for Sunny. Confident he has it all under control, Sunny turns the tables to bamboozle the crow brothers once again in this humorous story about trickery and sibling rivalry.
Community Support
Having adopted a child who was lost in the foster care system, and now, having a grandchild who struggles with physical and emotional ailments, I appreciate the importance of community support. Teachers, Mental health professionals, Medical Doctors, family, and friends all pulling together to help a child is inspiring.
I Found An Egg
460 words Lyrical Picture Book
A manic beaver shatters a peaceful moment with cries for help when he discovers an abandoned egg. Concerned critters work together to protect the egg until it hatches and they see who the vulnerable baby belongs with, because sometimes it takes a village.
Chipmunks
Watch a dog chase a chipmunk often enough and you’ll notice the chipmunk is teasing the dog. These images are woven together with the memory of our Weimaraner chasing a flock of geese, causing one tiny gosling to collapse. The distraught dog laid down whining, at which point the gosling got up and ran away. Voila! My plot. All it needed was some of that chippy attitude.
Run Chippy Run!
250 words Picture Book
Chippy welcomes the challenge of a good chase, but something’s wrong this time. Unable to outrun Goober, Chippy must outwit the menacing mutt. A sweet surprise ending leaves everyone satisfied.
Sea Lions
Sea lion interactions inspired me to write about this amiable fellow being mistakenly called a seal. Aimed at a younger audience, the book would include seek-and-find illustrations, and backmatter would be in the form of a quiz about the difference between seals and sea lions.
Something Shiny
390 words Seek-and-find, STEAM Picture Book
A sea lion, and readers, look for shiny things to cheer up a couple on the beach who have lost something shiny. While the sea lion misunderstands the reasons for the emotions people display, people misidentify him as a seal.