Books published by publisher Lisa Marie Negele

Parents know how vital swimming lessons are to provide their kids with a fundamental and necessary skill. It is equally important for children to learn to respect but not to fear water. This book is an engaging tale about a young cat, Sterling, who is terrified of water. While his bear buddies, Spike and Wisty, splash around in a swimming hole, another bear cub, Lily, tries to persuade Sterling that he has no cause for alarm.Lily points out that her parents are closely supervising the children and will not let them out of their sight. She also notes that they follow all the essential safety precautions, such as always wearing life vests and flotation devices.Sterling acknowledges his friend's comments and says he recognizes the importance of water safety. He also tells her that he has taken swimming lessons and knows how to swim.The moving water of the river still makes Sterling uneasy, however. Lily agrees that river water can be swift and dangerous and that it is not always easy to judge how deep or fast it is by its appearance. She points out that the water in rivers can also be cold and thus impair breathing and movement after a while. Lily emphasizes that this is why it is important to rest and warm up after swimming in river water for a while. She correctly advises Sterling that you don't want to risk becoming overly tired or cold.Another cautionary note Lily shares with Sterling is to always swim only in designated areas and to follow the advice of posted signs. She assures him that respecting these rules will help avoid accidents or getting hurt.After receiving so much guidance on water safety from Lily, Sterling decides to test the waters. He asks Lily to swim with him, and the young kitten is delighted when she accepts.Parents can help impart crucial water safety lessons to their children by reading this book. In a delightful and entertaining manner, the river outing of Sterling and his friends will inform kids of the importance of observing posted signs, wearing life vests and flotation devices, knowing how to swim, respecting the power of the water and swimming only with proper adult supervision.Kids ages 2 to 10 will enjoy this story. Read it at bedtime, naptime or any time!

Part of childhood naturally involves mishaps that result in damaged or broken items. When the damaged or broken items belong to a friend or family member, a child may be tempted to fib as to what actually transpired. Being honest in the face of difficult situations is an important lesson that will help children behave admirably at such times. This delightful book will enable parents to impart this wisdom to their children in a playful and entertaining manner.It involves three girls who are practicing dance moves together. Two bear cubs, Lily and Rosey, are playfully performing with a canine companion named Agatha.The trio are gathered in Lily's bedroom, taking turns showing off their individual skills. Unfortunately, during her perfromance, Lily becomes dizzy, loses her balance and becomes tangled up in the curtains.Before her friends can come to her aid, Lily accidentally pulls down the entire window dressing. As Lily frets about being punished for the mishap, Agatha creeps under the bed to hide in fear and dismay.Unlike her two troubled pals, Rosey calmly soothes Lily and assures her that she won't be punished for an accident. She encourages Lily to be honest about what transpired and to apologize for the damage done.Rosey then relates a story about a similar situation she once faced and the positive outcome that resulted from her truthfulness and from her sincere desire to make things right. Feeling relieved, Agatha emerges from beneath the bed to rejoin her girlfriends and relate her own tale involving accidental damage to a friend's toy.Bolstered by her girlfriend's experiences and optimism, Lily informs her mother of the accident and the damage she has done. Just as her buddies had promised, Lily's mom is appreciative of her honesty and readily accepts her apology. She proposes that Lily perform some extra household chores to work off the cost to repair the damage and Lily readily agrees.The moral of this story is one that will serve children well throughout their lives. By emphasizing the importance of being honest in the face of difficult situations, parents will help their children learn to be truthful rather than deceptive or misleading. Reading this story to kids is an entertaining way to assure them that a forthright approach and sincere apology will not result in punishment but will instead foster respect and trust. These are traits that will always serve them well!Children ages 2 to 10 will delight in this tale. Read it at bedtime, naptime or any time!

It is vital that parents teach their children to make healthy food choices and to get regular exercise. Evidence abounds that developing these mindsets early will help kids maintain their ideal weight throughout their lives.This encouraging book is about a chubby, bear cub named Rooter. He has just been advised by his medical doctor to drop a few pounds. The doctor provided helpful tips and literature to Rooter and his mother, but Rooter is still uncertain as to what to do to get started.As he is busily working in his garden, a few canine pals, Rocky, Boulder and Sandy, and a kitten named Pearl wander over to see what he is doing. When they offer to assist him with his gardening tasks, Rooter welcomes their help.In exchange for their hard work, Rooter suggests that they each take home some fresh vegetables from his garden. His friends are delighted by his offer and eagerly accept.Before his companions depart, Rooter asks if he can impose on them a bit further. He then shares his doctor's advice that he lose some weight and admits to his friends that he feels overwhelmed.Once again, his buddies readily offer support and guidance. Pearl encourages Rooter to eat more fruits and vegetables instead of sugary snacks and junk food, while Boulder suggest regular exercise would be beneficial. He invites Rooter to lift weights with him and some other friends to develop more muscle tone. Rocky adds that playing basketball will also help Rooter trim down and encourages Rooter to take up the sport. Sandy shares a delicious smoothie recipe and explains that she always watches what she eats to avoid putting on excess weight.Although Rooter appreciates the helpful suggestions, he frets that he will still feel big and bulky no matter what he does. His pals assure him that making smart food choices and getting more exercise will definitely make him look and feel better. They also caution that he should not expect immediate changes, since it will take time for his body to develop more muscle tone and to shed the excess pounds.They then encourage Rooter to be self-confident regardless of his weight. His friends explain that people come in all different shapes, sizes and body frames. What is important is that Rooter be at a healthy weight for his overall size and frame.With the guidance and support of his friends, Rooter is confident he will be able to reach a healthy weight. He is motivated to adopt better eating habits and to get more exercise, and he assures his friends that he'll follow his doctor's advice.Even though he has not yet lost a pound, by the time his friends' visit is over, he feels as if the weight of the world has been lifted!Parents will delight kids ages 2 to 10 with this book. It is a fun, inspirational story dealing with the difficult topic of childhood obesity. The tale also delivers the important lesson that self-confidence and self-acceptance are crucial, regardless of weight, height or body type. Every child is unique, and the goal should be to maintain a healthy weight for his or her overall size and body frame, rather than to try to be like anybody else.Read it at bedtime, naptime or any time!

Thumb-sucking is a common habit that many children develop, and it can be a particularly challenging one to break. This delightful story depicts a group of friends who offer advice and support to a buddy who is attempting to stop sucking his thumb once and for all.Even if your kids don't suck their thumbs, this inspirational book will be helpful to any parent trying to assist his or her child in overcoming a bad habit. Parents can also encourage their kids to use the same techniques to develop good habits!In this tale, a young kitten named Pearl notices a bump on the thumb of her buddy, Links. When she innocently asks her feline friend the cause of the bump, he replies evasively.When a bear cub named Lily presses Links to stop being so secretive, their well-mannered friend, Sterling, cautions her that it is impolite to pry into the personal affairs of others. While Links thanks his feline pal, Sterling, for his consideration, he confesses that he would like to enlist the help of his friends and thus doesn't mind telling them about the bump on his thumb. He shamefully admits that he sucks his thumb and that, in spite of repeated efforts, he has been unsuccessful at breaking the troublesome habit. He is even becoming worried that the bump on his thumb will continue to grow and never go away, and it makes him self-conscious.Eager to provide advice and support to their pal, Links' friends immediately reassure him that the bump will diminish in size or disappear altogether once he overcomes his thumb-sucking habit. They then begin to bombard him with ideas to remind him not to suck his thumb.Taking turns, the friends explain that Links should try to identify the triggers that make him suck his thumb. Once he identifies these, his friends assure him that he can learn to substitute a different activity to perform in place of the thumb-sucking. While they acknowledge that he may simply outgrow the habit, they also encourage Links to work to break the habit as soon as possible. They explain that his bad habit can adversely impact the development of his teeth, so it really is in his best interest to overcome it. To try to hasten his success, the friends further suggest that he consider wearing a band-aid on his thumb. They counsel that the texture and taste of the band-aid will be unpleasant and thus serve to remind Links that his thumb does not belong in his mouth. By the time his friends have finished providing helpful pointers, Links feels confident that he can successfully break his bad habit. He realizes that it will be a challenge and that he will have to work hard, but he intends to persevere until he succeeds!Any parent who is trying to help a child break a bad habit (or develop a good one) will find this book entertaining and inspirational. Children ages 2 to 10 will be captivated by the story.Read it at bedtime, naptime or any time!

Nearly every child is self-conscious about his or her appearance at some time. Teaching your children that how they look on the outside is far less important than who they are on the inside is crucial.Reading this humorous and entertaining book to your kids can help teach his important lesson. A kitten, who is exceptionally fussy about his fur coat, learns that his true friends like and accept him for who he is rather than what he looks like.The story takes place in a neighborhood park where a trio of girls have gathered to play. Pearl, Pebbles and Jasmine (a cat, a dog and a bear, respectively) are lounging under a large, magnolia tree watching a trio of boys try to impress them.A puppy named Jag is goofing around with two feline pals, Links and Onyx. The boys are taking turns performing theatrical feats for their female audience, each attempting to out-do the other.When Onyx attempts to top the antics of his two pals, he accidentally lands in a mud puddle. As a result, his normally-lovely fur is a muddy mess.The girls good-naturedly tease Onyx about his appearance, as the friends regroup to chat and hang out. They decide to play a game of hopscotch, but Onyx chooses not to participate.He is embarrassed about his appearance and is trying to avoid being seen by his friends as a result. Rather than join them at play, Onyx remains alone on the sidelines.Unwilling to accept his friend's self-imposed isolation, Links reaches out to Onyx. He assures the distressed kitten that nobody cares about his muddy coat and messy appearance. Convinced that his appearance is not important to his friends, Onyx responds to Links' encouragement and joins his buddies in hopscotch. By the time Onyx has taken his turn, his movements dislodge the caked-on mud to reveal an even-shinier and more beautiful coat than usual!By reading this story to their chilidren, parents can help them realize that how they look on the outside is not nearly as important as who they are on the inside. It will also better enable their kids to accept others regardless of their physical appearance.Children ages 2 to 10 will be amused and inspired by this tale. Read it at bedtime, naptime or any time!

In this humorous and entertaining book, three friends are enjoying an after-school study session when the opportunity for an unexpected science lesson arises. Two bear cubs, Wisty and Puddles, are joined by a feline companion, Jewel, at Wisty's house.The trio settle at a table in the backyard to begin their studies. Before they get started, Wisty's mother offers to bring them a snack.As they discuss plans for completing their math and science homework, Wisty's mom returns with a tray full of goodies. She then leaves the children to enjoy their lemonade and watermelon.All of the children are happily drinking and eating, until Wisty accidentally swallows a watermelon seed. He panics that a plant is going to grow in his stomach.Puddles quickly shares his friend's distress and tears up with worry. He frets that the experience may even be painful.Before her pals get carried away with their imaginations, Jewel interrupts the distressed bear cubs to educate them. She informs them of the basic requirements for seeds to grow.Once the boys are confident that Jewel is sharing scientific facts, they are no longer worried. The trio decide their unexpected lesson is ample motivation to begin their science homework; they are eager to sow seeds of knowledge!Parents will enjoy teaching their children how seeds grow in an entertaining and amusing manner. Reading this book will provide a basic science lesson for kids and hopefully foster an interest in learning more.Children ages 2 to 10 will enjoy the story. Read it at bedtime, naptime or any time!

Children can have wild imaginations. It is important to encourage their creativity and musings, while at the same time disabusing them of notions that may cause unnecessary distress or anxiety.This book is a fun-filled tale about a beach excursion taken by three buddies. The trio consists of two bear cubs, Spike and Rags, and a puppy named Crush. Only one of the boys, Crush, knows how to surf. Thus, while he takes to the waves, his friends, Spike and Rags, decide to build a sand castle.All three boys are enjoying themselves, until Spike loses sight of Crush after a wipe-out. He quickly gets the attention of Rags, and both boys scan the water to locate their friend.Spike spots Crush's empty surf board, but still cannot locate him. Rags is growing increasingly upset, when he suddenly notices Crush.However, Rags' worries are not yet over. He mistakenly believes that Crush is being attacked by a sea monster. While Rags cowers beneath a beach towel, Spike swims out to offer assistance to Crush. As Spike approaches, he realizes that Crush is tangled in seaweed.He works to quickly free Crush, and the pair swim to shore. Upon their return to the sandy beach, both boys assure Rags that there is no sea monster. They explain that Crush was merely covered with seaweed and that there is no cause for alarm.Once Rags is sufficiently reassured, the trio decide to depart. Their beach adventure ends without any further surprises. Many children imagine monsters in all sorts of places: under their beds, lurking in closets or hiding in their rooms. As parents read this story to their children, they will be able to explain that things are not always as they appear and that there is no reason to fear monsters. Children ages 2 to 10 will be delighted by this book. Read it at bedtime, naptime or any time!

It is fantastic to encourage the imaginations of children. Sometimes kids develop fears of unknown or unexpected events, or they allow their imaginations to get the best of them. This can be especially true at night or when sleeping over at a friend's house.This delightful story is about three friends who are having a sleep-over. Clasper, a young kitten, is spending time with two canine companions, Jade and Mica.The trio are busily playing string games and creating various figures. Mica is far more skilled than her two friends, so she agrees to give them some pointers.As she begins demonstrating how to produce a string creation, Mica notices a look of alarm on Jade's face. When Mica inquires as to the source of her panic, Jade promptly points out what she believes is a monster.Clasper is immediately convinced that Jade does, in fact, see a monster. His imagination runs wild and he becomes equally frightened.Mica calmly assures both of her friends that their worrries are completely unfounded. She points out that their monster is actually nothing more than harmless shadows being cast by a tree in the yard.Once Jade and Clasper are convinced that Mica is correct, the friends proceed to play other games before geting ready for bed. They agree that sometimes things that appear frightening are actually harmless. Parents can read this book with their children to help them confront imagined monsters wherever they may lurk. It can help kids understand that objects that appear frightening in the dark are often completely harmless. Once children understand that shadows and sounds can seem more scary because of the lack of light, their nighttime fears may be readily alleviated. This entertaining tale will help parents have that discussion.Children ages 2 to 10 will be engaged and entertained by this book. Read it at bedtime, naptime or any time!

In this captivating tale, three friends gather for a Sunday afternoon of fun. They like to play board games and are planning to partake in a game of Monopoly.However, a young kitten named Sparkle is very anxious about having to go to the doctor for her immunization shots, so she is too preoccupied to focus on the game. She is nervously reporting to her dog friends, Agatha and Slate, that the school nurse sent an advisory note home to her parents indicating that Sparkle cannot return to school until all her shots are current.The two pups are eager to comfort their friend, and Slate shares his personal experience with Sparkle. He explains that there was only minor discomfort when he obtained his shot and that there really is no reason for her to be frightened.Agatha chimes in to elaborate on the importance of immunization shots to protect against potentially serious or fatal infections. She assures Sparkle that obtaining the proper shots is important for good health and that the temporary discomfort involved is well worth it. Once the pups have convinced Sparkle that she has no cause for alarm, the trio return to their board game with enthusiasm. Since obtaining booster shots and immunizations is something every child much face, parents will find this entertaining tale a fun and informative means of explaining the process to their children. By engaging them in the story, they can help their children understand what to expect and provide reassurance that there is nothing to fear.Youngsters ages 2 to 10 will enjoy the book. It is ideal for bedtime, naptime or any time!

All children must learn to accept the physical and mental disabilities that affect some people. It is inevitable that they will encounter individuals who are blind, hearing-impaired, mentally-retarded or physically-impaired in some way. Teaching children that such challenges are not cause for discomfort, embarrassment, ridicule or fear is important. This informative story will assist parents in tackling this challenging topic with their kids.A dapper young cat named Sterling is hosting a tea party for a number of friends. Another feline, Pearl, is accompanied by two canine companions, Rocky and Jag. As the friends make their tea selections and add cream, sugar or lemon to suit their individual preferences, Sterling welcomes another guest to his party. A stunning, white kitten named Opal, who was born with a paralyzed paw, joins the group.Rocky, Jag and Pearl had not met Opal previously so they all paid attention as Sterling introduced her. In short order, each of the trio noticed Opal's physical impairment.Pearl feels so uncomfortable that she quickly averts her gaze and refuses to look at Opal. Rocky becomes overly accommodating and persists in asking Opal if he can aid her in some way. Jag quietly approaches Opal and guides her to a chair. He then pulls it out for her and helps her sit down.The actions of the group become apparent to Opal, and she realizes her disability is causing them to feel ill at ease. This in turn embarrasses her and make her uncomfortable.Sterling is troubled by the awkwardness of his peers and intervenes. He directly acknowledges Opal's birth defect in front of the group, and then he openly praises her ability to enjoy and participate in all the same activities as his other feline friends. Opal interjects that, while she has to work harder than other cats to climb trees, poles and the like, she truly enjoys doing so. Her candid comments encourage Rocky to ask if she feels pain in her deformed paw. When Opal assures him that she has no pain in her paralyzed limb, Rocky is quite relieved. He feels even better when she continues her explanation, and he discovers that her birth defect is in no way contagious.Pewter remains dissatisfied with the manner in which his friends are behaving toward Opal, so he reminds them that each person is unique and special. He further encourages them that it is important to accept others as they are and to not be judgmental, critical, rude or unkind.His words make an impact, and Pearl heartily agrees with Sterling. She then invites Opal to climb with her one day in the not too distant future. Opal is delighted and eagerly accepts the invitation.Unfortunately, Rocky continues to stare at Opal, so Pewter scolds him. He reiterates the importance of accepting others as they are and treating them as we wish to be treated in return.Jag interrupts the admonishment to request that Opal join him for a day of jumping. Opal excitedly informs Jag that she loves to jump and assures him that he will be impressed by her jumping skills. Bolstered by the behavior of Pearl and Jag, Opal asks a still uncomfortable Rocky what he enjoys doing. Rocky responds that he loves to run and scamper, and Opal happily exclaims that she, too, enjoys running. When she invites him to run with her, Rocky accepts. He also apologizes for his rude behavior.Reading this informative story is an entertaining and fun way to address a serious topic with your children. You can help them learn acceptance and compassion, as well as educate them on the physical and mental impairments that some people face. Providing them tools to know how to appropriately respond will go a long way in avoiding inappropriate, embarrassing or unkind reactions.The tale will be engaging for children ages 2 to 10. Read it at bedtime, naptime or any time!

This entertaining story focuses on a group of girlfriends who are spending a day at the spa. A kitten, Sparkle, is joined by her bear pals, Petunia and Rosey, as well as a canine companion, Amber.The four girls are excitedly selecting the treatments they wish to receive and enjoying a fun, relaxing time. They are laughing and talking, when Petunia shares a rumor that she's heard about another friend, Traver.Petunia informs her companions that she heard that Traver stole a collar that belonged to another friend, Jag. Rosey quickly asserts her concern that Traver is dishonest, and Sparkle expresses dismay about his lack of trustworthiness.Amber interrupts their gossip about Traver to set the record straight. She advises her companions that she recently saw Traver, and he shared his relief that Jag had located his lost collar. As she explains further, the girls learn that Jag never accused Traver or any of his other pals of stealing his collar. He had simply misplaced it and was eager to locate it.Chagrined and ashamed, the chatty trio listen as Amber advises them of the damage that talking about others can cause. She warns tham that gossip can hurt other people's feelings and damage their reputations for no reason.By the time Amber has finished speaking, her girlfriends have taken her admonishment to heart. Petunia, Sparkle and Rosey each reflect on the importance of avoiding gossip. Each promises to never again talk about others behind their backs. Since every child is either faced with unfounded rumors or involved in gossip at some point, it is important that children learn the damage that such idle chatter can cause. By reading this book to their kids, parents will be able to discuss why it is unwise to engage in talking about others and spreading rumors.Encouraging children to refrain from gossip will also help ensure that they are not victims of gossip themselves. Parents can also provide pointers as to how best to refute unfounded rumors if their children should fall victim to them at some point.Children ages 2 to 10 will be delighted by this tale. Read it at bedtime, naptime or any time!

It is inevitable that children will lose or misplace items throughout childhood. Providing them resources upon which they can rely to try to locate missing things will prove helpful time and again!Parents can enchant and advise their children with this inspiring story about three young girls who learn an important lesson about misplaced belongings. Two bear cubs, Petunia and Rosey, are enjoying morning recess with a canine companion named Amber.The sweet pup compliments Petunia on a lovely scarf she is wearing. Petunia thankfully informs her friends that she borrowed the scarf from her mother, after assuring her mom that she would take very special care of it.By the time the trio are lining up to return to class, Petunia is horrified to discover that she is no longer wearing her mother's scarf. She promptly advises her friends of her dilemma.Rosey assures Petunia that she is confident that they'll be able to locate the missing apparel. In spite of her friend's optimism, Petunia continues to fret and consequently has a hard time concentrating on her studies.The girls reconvene at lunch time to devise a plan to locate the lost scarf. When Rosey suggests they retrace Petunia's steps during morning recess, all the girls quickly agree with that approach.They promptly return to the playground to put their plan into action. In short order, their hunt proves successful and they locate the borrowed scarf.This book will help children learn to persevere in the face of challenges and to not give up. Additionally, the tale will help them realize the value of making a logical plan when trying to locate misplaced items. Their searches will not always prove successful, but many times missing belongings will be found! Children ages 2 to 10 will delight in this tale and readily relate to the dilemma faced by Petunia. Read it at bedtime, naptime or any time!