Books published by publisher Words to Ponder Publishing Company, LLC

Kindness never goes out of style! Nor does the power of individuality. Knowing how to remain faithful to self is especially useful when confronted by others who desire to impose their negative behavior on others. In "Barry Bear's Very Best, Learning to Say No to Negative Influences," Barry is a caring, considerate bear. He is kind to his neighbors, attentive in school, and helpful around the house. Both his mother and father are proud of him. Barry is pleased to be authentically unique, all the way down to his bow tie and sweater vest! Barry's character is put to the test when new cubs move into his neighborhood. They are neither kind nor considerate. They bully Barry by preventing him from his chores, helping others, and while in school. These cubs also have other negative traits that cause Barry to seek the advice of his mom. She reminds Barry of all that is wonderful about him and empowers him with tools that aid him in learning to say no to their negative influences. Through the illustrations, the reader will see Barry's positive examples rub off on the other cubs; they learn to be helpful at home and friendly. Positivity I.S. contagious! A Message from the Author:I wrote this book based on a poem I created for my daughters' school when they were in Kindergarten and second grade. The title of the poem is, "With these hands." "With these hands, I want to say, I won't use drugs in any way.I'll use my hands for fun and play; to learn to help in every way. My little fingers will NOT abuse. It's NO to drugs and alcohol use. "I used this poem during Red Ribbon Week as part of D.A.R.E.S. anti-drug school initiative. The entire school participated in the activity I created around the verses. Why is it essential that our children have authenticity and say no to the use of drugs and alcohol? According to the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Department of Education, Growing Up Drug-Free: A Parent's Guide to Prevention, Washington, D.C. 2012, before leaving elementary school, your children should know:-The immediate effects of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use on different parts of the body, including risks of coma or fatal overdose-The long-term consequences – how and why drugs can be addicting and make users lose control of their lives- The reasons why drugs are especially dangerous for growing bodies- The problems that alcohol and other illegal drugs cause not only to the user but the user's family and worldBarry Bear's Very Best, Learning to Say No to Negative Influences follows the mission of D.A.R.E. They envision a world in which students everywhere respect others and choose to lead lives free from violence, substance use, and other dangerous behaviors," by not teaching them how to "say no" to negative influences, but how to "say yes" to positive influences.Sources:– Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Department of Education, Growing Up Drug-Free: A Parent's Guide to Prevention, Washington, D.C. 2012.D.A.R.E. https://dare.org/Published titles by Florenza are:Adventurous Olivia's Alphabet QuestAmiri's Birthday WishBarry Bear's Very Best, Learning to Say No to Negative InfluencesIf…The Story of Faith WalkerO'KapiThere's No Place Like My Own HomeThe Tail of Max the Mindless Dog, A Children's Book on MindfulnessWelcome Home Daddy, Love, LexiWhen Life Gives Us WindChildren's Books coming soon are:Acornsville, Land of the Secret Seed KeepersAdventurous Olivia's Numerical QuestMicah and Malik's Super Awesome Excellent AdventureOh, My Goodness, Look at this Big MessTwo Bees in a HiveYoung Reader Chapter Books coming soon are:Hoku to the RescueTwo-Thirds is a WholeFor more information regarding Florenza's books, or to contact her to speak at your school or event,please visit www.florenza.org.

ABOUT THE BOOKDo you like playing the Guessing Game? So does Amiri's family, and what better day to play it than on your birthday! Today is Amiri's birthday, and her family has a tradition; the birthday person decides where the family will go and what they will do. Will they go to the park, the museum, or a movie? The possibilities are endless, and so is the fun when reading this fantastic book written by Florenza Lee and brilliantly illustrated by Fx and Color Studio. Can you guess what Amiri wants for her special day? She bets you can't!A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHORFamily traditions are fantastic, I fondly remember all of my family's traditions and I passed each of them down to my children. They have a way bridging generations and allowing the passage of time to appear seamless. The very best traditions are those that will enable all family members to participate. Amiri's family has a tradition that the birthday person decides what the family will do and where they will go. Does she want to go to the mall, library, farmer market, amusement park? When your child discovers what Amiri wants for her special day, I cannot wait to hear your thoughts and, more importantly, what your hope to do on YOUR birthday! ABOUT THE AUTHORFlorenza is the author of interactive, engaging Children's books. She is also a publisher, narrative coach, speaker, radio talk show host, Master Storyteller, wife, and mother. Florenza and her husband, CSM (Ret US Army) Trefus Lee, have been married for nearly 38 years and reside in Hampton, Virginia. Their daughters, Jessica and Missy, call Honolulu, Hawaii home.

How often do children look at items and think of the alphabet? When your child sees a cat, cake, or piece of cheese, do they envision the letter c? What about apples, aprons, and astronauts; do they think of the letter a? Chances are they do not. But hopefully, if asked to spell those words, they will know the letters with which to use to do so correctly. In, "Adventurous Olivia's Alphabet Quest", each beautifully illustrated page has hidden items that begin with a letter of the alphabet that takes the reader on an iSpy adventure. As they spot things that coincide with the letter on the page, they are encouraged to SHOUT IT OUT! This book is exciting, engaging, and oh so educational! The author apologizes in advance for the excessive decibel levels your room will become! Ms. Blom, Olivia's teacher, has given her a homework assignment to complete an alphabet list. Those who complete the task will receive free passes to the zoo. Olivia has two words that begin with each letter, but needs your assistance finding the third! When you see or hear a word that starts with the letter of the alphabet she is searching, SHOUT IT OUT! WORDS FROM THE AUTHOR:As a child, I loved playing iSpy; I was always the first to spot the hidden item. I can still hear my mother saying, "I spy with my eye; with my eye, I spy something ______!" Quickly, I would begin searching all around, shouting out items, until I heard her say, "You guessed it!" I believe it was my sheer delight in hearing those words that prompted me to write this engaging, interactive children's book. "Olivia," is based on the real-life shenanigans of an adorable girl named Olivia. Her antics keep her family in tears of laughter. Adventurous Olivia's Alphabet Quest is the first book in the Adventurous Olivia series, designed to help children recognize the sounds of the alphabet in the images surrounding them. I hope it also transforms them into times gone by when children would delight in these simple words, "I spy with my eye, with my eye I spy something _________."

Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we're doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what's going on around us.Equipping our children with tools that allow them to excel is of the highest priority for parents, educators, and counselors alike. Tools that help them build and become happy, healthy, and productive humans. Mindfulness is one such tool. It allows children to step outside of their chaos and find space to experience the "now". Knowing about Mindfulness and practicing it are two different things. In The Tail of Max the Mindless Dog, A Children's Book on Mindfulness, children will experience firsthand what it is like to have a problem (due to no fault of their own), attempt to take matters into their own hands, and not get the results they anticipated. They quickly identify with the pain Max experiences each time his tail is injured. They will recognize his attempts at correcting it. Finally, they will experience his excitement when he eventually discovers the wonderful tool called Mindfulness: the belly breath, count of ten, and words of affirmation. As a puppy, Max's tail frequently gets hurt. Believing his tail to be the source of his pain, he sets out to catch it and tie it in a knot. This begins his cycle of chasing his tail. It is when introduced to Mindfulness, a better, more productive habit is Max able to stop running in circles and learn to enjoy his life. Max is sure to become your child's favorite book to read again and again. The Tail of Max the Mindless Dog, A Children's Book on Mindfulness demonstrations firsthand how to apply the belly breath, count of ten, and words of affirmation. It is not only enjoyable for children, but adults also benefit from it.A Note From the Author:This beautiful story was given to me in a dream; only one word changed from that vision to the final product you hold in your hands. Having only briefly heard the term Mindfulness (from my friend, Dr. Michael Brumage), I quickly contacted him. It was with his encouragement to publish this fantastic story that you are now reading it. I had never considered writing children's books, and even as I type this, the fact that my name is on covers of books amazes me beyond words! I hope the message of The Tail of Max the Mindless Dog, A Children's Book on Mindfulness allows your child to recognize their mind to be fully present, aware of where they are and what they're doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what's going on around them.

Life isn't fair. We learn this as early as kindergarten, but for some, like Alyssa, the experience can be downright challenging. Today is her first day at Lee Ponder Intermediate School, and along with learning new names, faces, and classrooms, she has to maintain her secret. One that she doesn't want anyone to know, not even her new best friend, Onika. You see, Alyssa and her mom are homeless. When Alyssa has an assignment (to write a letter to a student in Alabama whose school and home have been destroyed by a tornado), she bears her soul. However, when the note is lost and believes the school's bully, Marcus has found it, that things drastically change for Alyssa and her mom. Readers have enjoyed this book as young as second grade, and the comments from parents, educators, children, counselors, and more may be summed up in this one sentence, "Although Alyssa and her mom are homeless, they are not hopeless." The book may be used in conjunction with classroom Standard of Learning subjects such as Language Arts, Health, Social Studies, Government, and Public Speaking. There's No Place Like My Own Home has been found helpful for Social-Emotional Learning to include (but is not limited to) kindness, gratitude, sufficient conflict resolution, positive self-image. The reader will also learn how to reduce aggressive behavior, demonstrate self-control, manage emotions, set positive goals, engage in positive relations, and learn to solve problems effectively. Lastly, the book has an anti-bullying message. A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHORAs parents, we see so many distractions vying for our children's attention, challenges that may cause them to disconnect from humanity. We want them to understand the power of gratitude and empathy without feeling as if we are forcing it upon them. Age-appropriate books have a way of emerging our children into worlds that represent the qualities we know will make them kinder, more caring, and compassionate. This is what I had in mind as I penned the words to my book, "There's No Place Like My Own Home." I have to confess; I didn't set out to write this book. It was born out of a conversation I had with Christine Bush, the Valoha Giving Movement founder. She told someone I had written a children's book on the subject of homelessness; I had not. But from that conversation, this beautiful book was born. Reading it with your child will open the door to honest, sincere dialogue about those less fortunate, empathy, compassion, and the power of hope, faith, and friendship. I cannot wait to read your reviews on this work of love. Stay tuned, the sequel, "Home is Where the Heart Lives," is in production. ABOUT THE AUTHORFlorenza is an author, publisher, narrative coach, speaker, radio talk show host, Master Storyteller, wife, and mother. Florenza and her husband, CSM (Ret US Army) Trefus Lee, have been married for nearly 38 years and reside in Hampton, Virginia. Their daughters, Jessica and Missy, call Las Vegas, Nevada home.PUBLISHED TITLES BY FLORENZA:Adventurous Olivia's Alphabet QuestAmiri's Birthday WishBarry Bear's Very Best, Learning to Say No to Negative InfluencesIf…The Story of Faith WalkerO'KapiThere's No Place Like My Own HomeThe Tail of Max the Mindless Dog, A Children's Book on MindfulnessWelcome Home Daddy, Love, LexiWhen Life Gives Us WindChildren's Books coming soon are:Acornsville, Land of the Secret Seed KeepersAdventurous Olivia's Numerical QuestMicah and Malik's Super Awesome Excellent AdventureOh, My Goodness, Look at this Big MessTwo Bees in a HiveYoung Reader Chapter Books coming soon are:Hoku to the RescueTwo-Thirds is a WholeFor more information regarding Florenza's books, or to contact her to speak at your school or event,please visit www.florenza.org.

Being unique can sometimes feel like a chore! Especially when you are at an age when looking, dressing, talking, and behaving like others is the "in thing" to do. But there is power in knowing who you are and standing boldly in that! Even when the mere act of standing is almost impossible to do physically! Imani is unlike other girls her age. Due to developing meningitis at birth, she received a life-saving surgery that resulted in her being a wheelchair user. This, however, has not hindered her from being an active, outgoing, caring young lady. While in Children’s Church, Matthew 14 catches her attention; it is the account of Peter walking on water. Imani is unsure as to why the story continues to speak to her heart, “Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water.” No matter what Imani does, she simply cannot shake the feeling that there is a message calling out to her from these verses. She feels as though she is on a quest to find clues to a puzzle she didn't even know existed. Do the verses mean she will one day walk again, or something else? Imani isn’t entirely sure; all she knows is she is about to have a faith walk, unlike any other. Join Imani and her friends as they learn about their gifts, friendship, and the simplistic meaning of the word faith. A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR:When writing this book, I found myself challenging my own thoughts of how one may simplistically apply the word faith. I found myself drawn to Imani and her gift of compassion, gratitude, and faith. Even we as adults, need to pause and simply adjust our thinking about the important things in life like faith. The most profound review I received from a young reader of this book is, "Thank you for writing a book on faith that doesn't read boring like a Sunday school lesson!" Surprisingly, the largest group of readers are second graders. I envisioned the book's main group to be that of fourth through sixth graders. Imagine my delight when I realized much younger readers are gravitating towards it. Thank you from my heart for your support of my gift of writing. I hope to continue creating books that will indeed, "feed your mind one book at a time!"

"Welcome Home Daddy Love, Lexi" is a book about a little girl named Lexi, who is very proud of her dad; he is a US Soldier. Lexi is a true daddy's girl and loves spending time with her father. They have tea parties and go to the local candy store; her favorite thing to do is sit on his lap as he reads to her. Lexi learns that her dad must deploy; the last time he deployed, she was much younger and did not remember. This time she is older and fully understands. As the family prepares for his deployment, they discuss all the ways they will remain in touch. After her dad leaves, Lexi's mom receives a call that her dad will return early. Her mom also informs her that her daddy will return home differently than when he left. Lexi doesn't understand what "different" means; she is just happy he is home. This highlights the resiliency of military families, as well as walk the reader through deployments. Although written about military experience, Lexi is an enjoyable read for all families. Lexi is intended for readers ages 6 – 8, though readers of all ages fully enjoy its message. A Message from the Author:As a military wife, I know first-hand the joy and challenges of military life. We travel to lands many will never visit, eat wonderful, strange foods, learn new languages, and live far from home. With all the joys, there are hardships as well: being away from home, deployments, separations, the unknown, and the list goes on. In this first book I wrote, I wanted to highlight what happens within a military family when the servicemember returns home differently than they left. From the surface, this sounds tremendously sad. However, the words on the pages are far from that. They are encouraging, insightful, and filled with compassion. Our children do not see wheelchairs, canes, or prosthetics; they see mommy and daddy. This is my husband's favorite book that I've written, and I hope that it becomes your family's favorite as well. Stay tuned for the second book in the series, "When Life Gives Us Wind."I look forward to reading your reviews, and thank you so much for your support of my gift of creating engaging, interactive books for children. Published titles by Florenza are:Adventurous Olivia's Alphabet QuestAmiri's Birthday WishBarry Bear's Very Best, Learning to Say No to Negative InfluencesIf…The Story of Faith WalkerO'KapiThere's No Place Like My Own HomeThe Tail of Max the Mindless Dog, A Children's Book on MindfulnessWelcome Home Daddy, Love, LexiWhen Life Gives Us WindChildren's Books coming soon are:Acornsville, Land of the Secret Seed KeepersAdventurous Olivia's Numerical QuestMicah and Malik's Super Awesome Excellent AdventureOh, My Goodness, Look at this Big MessTwo Bees in a HiveYoung Reader Chapter Books coming soon are:Hoku to the RescueTwo-Thirds is a WholeFor more information regarding Florenza's books, or to contact her to speak at your school or event,please visit www.florenza.org.

Being unique can sometimes feel like a chore! Especially when you are at an age when looking, dressing, talking, and behaving like others is the "in thing" to do. But there is power in knowing who you are and standing boldly in that! Even when the mere act of standing is almost impossible to do physically! Imani is unlike other girls her age. Due to developing meningitis at birth, she received a life-saving surgery that resulted in her being a wheelchair user. This, however, has not hindered her from being an active, outgoing, caring young lady. While in Children’s Church, Matthew 14 catches her attention; it is the account of Peter walking on water. Imani is unsure as to why the story continues to speak to her heart, “Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water.” No matter what Imani does, she simply cannot shake the feeling that there is a message calling out to her from these verses. She feels as though she is on a quest to find clues to a puzzle she didn't even know existed. Do the verses mean she will one day walk again, or something else? Imani isn’t entirely sure; all she knows is she is about to have a faith walk, unlike any other. Join Imani and her friends as they learn about their gifts, friendship, and the simplistic meaning of the word faith. A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR:When writing this book, I found myself challenging my own thoughts of how one may simplistically apply the word faith. I found myself drawn to Imani and her gift of compassion, gratitude, and faith. Even we as adults, need to pause and simply adjust our thinking about the important things in life like faith. The most profound review I received from a young reader of this book is, "Thank you for writing a book on faith that doesn't read boring like a Sunday school lesson!" Surprisingly, the largest group of readers are second graders. I envisioned the book's main group to be that of fourth through sixth graders. Imagine my delight when I realized much younger readers are gravitating towards it. Thank you from my heart for your support of my gift of writing. I hope to continue creating books that will indeed, "feed your mind one book at a time!"

How often do children look at items and think of the alphabet? When your child sees a cat, cake, or piece of cheese, do they envision the letter c? What about apples, aprons, and astronauts; do they think of the letter a? Chances are they do not. But hopefully, if asked to spell those words, they will know the letters with which to use to do so correctly. In, "Adventurous Olivia's Alphabet Quest", each beautifully illustrated page has hidden items that begin with a letter of the alphabet that takes the reader on an iSpy adventure. As they spot things that coincide with the letter on the page, they are encouraged to SHOUT IT OUT! This book is exciting, engaging, and oh so educational! The author apologizes in advance for the excessive decibel levels your room will become! Ms. Blom, Olivia's teacher, has given her a homework assignment to complete an alphabet list. Those who complete the task will receive free passes to the zoo. Olivia has two words that begin with each letter, but needs your assistance finding the third! When you see or hear a word that starts with the letter of the alphabet she is searching, SHOUT IT OUT! A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHORAs a child, I loved playing iSpy; I was always the first to spot the hidden item. I can still hear my mother saying, "I spy with my eye; with my eye, I spy something ______!" Quickly, I would begin searching all around, shouting out items, until I heard her say, "You guessed it!" I believe it was my sheer delight in hearing those words that prompted me to write this engaging, interactive Children's book. The book is based on the real-life shenanigans of an adorable girl named Olivia. Her antics keep her family in tears of laughter. Adventurous Olivia's Alphabet Quest is the first book in the Adventurous Olivia series, designed to help children recognize the sounds of the alphabet in the images surrounding them. I hope it also transforms them into times gone by when children would delight in these simple words, "I spy with my eye, with my eye I spy something _________." PUBLISHED TITLES BY FLORENZA:Adventurous Olivia’s Alphabet QuestAmiri’s Birthday WishBarry Bear’s Very Best, Learning to Say No to Negative InfluencesIf…The Story of Faith WalkerO’KapiThere’s No Place Like My Own HomeThe Tail of Max the Mindless Dog, A Children’s Book on MindfulnessWelcome Home Daddy, Love, LexiWhen Life Gives Us WindChildren’s Books coming soon are:Acornsville, Land of the Secret Seed KeepersAdventurous Olivia’s Numerical QuestMicah and Malik’s Super Awesome Excellent AdventureOh, My Goodness, Look at this Big MessTwo Bees in a HiveYoung Reader Chapter Books coming soon are:Hoku to the RescueTwo-Thirds is a WholeFor more information regarding Florenza’s books, or to contact her to speak at your school or event,please visit www.florenza.org.

Life isn't fair. We learn this as early as kindergarten, but for some, like Alyssa, the experience can be downright challenging. Today is her first day at Lee Ponder Intermediate School, and along with learning new names, faces, and classrooms, she has to maintain her secret. One that she doesn't want anyone to know, not even her new best friend, Onika. You see, Alyssa and her mom are homeless. When Alyssa has an assignment (to write a letter to a student in Alabama whose school and home have been destroyed by a tornado), she bears her soul. However, when the note is lost and believes the school's bully, Marcus has found it, that things drastically change for Alyssa and her mom. Readers have enjoyed this book as young as second grade, and the comments from parents, educators, children, counselors, and more may be summed up in this one sentence, "Although Alyssa and her mom are homeless, they are not hopeless." The book may be used in conjunction with classroom Standard of Learning subjects such as Language Arts, Health, Social Studies, Government, and Public Speaking. There's No Place Like My Own Home has been found helpful for Social-Emotional Learning to include (but is not limited to) kindness, gratitude, sufficient conflict resolution, positive self-image. The reader will also learn how to reduce aggressive behavior, demonstrate self-control, manage emotions, set positive goals, engage in positive relations, and learn to solve problems effectively. Lastly, the book has an anti-bullying message. A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHORAs parents, we see so many distractions vying for our children's attention, challenges that may cause them to disconnect from humanity. We want them to understand the power of gratitude and empathy without feeling as if we are forcing it upon them. Age-appropriate books have a way of emerging our children into worlds that represent the qualities we know will make them kinder, more caring, and compassionate. This is what I had in mind as I penned the words to my book, "There's No Place Like My Own Home." I have to confess; I didn't set out to write this book. It was born out of a conversation I had with Christine Bush, the Valoha Giving Movement founder. She told someone I had written a children's book on the subject of homelessness; I had not. But from that conversation, this beautiful book was born. Reading it with your child will open the door to honest, sincere dialogue about those less fortunate, empathy, compassion, and the power of hope, faith, and friendship. I cannot wait to read your reviews on this work of love. Stay tuned, the sequel, "Home is Where the Heart Lives," is in production. ABOUT THE AUTHORFlorenza is an author, publisher, narrative coach, speaker, radio talk show host, Master Storyteller, wife, and mother. Florenza and her husband, CSM (Ret US Army) Trefus Lee, have been married for nearly 38 years and reside in Hampton, Virginia. Their daughters, Jessica and Missy, call Las Vegas, Nevada home.PUBLISHED TITLES BY FLORENZA: Adventurous Olivia's Alphabet QuestAmiri's Birthday WishBarry Bear's Very Best, Learning to Say No to Negative InfluencesIf...The Story of Faith WalkerO'KapiThere's No Place Like My Own HomeThe Tail of Max the Mindless Dog, A Children's Book on MindfulnessWelcome Home Daddy, Love, LexiWhen Life Gives Us WindChildren's Books coming soon are: Acornsville, Land of the Secret Seed KeepersAdventurous Olivia's Numerical QuestMicah and Malik's Super Awesome Excellent AdventureOh, My Goodness, Look at this Big MessTwo Bees in a HiveYoung Reader Chapter Books coming soon are: Hoku to the RescueTwo-Thirds is a WholeFor more information regarding Florenza's books, or to contact her to speak at your school or event, please visit www.florenza.o

Barry Bear’s Very Best, Learning to Say No to Negative Influences. Barry is a book designed to encourage children who are kind, considerate, and thoughtful to continue being as such. Barry allows children to know that they are able to make a positive influence in the lives of others. Barry Bear’s Very best, Learning to Say No to Negative Influences is a book about a very kind bear named Barry. He is known in his home, neighborhood, and school as being thoughtful and considerate. When new cubs move in, who are neither kind nor considerate, Barry’s resilience is tested. Throughout the book, Barry is able to meet the challenges of bullying and negativity with positivity until he pressured to use drugs and alcohol. Barry immediately informs his mom who gives Barry additional tools to use. She also shares with the cubs’ mom the information she has received. The beautiful illustrations show the positive changes in the behavior of the new cubs as well as the passing of time. Once grown, Barry shares with his own children the tools he received from his mom, thus empowering them to be resilient in the presence of peer pressures. Barry was written based on a poem that the author, Florenza Lee previously wrote for her daughters’ school nearly 25 years ago. As she had not used the poem for anything further, her daughter, Melissa suggested she write a book centered on it. She chose to use bears as the main characters so that no one specific group of people were identified as being bullies, drug users, or negative influencers. All children and families are able to identify with Barry and his struggles to remain positive and kind. At the back of the book, there are tools drafted from Stop Bullying Now for children who are bullied, witness bullying, or are the bully. Barry is intended for readers ages 6 – 8, though readers of all ages fully enjoy its message. She hopes you enjoy reading her book-baby as much as she enjoyed writing it.

The Tail of Max the Mindless Dog, A Children's Book on Mindfulness is a book about a little puppy named Max whose tail is oftentimes injured. Believing his tail to be the source of his pain, he sets out to catch it and tie it in a knot. In doing so, he develops a habit of running in circles. It is this habit of chasing his tail that causes him to miss out on all the fun in life. It is only when he has been introduced to Mindfulness: The Belly Breath, the Count of Ten, and Words of Affirmation that he is able to enjoy life fully. When that old habit tried to return, Max quickly applied what he learned and wonderful things began to happen for him. Max starts out in Sepia to allow children to visually experience Max's pain. Once Max is introduced to a newer, more positive way of living, the colors change. Max is printed in landscape 11 x 8.5 to allow the beautiful illustrations to be fully enjoyed by both child and reader. Max is intended for readers ages 6 - 8, though readers of all ages fully enjoy its message.