Spotlight: Katie's Really Bad Day: A Story About Test Anxiety by Kathleen Jeffrey

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Big emotions often surface in unexpected ways at school. Katie’s Really Bad Day: A Story About Test Anxiety by Kathleen Jeffrey, illustrated by Susan Kilmartin, examines how anxiety interrupts learning and how support restores confidence.

Katie enjoys learning, but test days bring anxiety that overwhelms her. During a spelling test, her worry escalates, making it impossible to focus or complete the task. Her reaction leaves her feeling embarrassed.

With calm support from her teacher, Katie begins to understand her anxious feelings. She learns simple calming techniques that help her manage stress and regain focus. As she practices these tools, she realizes that nervousness before tests is common among students. The story emphasizes emotional awareness, self-regulation, and the importance of supportive adults.

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About the Author

Kathleen Jeffrey is an author of children’s picture books, fulfilling her mission to create stories that shine with love, light, spirit, truth, and joy—helping children navigate life’s challenges, explore big emotions, and grow with courage, kindness, and wonder. 

Visit Kathleen at her website and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

Spotlight: Nora & The Lighthouse by Robin Murphy

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Illustrated by April Burril

Genre: Children’s Picture Book 

Five-year-old Nora is thrilled for a sleepover at her Nana and Grandpa’s condo—but what she really dreams of is climbing to the top of the Concord Point Lighthouse. There’s just one problem: she needs to be 42 inches tall. Determined and hopeful, Nora spends the day imagining she’s grown just enough. After a fun-filled evening and a good night’s sleep, she finally visits the lighthouse. Is Nora tall enough? Will the view from the top be everything she dreamed it would be?

This heartwarming story celebrates the excitement of milestones, the bond between grandparents and grandchildren, and the thrill of achieving something new.

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About the Author 

Robin Murphy, an Amazon best-selling author, writes across genres including paranormal mysteries, humorous romance, chick-lit, and nonfiction. Based in Havre de Grace, Maryland, she also works as a self-employed virtual executive assistant and freelance writer. Her ability to blend imaginative fiction with practical, real-world topics showcases both her versatility and engaging narrative style.

Website * Facebook * X * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Spotlight: Not That Orange by Bailey Adams

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Not That Orange is a delightful and colorful tale about self-acceptance, diversity, and embracing what makes us unique!

Carrot is on a mission—he’s searching for his orange! But there’s just one problem… he’s green! With the help of a friendly orange from a nearby tree, Carrot embarks on a journey across the farm, asking the other crops for help. But as confusion grows, Carrot soon discovers something surprising—carrots can be all sorts of colors, not just orange!

Through fun, playful storytelling and charming illustrations, Not That Orange teaches young readers (ages 3-5) an important lesson: being different is not just okay—it’s something to celebrate! In a world that often focuses on fitting in, this book encourages little ones to embrace who they are and appreciate the beautiful diversity around them.

Perfect for preschool and kindergarten-aged children, Not That Orange is a wonderful addition to any home or classroom library, inspiring kids to be confident in themselves while learning about colors, friendship, and the joy of being uniquely you!

Excerpt

Once, there was a farmer who grew a lovely garden. One sunny day, the farmer went to pick some carrots.He pulled, and pulled, and pulled. Finally, some carrots came loose! He set them in a bushel. But the farmer noticed that one carrot was different. It was green! 

“A green carrot? That’s different,” he commented, before walking away. 

Later, the green carrot woke up from his nap. As he looked around the bushel, he noticed that he was not orange, like the others.

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About the Author

Bailey Adams is a children’s author and dedicated educator with a passion for literacy and creative storytelling. Based in Metro Detroit, she currently works as an elementary P.E. teacher but has also taught third, fourth, and fifth grade. With experience as a Reading & Math Coach for Kindergarten and first grade, Bailey's ultimate dream is to become an Elementary Literacy Specialist while continuing to share her love of storytelling with young readers.

Bailey’s journey as a writer began in the fourth grade when she discovered the magic of crafting stories—and she hasn’t stopped since. She embraces an organic writing process, letting ideas flow naturally from inspiration sparked by books, shows, or random bursts of creativity. Instead of following structured outlines, she prefers to sit down and let the words lead the way, trusting that storytelling from the heart produces the most genuine and meaningful work.

Despite being a perfectionist in many areas, Bailey believes that writing should be an intuitive and soulful process, with revision and refinement coming later. She is passionate about inspiring young minds through engaging, heartfelt stories and hopes to make a lasting impact in both the classroom and the literary world.

Connect:

Website: https://baileyadamsbooks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bailey.lynch.75/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badams11_1_24/

Spotlight: The Grateful Green Dinosaur by Larissa Pemberton

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Percy the green dinosaur explores practicing gratitude with the help of his friend Custard the unicorn, to turn his bad day around by turning his negative thoughts into positive ones.

As a society, we often tend to focus on the negative. Teaching children to practice gratitude and shift their mindset toward the positive can lay the foundation for a happier, more fulfilling life.

Excerpt

Percy the green dinosaur is having a sad day. He is letting the outside world determine his mood, and he is attracting one bad circumstance after another.

In the morning, he wakes up, gets out of bed, and stubs his toe. “Ouch!” This makes him frustrated. He thinks, what a bad way to start the day. Because he is dwelling on his day starting badly, his day continues to go badly. “Uh-oh.”

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About the Author

Larissa is a devoted mother to three young boys. Her path of self-discovery, shaped by the challenges and joys of motherhood—led her to discovering and embracing the life changing practice of gratitude. By incorporating it into her daily routine, she experienced a profound shift in her mental health and overall happiness. Now, Larissa is passionate in sharing this practice with her sons and other children, believing that learning gratitude at a young age can set the foundation for a life guided by joy and emotional resilience.

Connect:

Website: https://thegratefulgreendinosaur.com/ 

Instagram: @thegratefulgreendinosaur

Spotlight: The Adventures of Pablo the Pangolin by Carole Couture

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The Adventures of Pablo the Pangolin is the first installment in an exciting six-part series that follows Pablo, a curious pangolin, on a suspense-filled journey through the Asian jungle.

Perfect for young readers ages 4–8, The Adventures of Pablo the Pangolin introduces a loveable and unlikely hero who unites with animals of different species to overcome danger. This heartwarming tale promotes themes of cooperation, empathy, and adventure—all wrapped in a fun, animal-filled story that encourages kids to explore the wonders of nature and kindness.

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About the Author

Carole Couture, a former financial advisor turned children's author, draws inspiration from her love of storytelling and her deep connection with her son, Jean-Philippe who has Down's Syndrome. Originally from Montreal and now living in upstate New York, Couture hopes her books will help spark meaningful conversations between children and parents about friendship and inclusion.

Connect:

Website: https://carolecoutureauthor.com

BookBuzz: https://bookbuzz.net/interview-with-author-carole-couture-about-her-book-the-adventures-of-pablo-the-pangolin/

Spotlight: Grandma's Bucket of Mercy by Robin Carole

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Date Published: May 28, 2025

Publisher: ‎MindStir Media

You are never too old or too young to learn life's lessons.

Multiple award-winning author Robin Carole shares another heartwarming and true story, Grandma's Bucket of Mercy. This story of family, love, and forgiveness will resonate with all ages. Discover the definition of mercy through a life lesson that shows how a simple act of kindness can have the greatest impact on a person's life.

A generation has passed since Carole's grandmother and mother survived the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression of the 1930s in her story, Firewood and Christmas Potatoes. Now ten-year-old Carole will spend a brief summer vacation with her grandmother during the 1960s. Carole's grandmother sends her on an adventure that involves the neighbor who lives in the apartment directly behind her.

Young Carole does not immediately understand the importance of this unusual assignment and how it will reshape an old man's life. Four years later, Carole finally grasps the meaning and magnitude of mercy when a family member of the old man shares how these anonymous deeds changed the old man's life before his passing.

Carole's grandmother knew the value of teaching this epochal lesson of mercy-a lesson that transformed her old neighbor and enlightened her young granddaughter.

Grandma's Bucket of Mercy is a beautifully illustrated story for every child and for the childlike spirit in every adult.

Buy on Amazon | Bookshop.org

About the Author

Robin Carole is a multiple award-winning author and lifelong storyteller dedicated to preserving the legacy of the strong women in her family. A native Californian who grew up in the scenic wine country, Robin spent over 40 years in Deaf Education as a Certified Sign Language Interpreter, working with students from kindergarten through adult education.

Now retired and living in Spokane, Washington, Robin draws from real-life experiences and the stories passed down from her grandmother, mother, and aunts to write books that speak to the hearts of readers young and old. Her passion for storytelling began as a child, sitting at the feet of her family matriarchs, listening to tales of resilience, faith, and enduring love.

Her latest book, Grandma’s Bucket of Mercy, is a heartfelt tribute to the power of quiet acts of compassion—and a reminder that even children can change the world through kindness. Through her writing, Robin invites readers to revisit a time when life was simple, values were taught through action, and lessons of mercy could last a lifetime.

“My education, my work, my goals, and accomplishments are here for only a moment, but my family is a lifetime.” —Robin Carole

Connect:

Website: https://robincarole.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robincarole58/