Thanks so much for your interest in my books!
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For the Love of Reading!
The Naturally Curious Series
The Naturally Curious Series
Scroll down to learn more about my published works. For links to retailers, non-profits, and libraries in Canada and around the world, click the Where To Buy button below. Subscribe and follow for fun updates on works in progress. There's so much more to come!
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The Naturally Curious Book Series
The Naturally Curious Book Series!
It all began with What the Seal Saw. A seal popped up in front of me as I was kayaking and I spontaneously spoke to it in rhyming verse - "Hey there seal. What do you see? I see you. Do you see me?"
I was brought right back to my childhood in that moment. I thought about how much I loved poetry as a child, how much I loved nature, and how I'd love to write the kinds of books I used to love to read. I challenged myself to observe nature exactly as I was seeing it and to notice how the wildlife behaved and interacted. I set out to describe the gorgeous pacific northwest accurately and in a way that is fun to read (and be read to) over and over again!
During this process, I settled on my mission statement and the theme for this series:
- Mission - Nurture a love of nature and language in little ones with big imaginations.
- Theme - Explore the world with curiosity!
I partnered with award-winning artist and childhood friend, Carla Maskall. She shared my vision to create realistic, approachable, and engaging illustrations. I couldn't be happier with what we created together!
In What the Seal Saw we explore the gorgeous Pacific Northwest ocean and coastline.
In What the Raccoon Saw we explore the old growth forests, mountains, and urban landscapes.
In What the Blackbird Saw we explore our beautiful lakes, ponds, rivers, and wetlands.
Explore the world by sea, land, and air!
Note the that the books all work together but can be read in any order and each book stands alone.
Children will love repeating the lines that are shared across the books. They will also love finding all the wonderful details that Carla includes in the artwork. And you may discover your child has some some new topics of interest that you can investigate together. (Can you find where the crab is hiding? Do you see a bunny hopping through those ferns? How many birds are on this page? Can you name what kind of birds they are? Can you count how many sailboats are in this book? Where is the train? Do you want to learn more about the Pacific Flyway or how mice hide seeds?)
There are so many ways to expand on these books - at home, in the classroom, in the great outdoors, and even in your own back yard or city park. I'm really proud that the books work for children with a wide variety of interests and reading levels.
Use the books as a jumping off point for further exploration. There are so many directions to take with the books! Take them outside on a story walk. Download arts & crafts from the FREE and FUN page. Bring the book to life by conducting further study on your child's favourite animals and/or environments. (You may be surprised to find out who wants to know more about sea grass or toads or glaciers!)
Please let me know how you bring the books to life! I'd love to hear from you!
Click options below to BUY NOW:
Support an Independent Bookstore near you:
CAN - Indibookstores.ca
USA - Bookshop.org
What the Blackbird Saw
The Naturally Curious Book Series!
The NEW RELEASE in the best-selling Naturally Curious book series.
Explore the world with curiosity!
In What the Seal Saw we explore the gorgeous Pacific Northwest ocean and coastline.
In What the Raccoon Saw we explore the old growth forests, mountains, and urban landscapes.
In What the Blackbird Saw we explore our beautiful lakes, ponds, rivers, and wetlands.
Click options below to BUY NOW:
Support an Independent Bookstore near you:
CAN - Indibookstores.ca
USA - Bookshop.org
What the Seal Saw
Heather's Pick! Best Seller!
Have you ever seen an animal in nature? Maybe it was a deer, or an owl, or a bunny, or a seal. Did you have a magical moment where you were looking at them and they were looking at you?
Did you wonder what they saw? Did you wish you could follow your new friend? Explore a world of wonder through the pages of this engaging story and you, too, can see What The Seal Saw.
In What the Seal Saw we explore the gorgeous Pacific Northwest ocean and coastline.
In What the Raccoon Saw we explore the old growth forests, mountains, and urban landscapes.
In What the Blackbird Saw we explore our beautiful lakes, ponds, rivers, and wetlands.
Click options below to BUY NOW:
Support an Independent Bookstore near you:
CAN - Indibookstores.ca
USA - Bookshop.org
Click to get FREE resources such as Colouring Pages, Lesson Plans, and more!
What the Raccoon Saw
The Naturally Curious Book Series!
The sequel to the best-selling book What the Seal Saw!
Explore the world with curiosity!
In What the Seal Saw we explore the gorgeous Pacific Northwest ocean and coastline.
In What the Raccoon Saw we explore the old growth forests, mountains, and urban landscapes.
In What the Blackbird Saw we explore our beautiful lakes, ponds, rivers, and wetlands.
Click options below to BUY NOW:
Support an Independent Bookstore near you:
CAN - Indibookstores.ca
USA - Bookshop.org
My S's Are Messes
The book I wish I'd had as child!
A book for children with speech differences by an author who knows what's it like!
- Recognized as "a title of exceptional calibre" in the Canada Children's book Centre Best Books for Kids and Teens, Spring 2024.
- WINNER - The Canadian Book Club Awards 2024 From the Press Release - Canada’s largest reader’s choice award, The Canadian Book Club Awards (CBCA):
This year, the awards saw record-breaking submissions, showcasing a remarkable mix of stories that highlight the depth and diversity of Canadian literature.
"The winners of this year’s Canadian Book Club Awards epitomize the power of storytelling,"says Kristain Oliveira-Barnes, Program Director for the CBCA."They represent a spectrum of experiences, voices, and genres that have resonated deeply with readers across the country. We are proud to celebrate these outstanding contributions to Canadian literature."
Over the past three months, Canadian Verified Readers—volunteer readers who carefully evaluated each finalist’s work across 13 categories, casting their votes to determine this year’s winners.
This year’s winners reflect the CBCA’s mission to celebrate excellence in storytelling, regardless of an author’s chosen publishing path. From poignant memoirs to thrilling mysteries, inspiring self-help books, and captivating children’s stories, the winning books highlight the diverse literary talent Canada has to offer.
It’s not fair!
The sounds are misbehaving and the children have to work extra hard to get them to do what they’re supposed to do. L’s run away and turn into W’s; the Shhhh sound pops up all over and won’t stay where it should; some sounds get stuck in odd places, and others play hide and seek.
Based on the lived experience of the author, who has speech sound disorders, this heartfelt story emphasizes patience and understanding. Full of tongue twisters, empathy, and fun, this uplifting book takes a fresh approach to living with speech differences.
The message is clear - you are not alone, we see how hard you’re working, and there’s no mistaking how we feel when we speak heart to heart.
Click options below:
Support an Independent Bookstore near you:
CAN - Indibookstores.ca
USA - Bookshop.org
