Adana the Earth Dragon: An Elemental Tale (Tales from Umbrae)
Written by Debbie Manber Kupfer
Illustrated by Tina Wijesiri
Adana is a small, brown earth dragon. She is very sad because the more powerful air, fire, and water dragons shun her. Adana seems small and insignificant to them.
One day a giant strides into the neighborhood. He marches into their midst and renders the air, fire and water dragons powerless and afraid. Meanwhile, Adana slept peacefully in her cave. When Adana wakes up and discovers the giant in their midst, she is determined to help. Adana figures out exactly what her secret power is and how to use it. Readers will chuckle at her ingenious plot to trick the giant and restore balance. In the future, the more powerful giants learn the value of Adana’s talents and appreciate her friendship.
There is enough text in this book to consider it a beginning chapter book, even though it is richly illustrated. Younger readers can follow the story through the pictures, while older children can read the tale independently. Especially recommended for children ages five through nine. This narrative emphasizes the value of individual talents and skills as well as the importance of extending friendship to those who are just like us. It teaches children to avoid bullying and to appreciate diversity.
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Publisher’s Book Summary: Autism: My Invisible Backpack is a heartwarming story that follows two autistic brothers, Adrián and Guillermo, on a mountain hike. Along the way, children discover that everyone carries an invisible backpack filled with feelings and thoughts, sometimes light, sometimes too heavy to carry alone.
Through this powerful metaphor, kids explore four common challenges —masking, hyper-empathy, literal thinking, and emotional overload —while also learning that therapy can be a safe place to unpack and rest.
With simple language, hand-drawn illustrations, and practical tools, this book helps children and families:
✔️ Recognize emotional overload and name feelings ✔️ Create mask-free zones to feel safe and authentic ✔️ See therapy as a trusted space to share openly ✔️ Celebrate moments of being truly seen and valued
A supportive resource for families, educators, and therapists, this story brings comfort, connection, and real strategies to make the autism journey feel lighter.
Dalisse Sequeiros is a devoted mom raising two incredible autistic boys. As a passionate autism advocate, she understands both the joys and challenges that come with parenting autistic children. Dalisse thoughtfully creates books for children ages 6–12, offering stories that celebrate their strengths, differences, and unique ways of connecting with the world.
Her mission is to offer resources that foster understanding, empathy, and confidence, helping autistic children feel seen, valued, and empowered. With every story, Dalisse hopes to create meaningful moments of connection for families navigating the world of autism.
She cherishes every milestone and dedicates herself to promoting acceptance and belonging through her writing.
Inspired by their own parenting journeys, authors Dalisse Sequeiros and Luis Barros have created a touching and practical story that opens a window into the world of a neurodivergent child. Told through the eyes of young Adrián, Autism: My Invisible Backpack follows a family hike that becomes a powerful lesson in understanding emotions and self-acceptance.
As Adrián struggles up the mountain, he learns about the “invisible backpack” we all carry—filled with our thoughts and feelings. The story gently shows how carrying too much emotional weight, or trying to “act normal,” can overwhelm a child on the spectrum. With the loving support of his parents, Adrián learns to unpack that weight and embrace his true self.
Vivid illustrations and easy-to-understand metaphors make complex emotional concepts come alive for young readers. The authors also include helpful notes and strategies for parents, offering guidance on emotional regulation, self-care, and creating safe spaces for every family member.
Autism: My Invisible Backpack is both heartwarming and practical. It is a story that encourages empathy, celebrates differences, and reminds readers that every child deserves to shine in their own way.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for the chance to win one of 10 paperback copies of Autism: My Invisible Backpack by Dalisse Sequeiros. Plus, one lucky grand prize winner will receive a complete set of books from Loving Pieces Books!
CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO SEE THE BOOKS AND ENTER THE GIVEAWAY
November 14, 2025 bamauthorComments Off on EXPLORING THE WORLD OF A NEURODIVERGENT CHILD, Autism: My Invisible Backpack, VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR AND GIVEAWAY
Riley the Rabbit Learns a New Habit: Mindset School Series Book #3
Written by Heather Lyn Davis
Illustrated by Corryn Webb
This is cute picture book for elementary age readers.
Riley the Rabbit is excited to attend school. The problem for him is jumping. Riley loves to jump and his rambunctious leaps cause havoc to friends and furniture in the classroom. His teacher urges Riley to be aware of the problem his jumping causes.
Riley’s grandmother teaches him a compromise, Riley learns to hop. While he finds the new skill difficult, Riley learns that sometimes compromise is important. Even more important, that does not mean giving up jumping all the time.
A delightful picture book for children ages six through ten.
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This book is based on the theme of the 12 Days of Christmas. It is written as a poem or can be sung as a song. The characters are based on various types of sea creatures, especially different species of sharks.
The illustrations are hand-drawn in vibrant colors. While the length is less than twenty pages, reading or singing it can become a new holiday tradition. For me, the most interesting part of the book is the section at the end, which presents useful information about each of the different sharks.
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Some Angels Have Rotor Blades: A Tale of Heroic Actions, Living Legacy, and Gratitude
Written by Darcy Guyant
Illustrated by Novel Varius
Dale wakes up excited because today is the first day of summer vacation.
As he enjoys breakfast, Dale asks his parents to take their boat out for a ride. He promises to wear his lifejacket and be careful.
When a freak accident ejects Dale from the boat, he frantically grasps the overturned boat. As time goes on, his chilled body weakens. Eventually, a Coast Guard Helicopter discovers Dale and rescues him.
The book teaches how rescue workers put themselves in danger helping strangers and expressing care and empathy for them.
In the second part of the story, forty years later, Dale takes his three grandchildren to an aviation museum where he is reminded of his second chance at life. Dale recounts all those opportunities and the family he loves that would not have existed.
The book contains excellent questions and topics to discuss with the intended elementary school reading audience. I highly recommend this picture book to parents and teachers who want children to appreciate the sacrifices of first responders and the sacrifices they make every day.
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This fictional story is set in a rural Australian town in the 1930s. Willow Vale is a small town that lies at the end of a railroad line. This town has suffered a decline in population with little opportunity for upward mobility. Most of the inhabitants work on the railroad, in the mines or farming. The tiny schoolhouse has only four teachers and each classroom accommodates two grades.
Baddar and his sister, Delari are the offspring of the last Afghan cameleer and his wife, Rose, who is an aboriginal raised by missionaries. Baddar feels confused and trapped by his mixed heritage and feels he doesn’t fully belong to either group. He spends a lot of time with his friend Billy, with whom he has several adventures. Baddar’s family tries to help him by organizing a camel trip with his Afghan grandfather, but an accident mars the trip. When a brushfire threatens to destroy Willow, the aboriginals step up to team with Billy, Baddar and the citizens of the town to make a last-ditch effort to save their community.
There are a host of issues addressed by this fictional tale, coming of age, family and community struggles and relationships, cultural divides, poverty, and economics. The children set an example for the adults. Minor editing issues need to be addressed, and the plot tends to ramble on here and there, but the book gives a glimpse into a forgotten part of Australian history.
Middle-grade readers will enjoy the adventures and believable characters. Recommended for readers ages ten and older.
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Magical Stories: A Collection of Short Stories for Children Aged 3-103
Written by Píaras Ó Cíonnaoíth
A collection of ten short stories that stimulate the imagination. While I would not classify this book as a picture book, each story starts with an illustration of the main character.
The characters include many favorite types such as dragons, elves, fairies, tigers, and mermaids. It is equally appealing to male or female readers. The average length of the tales is approximately five pages, making it ideal as a bedtime story or classroom read-aloud. Each includes a moral lesson for young minds to ponder and appreciate.
Adults may enjoy reading them along with their children.
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Tooky is lost and trying to find his way back home. He flies over an island with an active volcano. Friggo, the frog, is the only animal left on the island. As the volcano spews forth lava, Friggo desperately tries to attract the toucan’s attention. Friggo takes shelter in a hollow cave and screams at the top of his lungs.
Somehow, Tooky can hear Friggo amid the roar of the volcano and flies back to rescue the frog. The two become good friends. The author promises many future adventures featuring Tooky and Frigo.
This short book contains a few color illustrations. The author narrates the story in the third person. Some dialogue between the characters would make the characters more interesting and believable. There are a few editing errors. The complexity of the text makes the book more appropriate as a beginning reader rather than a picture book.
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Children’s book: The Torch of Peace (about relationships and better communication)
Written by Doron Erez
Illustrated by Abira Das
Oliver is a kindergarten student who dreams of a career in construction. Every night he dreams of building tall brick structures. At school, he enjoys acting out his dreams with toy trucks. One day he is playing with some other children who rent apartments in his building development when Rafael, the owner, passes by. Rafael demands that the children remove the bricks and play elsewhere because they are spoiling the appearance of his property.
When Oliver tells his dad what happened, Oliver’s father reads him a story about two native tribes who once argued over how to grow crops on the land and figured out a way to settle their differences. Oliver recognizes the lesson in the story and immediately finds a way to apply it to solve his problem with the property owner.
This book is written to teach young children how to communicate with each other and adults. It teaches them how to solve problems with words instead of actions. Highly recommended for preschoolers and primary grade children. Parents and teachers might use it to discuss problem solving and communication issues with peers and adults.
I received a copy of this book from the author and voluntarily decided to read and review it with my honest opinions for no compensation.
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A little boy is terrified of monsters that come into his room at night. His parents try to comfort him. Eventually, his father comes up with a solution in the form of an agreement that is hung on the wall. A logical way to help the protagonist and the reader face irrational fears.
Then the book takes a sudden turn. When a cockroach enters the home, the boy decides to name him Moshe and befriend the creature. Unfortunately, his mother is terrified of Moshe. The boy must come up with a creative solution to save his friend and please his mother.
The rhymes are sometimes a bit difficult to read. I applaud the creative plot, but the English translation lacks fluidity.
A useful resource for a family with a young child who experiences night tremors.
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November 19, 2025
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