Another "Secrets of a lab Rat"!

In Trudi Trueit's, Secrets of a Lab Rat (book 3), Scab dares to run for class president against his nemesis, Missy Malone, the straight-A know-it-all and teacher's pet. As Missy starts winning over their classmates Scab becomes desperate to win votes. Like the great politicians before him, he decides to have a "You Bring It and He'll Eat It" scarf-a-thon. Scab is willing to bet his iron gut and possibly a lifetime of dysentery to secure the votes he needs. It's a pretty funny book and was a hoot to illustrate.

Hot off the presses

In "Attack of the Bully Bug" by Red Chair Press, Beetle and his six legged pals (and a few grubs and larva buddies) must work as a team if they have any chance of getting rid of Bully Bug - a menacing, hulking pest that takes their lunches and picks on the smaller bugs.

Just as it must be in nature, the bugs form a sort of vigilante "we're not gonna take this anymore" alliance. Unlike real nature, where the bugs would then set upon each other and devour the weakest, these bugs set aside those basic instincts and work for the greater good - get rid of Bully Bug! Can Beetle help free this gentle band of garden insects from the tyranny of the Bully Bug? I like his chances.

Art With Heart

Art with Heart recently asked me to design a cover for their newest book project, entitled “Make Yer Mark!”

The black and white therapeutic activity book is a compilation of pages grafted from “Oodles of Doodles” and “Magnificent Marvelous Me” books, whose specific purpose was to help the third grade classmates of Christina Taylor Green, who was brutally gunned down in the shootings in Tucson, Arizona.

The activities in the workbooks were chosen because of their ability to help the children as they experience feelings of loss and anxiety.

“The workbook doesn’t look like a typical grieving book because we wanted to make sure the kids wouldn’t feel ‘talked down to’,” says Steffanie Lorig, Art with Heart’s Executive Director, “We hope the book helps them feel joy again as they move through the many emotions that go hand in hand with grief.”

Typically, the grieving process takes time and healing usually happens gradually. Thanks to donations given by generous folks, this workbook will be an aid in their continued healing journey.

For more information about Art with Heart or to donate, please visit us at artwithheart.org.