Celia Straus – författare

Inspiration for Girls on the Threshold of Change"Before I go to sleep each nightBefore I turn off every lightLet me put away my fearsLet me brush away the tears"The heartfelt prayers in this luminous volume were originally written for the comfort and inspiration of a twelve-year-old girl named Julia. The author of these prayers is Julia''s mother, who wrote them because she was troubled that she and her daughter no longer talked as much as they used to. So each night, she left a verse on Julia''s pillow. Julia shared them with her younger sister and with her friends, and the prayers moved outward in ever-widening circles.Now everyone can enjoy and meditate upon these simple supplications, whose words, feelings, and perspective are those of a girl growing into womanhood. Nearly one hundred and fifty prayers encourage girls to look inward for the strength to heal hurts, calm fears, and reconcile with family and friends. They present the values of self-reliance and confidence, celebrating the gift of life and the unique pleasure and challenges of being a girl. Each prayer is a loving act of faith, and together they provide a safe and private space in which a girl can simply be and grow.From the Hardcover edition.

When the war comes home . . . This book is crafted around soldiers’ personal descriptions of their war experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan that culminate in life-altering injuries to the brain and psyche, along with the equally dramatic story of their recoveries. An irony of America’s 21st century wars has been that while our combat medical and medevac capabilities have grown enormously (from a rough average of 4:1 wounded to dead in WWII to 8:1 today), the nature of many of our soldiers’ wounds has undergone a subtle change. Men and women who survive the thick of combat, including repeated concussion blasts, increasingly present a difficult-to-detect kind of injury, no less debilitating then wounds from bullets or shrapnel.Hidden Battles on Unseen Fronts documents the ever-increasing cases of physical or mental brain trauma among our vets that has risen as a direct result of more soldiers surviving their flesh wounds on the battlefield. The chapters are crafted from interviews with troops and their family members, and bridged with essays by internationally known mental health professionals, veterans’ advocates, and members of the Veterans Administration and Department of Defense, all of whom are working in the front lines of what is quickly developing into a national crisis of unfathomable cost in both lives and money.From combat Army soldiers and Marines, even amputees, who eventually discover that their greatest disability is in their head, to support personnel such as Devore Barlowe, who returns from Iraq having witnessed atrocities that leave her with severe PTSD, but perseveres juggling her job and the single mothering of two young children, the voices of these warriors reinforce the book’s over-arching theme of resilience and courage.Thankfully the U.S. military’s battlefield support has vastly improved since prior wars. However, the signature wound of 21st century warfare—Traumatic Brain Injury, as well as PTSD—may lie beyond the current reach of standard medical procedures, and is more evidenced by the postwar stories of the soldiers themselves. In this book we get a thorough look at the travails of our veterans who may currently be undiagnosed and without help, but whom we are all committed to support.Celia Straus is author of the national bestseller, Prayers On My Pillow, and an award-winning film writer/producer who has been writing about the war-related experiences of service members and their families since 2003. The Armed Forces Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the men and women of America’s military. All royalties from this work will go directly to the front line of support for wounded warriors with PTSD and TBI, and their families .

BoBo is an orphaned baby elephant who lives in a Sanctuary in Kenya. His new best friend, Iris, a wise and whimsical Egret, teaches him how to survive and thrive in his new elephant family. This is the first title in the BoBo and Iris series of books, intended to explore the life skills learned by toddlers and pre-schoolers, as well as themes of endangered African wildlife. A portion of proceeds from this series is donated to global charities dedicated to saving elephants and other endangered species.

BoBo is an orphaned baby elephant who lives in a Sanctuary in Kenya. His new best friend, Iris, a wise and whimsical Egret, teaches him how to survive and thrive in his new elephant family. This is the second title in the BoBo and Iris series of books, intended to explore the life skills learned by elementary schoolers, as well as themes of endangered African wildlife. The creators of the BoBo series donate a portion of their royalties to Elephant Sanctuaries including Elephant Aid International and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

To Share is to be kind. BoBo is an orphaned baby elephant who lives in a Sanctuary in Kenya. His new best friend, Iris, a wise and whimsical Egret, teaches him how to survive and thrive in his new elephant family. This is the third title in the BoBo and Iris series of books, intended to explore the life skills learned by elementary schoolers, as well as themes of endangered African wildlife. The creators of the BoBo series donate a portion of their royalties to Elephant Sanctuaries including Elephant Aid International and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

Sophie is a small Monarch Butterfly with a magical eye in her wing that acts as a compass. When the Monarch Butterflies make their annual migration from North America to the mountains of Mexico, where they spend the winter, they become lost. Against all odds, from predators, destruction of habitat and poisoning by herbicides, Sophie leads them to safety demonstrating her perseverance, courage and determination to believe in herself.For children of all ages, Sophie Monarch Butterfly, Mission to Mexico explores what it takes to believe in yourself and take the lead when the welfare of others is at stake. It is also a story of one of our most endangered species, Monarch Butterflies, and their inspiring and courageous annual migration from North America to Mexico and back again.

High in the Himalayan Mountains two young Red Pandas, Connor and Mishti, befriend a shy Pangolin. Oblivious of their precarious existence, they dance and play together until a wise Sarus Crane disrupts their fun. They must flee, he warns them, before civilization destroys their forest home. He promises to lead them to Sikkim, a nature sanctuary across the mountains. The three friends follow his feathers on their long journey to safety. For children of all ages and their parents, Red Pandas Journey to Sikkim explores the values of friendship, sacrifice, courage and resilience against all odds. A portion of proceeds from the sale of this book is donated to The Wildlife Alliance, The Pangolin Crisis Fund, the Red Panda Network, and The Nature Conservatory dedicated to saving endangered species through conservation, protection, education and research.