Melissa Bailey – illustratör

Charlie had an ordinary name and lived on an ordinary ranch. But Charlie was no ordinary horse. Charlie knew he could fly. But no one believed him. The naysayers said, “Ordinary horses do ordinary work. They drag wagons, pull plows, and haul hay. Horses can’t fly. So don’t even try.” So begins the story of Charlie, an ambitious, determined and speedy horse who, with the help of some friends, proves once and for all that horses can fly. After years of toiling away as a work horse, Charlie, finally recognized for his incredible speed, ends up as a prize racehorse of Leland Stanford, the founder of Stanford University. Stanford has commissioned a photographer named Eadweard Muybridge to take high-speed photos of Charlie as he runs. During the trials, Muybridge snaps a photo of Charlie with all four hooves off the ground, thus proving all the naysayers wrong — Charlie can fly! Conveyed through Charlie’s story is an important message of resilience and self-confidence, telling young readers, “Believe in yourself, give it a try! How else will you prove that you can fly?”

Steve The Dung Beetle: On A Roll gives kids a first glimpse at ecosystems and conservation. We hear a lot in the media today about ecology, environment, and wildlife. However, with all the concern and drama over conservation and collapsing ecosystems, few people actually know what it means, and nobody has a viable or practical suggestion on how to fix it. While Steve cant fix everything he works really hard to manage what he can. His small steps help make the biggest difference to all the animals on the savannah. In the back of the book, zookeepers write about dung beetles and some of Steves other animal friends so learning can continue at a level the entire family will enjoy. Steve The Dung Beetle: On A Roll is a fun and engaging story with captivating artwork. It promotes active involvement on each page and instills critical thinking and an appreciation for nature and wildlife