When Virona the Corona Came to Town: When the pandemic hit my city and we were forced out of our classrooms, I was continually thinking "How can I help my students through this?" And so this book was born. It was written with the intention of creating a relatable way for children to understand the pandemic while also feeling allowed to express emotions and feel safe through difficult times. Clearly there were many people with the same intentions for their students and children because "When Virona the Corona Came to Town" quickly became a best seller. I am so happy to have been able to create this book that has been used as an asset by educators and parents around the world to open up dialogue about the pandemic with their students and children.

Cornelia Spunk Can Learn Next to a Skunk: My original intention with this book was to encourage children to take ownership of their learning journey during a time when many bizarre learning situations arose (The Coronavirus Pandemic). Throughout the story the main character, Cornelia, learns in all kinds of situations, both realistic and silly (in her bedroom, in a car, on a broom, on Mars etc.). As the story developed, a secondary message surfaced; JUST BE YOU. As I was brainstorming how to teach children to “own their learning journey” it occurred to me that I needed to highlight the fact that everyones learning journey looks different. We are not meant to have the same experience or need the same supports. We all need different things in order to shine, and that is a beautiful thing! The sooner we embrace ourselves, the sooner we are able to own our learning journey!