In the important new children’s book, Bad Touching, author and retired OB/GYN Dr. Tiffanie Tate tackles the difficult topic of inappropriate touching in a way that young minds will understand.
The 32-page picture book uses simple language and lyric rhyme to tell the story of two young sisters, Lillie and Linda, who just want to make every adult happy. They live alone with their mother, and when she gets a new boyfriend, he helps take care of Lillie and Linda. He is nice at first, but that changes. Lillie and Linda learn that there are times when making everyone happy is not a good thing if it hurts them in the process. This story helps children understand and identify abusive situations and provides directions on how to seek help.
Bad Touching is Dr. Tate’s second book and is based on her personal experiences as a child. She did not disclose her abuse until she was an adult, she explained.
“My desire is to educate children about safe people they can confide in,” Dr. Tate said. “My hope is that this book will help children who are affected by abuse know they are not alone and let them know that it is all right to tell. I don’t want them to feel afraid or scared to talk about what is happening to them and wait for decades like I did.”
Then, amid her activism to help others, Dr. Tate was “badly touched” in a medical provider’s office while receiving care on January 24, 2023.
“It was a trigger that was traumatic, but instead of waiting like I did before, I immediately reached out and got the help I needed,” Dr. Tate said, adding that she reported the event to the office manager, filed a police report, and that the individual is in the process of being held accountable.
“There is still a lot to do,” she added, “but I want to be an advocate for women and children.”
About the Author
Originally from Compton, California, Dr. Tiffanie Tate is a Christian, mother, servant, listener and medically retired medical doctor. Her interest in becoming a physician began when she was in middle school, while volunteering with her church to help the homeless in Los Angeles. She saw people who were both hungry and sick. She wanted to do more than serve food. She wanted to help them in meaningful ways, so she became a physician.
Both of her biological parents were addicted to drugs. And while she never met her father, she had heard that he was homeless, and she couldn’t help but wonder whether he was one of the homeless she and her church were helping. With the loving support of her maternal family and, specifically, her maternal aunt who raised her (known as “Momtee”), Dr. Tate received the love, support and stability she needed to thrive and achieve her professional goals of becoming a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist. An injury led to her medical retirement, which inspired her to pursue her second passion: writing.
Dr. Tate is also a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served during the Global War on Terrorism. She believes in giving back and currently teaches residents by providing lectures on subjects in obstetrics and gynecology.
She is also the author of FloweTry: A Collection of 108 Poetic Flows on Life, Love, and Liturgical Issues, and the upcoming release, Little Engine Mia Sings, a children’s book that teaches about bullying and how to discourage it.
Bad Touching Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing ISBN-13: 979-8886850093 (paperback, 32 pages) Available from Amazon.com, BN.com and iTunes
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Reviews, photos, links to previous interviews and Q&As are available upon request.
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Vacation Plans Go Awry in Latest ‘Ladybug’ Adventure
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Sometimes, summer vacations don’t go exactly as planned, and in the new children’s adventure, Hillary and Malibug Beach, Hillary the Little Ladybug is eagerly anticipating her family’s trip to Malibug Beach and goes to sleep dreaming of mermaids. Are the mermaids in her dreams a hint as to what awaits her at Malibug Beach?
Co-authored by William Dandurand, Elisabeth Revel and Mary Cohen, The Adventures of Hillary the Little Ladybug series explores climate change and other topics through stories aimed at young readers. All proceeds from sales of the “Ladybug” books benefit Mother Nature Festival Live Inc., which endeavors to stop harmful climate change.
In the latest story, strange things happen that alter everything for the ladybugs. A comet explodes, and the green glow causes mutations among them. Hillary sees mermaids and vampires. The vampires try to bite Hillary and turn her into a vampire.
The King orders all castle workers back to the castle, and the family must leave their vacation early. Hillary ends up back home in her bed but has strange dreams. Oh well, tomorrow will be another day. Hillary says her night prayers with her mom and falls into a restful sleep.
Some familiar figures have appeared in the Hillary the Ladybug series, such as Bigfoot, Tiny Tim and the King. Hillary’s own name sounds a bit like a famous person who has expressed concerns about climate change.
The series features original illustrations, photography and playfully educational storylines to tell adventurous children’s tales from the perspective of a precocious ladybug.
A team of authors and illustrators have collaborated on this 16-book series, including Mary Cohen, Elisabeth Revel, Gary Revel, Naomi Kiber and William Dandurand, whose grandfather, Ray Lowe, worked for Disney.
In previous episodes of the Hillary the Ladybug saga, our heroine has solved the mystery of the secret cave, found herself in a post-nuclear world, joined the crew on a submarine, faced giant sharks, encountered a haunted castle, met the King of England, imagined herself as a queen, learned a valuable life lesson from a praying mantis and, in this new book, deals with challenges during a vacation with her family to Malibug Beach (no, not Malibu Beach, don’t be silly!).
The original illustration of Hillary the Little Ladybug was created by American-born Gary Revel Jr., a 2006 Finnish Star Winner who lived in Finland for 16 years. Revel Jr. has received acclaim for his singing, dancing and acting in Finland and Hollywood, California.
“The Adventures of Hillary the Little Ladybug is in development at Jongleur Pictures LLC for the making of an animated series to be produced by Jeff Olm,” says Gary Revel. “Jeff has been on the film-making team of many top-grossing films over the last 20 years. These include Titanic, The Revenant, Shrek Forever After, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and many more.”
Jongleur Books publishes other William Dandurand-authored books, including ABC Owl: Who Are You, Lochy the Loch Ness Monster, Harry the Fairy, Global Warming A to Z, Halloween A to Z, California Girls A – Z, Treasure Stories Told by My Grandfather and Hillary and the Haunted Castle. The publishing company’s backlist includes over 70 books, novels and chapter books from over 20 authors and illustrators.
For more information about how the Hillary the Little Ladybug series is helping to stop global warming, visit https://mothernaturefestival.live.
Also visit https://garyrevel.com/book/, or follow the publisher on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jongleurbooks. The Adventures of Hillary the Little Ladybug series is available from Amazon.com.
Trish Stevens Jaqueline Cooper Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone
Story of Precocious Ballerina Sparks Joie de Vivre in the Hearts of Young Readers
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With a turn of her tutu and a playful plié, precocious 6-year-old ballerina Lilly Nilly dances her way into readers’ hearts with a joie de vivre that will entertain and inspire kids and adults alike in the delightful new children’s book, Pardon My French – It’s the Language of Ballet: The Adventures of Lilly Nilly.
From the creative mind of real-life former NYC-based dancer and choreographer Nancy Paris, Pardon My French takes young readers inside the mind of a spunky, determined young dance student whose self-appointed mission is to figure out what the heck ballet –– and coincidentally life –– are all about.
Lilly Nilly sees the world in a unique way and delivers her humorous, offbeat observations with childlike honesty. She wears her curiosity on her sleeve and asks burning questions like, “Why can’t you hang upside down on a ballet barre if it looks just like an ordinary bar?” Or, “If you’re going to travel in a carpool, should you wear a bathing suit?”
“Young readers will find Lilly’s stories funny and very relatable, especially if they are ballet students themselves,” Paris said. “Adults will find her sharp wit and strong-willed spirit a charming reminder of just how empowering a joyful approach to life can be.”
Pardon My French – It’s the Language of Ballet is complete with illustrations that only Lilly Nilly could have drawn — with a little help from Paris, of course, who used her own experiences as a professional dancer and teacher to inform her narrative. Her mission, Paris said, is to encourage all readers to trust their instincts, seek their own answers, and be kind to all.
“I want people to know that although it was written as a children’s book, I always had an adult audience in mind,” Paris added. “And — it’s funny!”
Author Nancy Paris is an alumna of The Juilliard School and has performed professionally across the U.S. and Canada. As a dancemaker, she has choreographed industrials and private events in New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Palm Springs and Puerto Rico. Most of the incidents in her stories are based on personal experience, with the names changed to protect the innocent.
Paris lives in Manhattan with her husband, Charles Yurick, and loves writing and drawing because she can do it sitting down! Pardon My French is the first of at least three books in The Adventures of Lilly Nilly series.
For more information, please visit www.lillynilly.com, or connect with Paris on Facebook at @adventures.of.lilly.nilly.
Pardon My French – It’s the Language of Ballet: The Adventures of Lilly Nilly ISBN-10: 0578316889 ISBN-13: 978-0578316888 Available from Amazon.com
Trish Stevens Julie Henderson Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone
Penguin Who Dreams of Flying Lifts Children’s Spirit of Adventure
“A Penguin’s Quest is an uncommon, spirited picture book in which an unconventional penguin’s daring decisions inspire her friends.” – Foreword Reviews
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Young readers can take a journey with Ingrid the penguin as she ventures from her home in Antarctica in search of a mythic place where it’s said a penguin can learn to fly in the enthralling children’s tale, A Penguin’s Quest.
Ingrid’s story begins as she heeds advice from some seriously lost NYC pigeons and sets out determined to accomplish something that no other penguin has ever done. A globe-trotting, epic journey ensues, with a cast of colorful characters that includes sea captains, Penn Station rats, a trip inside the NYC pigeon underworld and a ski instructor named Klaus. The mystery of Ingrid’s destination holds the answers as this intrepid penguin is on the verge of a discovery that could rock the penguin world.
Brought to life by author (and world-renowned photographer) Scott McDermott, with illustrations by Christine Anderson, this engaging adventure about pursuing a dream, no matter how improbable it may seem, unfolds like a short, animated film and culminates in a wonderful end. Written for children with a reading age level of grades 2-3, A Penguin’s Quest is a perfect early reader chapter book in a picture book format.
Author Scott McDermott grew up in Switzerland, backpacked through the American West, and trekked the Himalayas before spending the last 25 years as a commercial photographer and filmmaker in New York City. He has photographed many of the most influential figures in Hollywood, the music industry, business and government, along with directing a feature film and many commercials. McDermott recently started writing children’s fiction, inspired by the stories he made up to tell his own children. He is also learning to play bass guitar, primarily to back up his son on guitar.
Illustrator Christine Anderson is a Senior level Illustrator and Surface Pattern Designer based in Scottsdale, Arizona. She received a BFA in Graphic Design/Illustration from Drake University and has worked in commercial design for over 20 years. Though she had a successful career as a muralist and furniture designer, as well as being commissioned by corporations such as Learnin’ Tree, American Express, Hobby Lobby, Trader Joe’s, Michaels’s, QT Fabrics and Boston International, Anderson longed for her drawing board. She decided to refocus and get back to her true love, illustrating, with children’s books being part of her journey.
Or find them on Instagram (@Apenguinsquest_book; @scottmcdermott_; @christineandersondraws; or @Notablekidspublishing), Twitter (@ScottMcdermott_) or Facebook (scott.mcdermott.33).
A Penguin’s Quest Publisher: Notable Kids Publishing Publication Date: February 2, 2022 ISBN-10: 1733354859 ISBN-13: 978-1733354851 Available from Amazon.com and BN.com
A Meaningful Message for Early Readers: Now What? Celebrates Gift of the Present
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From the creators of the critically-acclaimed It’s Just So… book series comes the gift of imagination with the playful new children’s book Now What?. Award-winning author Brenda Faatz and illustrator Peter Trimarco craft humor and mindfulness into a picture book that speaks to young and old alike.
Now What? celebrates friendship, whimsy and the power of good old-fashioned, screen-free fun through the adventures of precocious, redhead Lizzy, her amusing animal sidekick, and Luna, a new neighbor from the Caribbean, as they discover ways to entertain themselves through an otherwise very gray day!
The contagiously enthusiastic Lizzy and her story spring to life, with lyrical rhyme, colorful illustrations, and playful onomatopoeia. There are new friends, new discoveries, and the new realization that often, the best of times are “right now.”
Written with young children ages 4 to 8 in mind, Now What? has been praised by Kirkus Reviews as “A lively, innovative story of friendship that encourages readers to think creatively
With its subtle yet effective messaging, Now What? is an engaging picture walk for little ones, a fun read-aloud for older kiddos, and gives readers of all ages a little something to giggle and think about.
Brenda Faatz has an undeniable connection with children. Some say it’s because they instinctively know “one of their own.” A graduate of the University of Northern Colorado with a degree in Musical Theatre, Brenda is a professional singer, dancer, actor, writer and director. Having established herself on stages from Minneapolis to Aspen, Boulder and Denver, Brenda has turned her talents to creating fresh content for youngsters. She has penned music, lyrics and scripts for original musical theatre works for children and is the founder and director of the Notable Kids Arts Center in Denver. While collaborating with her husband and illustrator Peter Trimarco, Brenda has authored the award-winning It’s Just So … children’s book series.
Peter Trimarco started his professional doodling career as an editorial cartoonist before turning to commercial art and designing packaging for both the film and music industries. Along the way, he also established himself on the business side of music as an executive producer and creative director on over 40 productions, with two going on to garner Grammy nominations. Currently focusing on children’s book publishing, he is on the Board of IBPA and is serving as President of the CIPA Education and Literacy Foundation in Colorado. In addition to designing album covers and book covers, he is the illustrator of Ella McBella In The Dark by Laura Pells, and the It’s Just So … book series.
Now What? Publisher: Notable Kids Publishing ISBN-10: 1733354824 ISBN-13: 978-1733354820 Available from Bookshop.org, BN.com, Indiebound.org, Amazon.com, and distributed through Independent Publishers Group.
Trish Stevens Kelly Newsome Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone
Help Children Celebrate the Limitless Power of Their Imaginations
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Does the phrase, “I’m bored,” play like a broken record in your house? When children grow tired of their toys, or foul weather keeps them indoors, it’s the perfect time to encourage them to expand their world of play by tapping into the boundless creativity of their daydreams.
Tommy is a little boy who does exactly that in the whimsically warm and wonderful new book Mr. Sunnyside: Imagination from author CK Gregory. When young readers are introduced to Tommy, he is stuck at home on a rainy day. There is nothing to do; his mother is busy making breakfast; and Tommy has grown bored with his toys. What will he do to entertain himself?
An “eggstraordinary” character named Mr. Sunnyside appears before Tommy’s eyes and takes him on one adventure after another. Tommy is the only person who can see Mr. Sunnyside, and he’s the only one who needs to, in this charming story that gives new meaning to the power of an active imagination.
With clever wordplay, colorful illustrations and subtle lessons, Mr. Sunnyside: Imagination shares the story of a delicate egg who enters Tommy’s life as a play friend and turns Tommy’s mood from blue to “eggcellent!”
Written for ages 5 to 10, Mr. Sunnyside shows young audiences that there is an “eggciting” alternative to screen time: the power of their own minds.
Author CK Gregory worked in many areas of theater and the media, both in front and behind the scenes. Now, he is embarking on a new career as a children’s author. Mr. Sunnyside: Imagination is his first book in a series of “eggstra” adventures to come!
“The world can seem, at times, scrambled,” Gregory said. “I hope my egg friends will set good ‘eggsamples’ for the readers and help children stay on the Sunnyside.”
World’s No. 1 STEAM Program Launches New STEM/STEAM Book Series
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“This is a great STEAM-infused addition to the fiction section of any elementary or middle school library.” — School Library Journal
With 120 franchise locations and a cumulative audience of 5 million children and thousands of schools, Challenge Island has been providing kids with award-winning STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) learning adventures through field trips, afterschool enrichment classes, summer camps, scout workshops and family nights for almost two decades. On National Stem Day (Nov. 8), the magic of the world’s No. 1 STEAM program will combine with the magic of reading to launch the first book in the Challenge Island STEAM book series.
The Bridge to Sharktooth Island: A Challenge Island STEAM Adventure (West Margin Press) is written by award-winning educator Sharon Duke Estroff M.A.T. (founder and CEO of Challenge Island and author of Can I Have a Cell Phone for Hanukkah?, Penguin Random House); and award-winning author Joel Ross (Alley and Rex, Simon & Schuster; Fog Diver, HarperCollins; Beast & Crown, HarperCollins); and illustrated by Monica de Rivas (The Grumbles, Hatchette; Hello, Future Me, Scholastic; Big Bad Wolfsville, HarperCollins).
The Bridge to Sharktooth Island artfully intertwines action-packed fantasy with real-life engineering as cautious Daniel, his brave cousin Joy and their studious new friend Kimani find themselves suddenly stranded on a mysterious island surrounded by sharks. The kids find clues hidden around the island and realize that if they want to escape, they’ll have to work together to build the strongest bridge they can to get to safety! The characters return in the back of the book, where they speak directly and intimately to the reader, sharing engineering tidbits learned during their adventure, cool shark facts from Kimani’s notebook, and fun STEAM activities kids can do at home, including building a bridge, mixing up a blue slime ocean and designing ferocious paper sharks.
Making the Challenge Island book series even more groundbreaking is the fact that readers can experience the same STEAM adventures as the characters in the story in real life, through one of Challenge Island’s 120 franchise locations. For example, on National STEM Day, Stephanie Edwards, owner of Challenge Island Gilbert, AZ, will be running a Bridge to Sharktooth Island book launch celebration and field trip for 350 6th grade students at the American Leadership Academy. Edwards worked closely with the charter school’s leadership to create an unforgettable engineering adventure complete with balloon arches in the gymnasium, a professional photographer and a copy of The Bridge to Sharktooth Island for every student.
“As an educator, an author, a mom, and the creator of the Challenge Island program and curriculum, the release of the first book in the Challenge Island book series is among the proudest moments of my entire career,” says Sharon Duke Estroff, founder and CEO of Challenge Island Global. “But more importantly, I truly believe that this is exactly what kids need in this moment in time. What better way to reignite a child’s love of learning than by turning a beloved STEAM enrichment program into a fantastical new book series? And — for the millions more children who will first come to know Challenge Island inside the pages of this book — to see that magical story come to life, not only in their imaginations, but in the real world!”
The Bridge to Sharktooth Island: A Challenge Island STEAM Adventure Release Date: November 2, 2021 Publisher: West Margin Press ISBN-10: 1513289535 ISBN-13: 978-1513289533 Available from Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Target.com, Walmart.com and everywhere books are sold
Trish Stevens Rebecca Brown Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone
