Happy Two-Year Book Birthday to “It’ll be Irie”!
As I celebrate the two-year birthday of my picture book, It’ll be Irie, published in 2023 by Cardinal Rule Press, I reflect upon an interesting year of new possibilities and the promise...
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Happy Book Birthday, The Heavy Bag!
The Heavy Bag, a children's book that explores the feelings and journey of grief, was first published 4.5 years ago. However, due to the numerous foreign editions that have been...
Children’s Books About Sharing and Empowerment
Pedro the Pirate, one of our new upcoming releases, is a funny and heartwarming story about learning to trust and work with others. Pedro likes to play pirate alone until...
How to Encourage Young Writers and Illustrators
When children have a passion we want to do everything we can to support them. Here at Cardinal Rule Press, we have worked with many wonderful writers and illustrators so...
How Books Help Children Overcome Challenges
Reading books with children or having them practice reading by themselves has a myriad of benefits, the biggest being increasing their literacy. When children have a higher literacy rate, they...
5 Ways Children's Books Enhance SEL Development
Social-emotional learning, or SEL, is a type of learning that promotes the understanding and application of social and emotional skills, attitudes, and behaviors. SEL teaches children about teamwork, respect, empathy,...
The Camouflage Mom Reading List
Sarah Hovorka’s Camouflage Mom follows a young girl named Sarah as she grapples with the time her mom spends away while on deployment. As she learns new ways to connect...
Understanding Grief: Mourning and Death described through Children’s Books
When discussing death amongst children, grief and the mourning process is a difficult topic to convey. Whether it is due to the death of a close friend or family member,...
Square Pegs–How to Fit in When the World is Round
Square pegs in a round hole—an expression you may have heard before. Usually referring to someone or something that, for one reason or another, doesn’t ‘fit’. It’s a square peg...
Unleashing Joyful Imagination: Must-Read Children's Books for Endless Delight
It’s the new year and time to bask in the positivity that is circling around so many people in January. Reading looks quite different in our home these days. Gone...
Celebrating all Backgrounds through Picture Books
One of the amazing things about stories is that it provides readers the opportunity to identify aspects of themselves within the characters, or learn about characters that live a completely...
Cookie & Milk - A Sweet Deal with Cardinal Rule Press
Cookie & Milk has been out in the world since October 2019 and it’s been a great ride. When I wrote this story I knew I had something special and...
Fall is Coming, You Better Be-leaf it!
Do you know what September 23rd brings? FALL! There are many things I love about Fall. In some places, the air gets chilly and the leaves change colors, for example...
My Amazing Book Launch Month!
On July first, my picture book, “It’ll be Irie” published by Cardinal Rule Press, made its world debut. What seemed like such a far-off time back in Winter of 2022,...
Picture Books Celebrating Grandparents
I am honored today to share a few of my favorite picture books that showcase positive, loving relationships between children and grandparents. With the growing population of kids who live...
Building Bridges and Filling Buckets on International Friendship Day
Happy International Friendship Day! On this day I’m thankful for the friends I’ve had throughout my life who have been there to share a hug, laugh, or cup of coffee...
Learning About Mental Health Through Picture Books
Mental health awareness month is May, but that doesn’t mean the importance goes away in July! Teaching children about mental health struggles and ways to overcome them is crucial. Reading...
Bucket Filling: The Ins-and-Outs of Kindness
Kindness is free, but its effects are priceless. Kindness can turn a bad day into a good one, a frown into a smile, and a stranger into a friend. A...
Finding Agency with Two Sisters in Hide and Shh!
Dinah and Chloe, the two sisters in Hide and Shh! A Not-So-Sneaky Sibling Story About Inclusion, have been out in the world for two months now. I’ve been lucky enough...
Picture Books to Read for Caribbean-American Heritage Month
The summer 2023 release of our new book It’ll Be Irie, by Donn Swaby, is fast approaching. It tells the story of a young boy named Raymond who moves from...