Music Minute - Mandy Faye: My Friends

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Mandy Faye (they/them), formerly Music With Mandy, the beloved Calgary-based children’s artist best described as “The Wiggles meets Diana Krall” – is thrilled to announce the release of their new album, ‘My Friends,’ out now. A richly layered journey through the many facets of friendship, the album travels across jazz, swing, bossa nova, and beyond, showcasing Mandy’s signature gift for crafting music that delights children while pulling grown-ups into the joy right alongside them.

Recorded with an all-star ensemble of Alberta’s finest jazz and children’s musicians – including Matt Morris on piano, Kodi Hutchinson on bass, Jim Johnston on drums, André Wickenheiser on cornet, Carsten Rubeling on trombone, Keith O’Rourke on clarinet, and even Bob Fenske on spoons – ‘My Friends’ is a genuine collaborative achievement. Each track is a carefully crafted invitation into a world where imagination, kindness, and togetherness take centre stage. From the rollicking energy of “Sugar Rush” to the tender warmth of “A Little Time,” the album pulses with authenticity and genuine musical sophistication – the kind that earns it a rightful place on grown-up playlists, too.

The heart of the album is community – the kind that forms across distances, across differences, and across kitchen tables laden with holiday food. The track “Celebrate Over Supper” captures this spirit with vivid warmth: “We’ll celebrate over supper / Laughin’, eatin’, talkin’ with friends / Celebrate over supper / Then we go play in the den.” The song was inspired by Mandy’s upbringing as a “Misplaced Manitoban” in Medicine Hat, Alberta – where their family, far from extended relatives, built a chosen family of friends who gathered each Christmas to share traditional foods, hot tub misadventures, and the particular magic of belonging. It is storytelling that resonates across generations.

That theme of connection across distance runs beautifully through “Travelling,” one of the album’s most tender moments. Drawn from Mandy’s own experience of a family scattered across Canada – with parents in Manitoba and a brother in the Yukon – the song captures the pull of the road trip and the joy waiting at the end of it: “I’d drive all day long / And some of the night / Cross the miles between us / So we can reunite.” It is a song that speaks to anyone who has ever counted the kilometres to someone they love – and it lands with resonance for young listeners navigating friendships across school transitions, neighbourhoods, and life changes.

Mandy Faye’s path to becoming one of Canada’s most distinctive children’s artists is as singular as their sound. Grounded in jazz studies at MacEwan University and honed through years of teaching music across Alberta – they are currently a vocal instructor with the Calgary Stampede’s Young Canadians School and an early childhood music instructor at Chinook School of Music – Mandy brings a rare educator’s intentionality to every song they write. Their performances have captivated audiences at the International Children’s Festival for the Arts, Red Deer Children’s Festival, JazzYYC, Calgary Pride, and the National Music Centre, earning multiple YYC Music Award nominations and a WCMA nod along the way. Beginning in early April, Mandy is also releasing weekly interdisciplinary lesson plans that are aligned with Alberta Curriculum on their YouTube channel to help Alberta teachers bring music curriculum alive – a testament to their belief that music education is not a supplement but a foundation.

“Kids’ music has the power to be nostalgic and innovative at the same time,” says Mandy. “I get to write songs that inspire the next generation, while also creating moments where adults can reconnect with joy and play alongside their kids. What could be better than that?” ‘My Friends’ is the fullest expression of that philosophy to date – an album conceived in the spirit of togetherness and built in collaboration with some of Alberta’s most gifted musicians. Songs like “Vacation in the Stars” and “Sugar Rush,” which grew out of songwriting sessions with young collaborators, have already inspired Mandy to launch a songwriting workshop that has been presented dozens of times across Canada, proving the music’s capacity to spark creativity in kids everywhere.

To celebrate the release, Mandy Faye will bring ‘My Friends’ to stages across Alberta this spring. The album release concert takes place May 3, 2026 at cSpace King Edward in Calgary, followed by performances at the International Children’s Festival of the Arts in St. Albert on May 29–30, and the inaugural Chestermere Children’s Festival on June 20. These shows promise to be everything Mandy Faye does best – high-energy, heartfelt, and utterly magnetic for audiences of all ages.

ABOUT MANDY FAYE

Mandy Faye (they/them) is equal parts musician, educator, and coffee. Best described as The Wiggles meets Diana Krall, their high-energy stage presence and thoughtful songwriting have won the hearts of audiences across Canada. Nominated for multiple YYC Music Awards and a WCMA, Mandy performs as both a children’s entertainer and a jazz-rooted educator, with an ongoing commitment to making music accessible and transformative for young audiences and the teachers who guide them.

TOUR DATES

May 3, 2026 – Album Release Concert | cSpace King Edward | Calgary, Alberta. Tickets here.

May 4, 2026 – Album Release Concert I cSpace King Edward | Calgary, Alberta. Tickets here.

May 29–30, 2026 – International Children’s Festival of the Arts | St. Albert, Alberta

June 20, 2026 – Chestermere Children’s Festival | Chestermere, Alberta

Music Minute - Laurie Berkner: Walking With The Penguins

Five years in coming, and now it’s here! Beloved children’s musician Laurie Berkner is back with her 18th album, Walking With The Penguins, set for release June 26, 2026.

Walking With The Penguins abounds with many new Laurie Berkner songs never before featured on her albums. Sixteen catchy originals by “the queen of kids’ music” are showcased in this much-anticipated collection that encourages curiosity, movement, and singing along.

“I am extremely excited to release this album!” says Laurie Berkner. “I really love these new songs, and the feedback I’ve received on the tracks has already been overwhelmingly positive. I love the combination of interactive, silly, and educational content that runs throughout the album, and it makes me very eager to sing them all live, in concert. I’m also thrilled that listeners will get to experience the talent of all the wonderful musicians who collaborated with me, because they helped to make the songs sound so good.”

Album Highlights:

The rocking “Walking With The Penguins” overflows with irresistibly interactive penguin fun. Little “penguins” might try to stop, but they won’t be able to keep from flapping and tapping when they hear the beat of this catchy song. Laurie says, “The idea behind this movement song for kids is to explore the tension between being a child who is trying to sit still (as they are asked to do) and the undeniable impulse to get up and move. Now I’m just waiting for the ‘Penguin Walk’ to become a viral TikTok dance!”

“Four Seasons” takes Laurie and popular Australian children’s music group, Lah-Lah, on a cheerful trip through the sounds and seasons of the year. Laurie leads kids in listening for the special sounds of winter, spring, summer, and fall, as they tap their heads, noses, shoulders, and knees, and sing along.

Kids will go bananas for the rollicking “Everyone’s Demanding Bananas,” and no matter whether they say “banana” or “banahna,” they’ll want to hear it again and again.  This lively song is already an organic fan favorite.

Laurie bops to the beat of “Big Baby Go Boom,” which features stellar contributions from NYC “A-list” horn players Tony Kadlek (trumpet) and Dave Mann (sax), with Laurie Berkner Band members Bob Golden on drums, Leslie Mendelson on keys, and Winston Roye on bass. Lap-sit babies and their grown-ups will love grooving along with Laurie!

About Laurie Berkner:

Quadruple platinum artist Laurie Berkner is a singer, songwriter, lyricist, author, and founder of Two Tomatoes Records, L.L.C. With more than 1.7 billion total streams, an average of more than 22 million monthly streams, more than 595 million YouTube channel views, and millions of albums, songs, and DVDs sold, Laurie’s songs have become beloved classics for children worldwide.

Business Insider dubbed Laurie “the gold standard of the children’s music world.” As a leader and innovator in children’s music and entertainment for nearly 30 years, Laurie has released 17 bestselling, award-winning albums, was the first recording artist ever to perform in music videos on Noggin and Nick Jr., appeared regularly on those channels’ Jack’s Big Music Show, and helped develop the short form animated musical preschool series Sing It, Laurie! on Universal Kids (formerly Sprout TV). She has made multiple appearances on such national TV shows as Today, Good Morning America, Live with Kelly and Ryan, The Tamron Hall Show, and more.

Laurie has authored several picture books based on her songs and created two Laurie Berkner’s Song and Story Kitchen series with Audible Studios. She has written the music and lyrics for three children’s musicals originally produced Off-Broadway by New York City Children’s Theater and now presented regionally. Laurie maintains a busy nationwide touring schedule, both solo and with The Laurie Berkner Band, and has performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the White House, among many other prestigious venues. She is prominently featured in the children’s music documentary Happy and You Know It, available on HBO Max.

Laurie Berkner has received tremendous critical acclaim. USA Today named Laurie “the undisputed queen of kindie rock.” The New York Times dubbed her “the Adele of the preschool crowd.” The Wall Street Journal called Laurie “one of the most popular children’s performers in America … her music is distinctive because it speaks to kids without talking down to them, charming youngsters without boring grownups.” NPR’s All Things Considered declared, “Laurie Berkner is like a goddess to these children.”

Walking With The Penguins will be available for digital download on iTunes and Amazon Digital and on CD at Amazon, Laurie Berkner concerts, and on Laurie's website HERE.

Laurie Berkner Performance Highlights May - November 2026

May 3 - Peekskill, NY - Paramount Hudson Valley

May 16 - San Francisco, CA - Palace of Fine Arts

May 17 - Los Angeles, CA - The Autry in Griffith Park

June 13 - Columbia, SC - Koger Center for the Arts

July 11 - Toronto, ON - Queen Elizabeth Theatre

July 12 - Detroit, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre

August 1 - Highland Park, IL - Ravinia Festival

August 2 - Bloomington, IL - Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts

August 23 - Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater

September 13 - Cary, NC - Koka Booth Amphitheatre

October 3 - Rochester, NY - The Theatre at Innovation Square

October 4 - Buffalo, NY - Buffalo State Performing Arts Center

October 24 - Concord, NH - Capitol Center for the Arts

November 8 - Tucson, AZ - Fox Tucson Theatre

Book Nook - Queen Bea

Beatrice was born to be queen … literally.

But can a Queen Bee have a mind full of fuzz, jelly, and mistakes?
Inside the hive, everything hums with an order that Bea cannot quite understand. So she escapes into a world that's warm and wide and QUIET.
There, with a little courage (and one glowing friend), she learns that even the most different of minds can shine.

www.queenbeabook.com

www.scottevandavis.com

Available on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Walmart.com, IngramSpark and major retailers.

Book Nook - Silly Silly Sock Monster

Big-kid jobs such as laundry can be made into silly adventures with a little playfulness and imagination. With a background in Early Childhood Education and Linguistics, author Amy Dost introduces her new children's picture book, "Silly, Silly Sock Monster," designed to bring children into the fold of ordinary household tasks and responsibilities.

This book introduces readers to the everyday mystery we have all experienced: sock matches going missing on laundry day. With playful rhythm and memorable rhymes, readers follow a young boy through colorful illustrations as he helps with family laundry and notices socks disappearing. Mom blames the mischievous "Sock Monster," and soon the whole family is mismatched or barefoot. The boy is determined to not give up until he finds the missing socks.

"I've had this idea since my early 20s, after living on my own and realizing that socks always go missing, no matter how organized you are," Dost says. "Growing up in a house of nine, I thought the sheer volume of socks was the reason, but soon I realized everyone is visited by this mystery I called the sock monster."

Crafted for kids and families, Dost invites readers to embrace humor and whimsy as they tackle chores and challenges. An ideal pick for story time at home or in young classrooms.

"I wanted to create a story that's fun," says Dost. "Where kids can laugh and imagine but also see that even everyday routines can spark curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving."

Available at Archway Publishing, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the author

Amy Dost has a background in early childhood education and linguistics. As a natural lover of books, she enjoys reading aloud to children and is always creating rhymes and songs throughout the day with her son. To learn more, please visit www.sillysillysockmonster.com

Money Matters - Best & Worst States for Working Moms

With Mother’s Day approaching and 74% of women with children under 18 participating in the labor force in 2025, personal-finance company WalletHub has released its report on 2026’s Best & Worst States for Working Moms, as well as expert commentary.

To highlight the states that offer the strongest support for mothers in the workforce, WalletHub analyzed all 50 states and the District of Columbia using 17 key metrics. The data set includes factors such as women’s median salaries, female unemployment rates, and the quality of day-care options.
 

Best States for Working Moms		Worst States for Working Moms
1. Connecticut		42. Idaho
2. Massachusetts		43. Texas
3. Rhode Island		44. West Virginia
4. New Jersey		45. South Carolina
5. Vermont		46. Arizona
6. Maine		47. Nevada
7. Minnesota		48. Mississippi
8. District of Columbia		49. New Mexico
9. New York		50. Alabama
10. North Dakota		51. Louisiana

 
Best vs. Worst

• South Dakota has the lowest child-care costs as a share of the median women’s salary, which is 1.9 times lower than in New York, the highest.
   
• North Dakota has the highest number of childcare workers per 1,000 children younger than 14, which is eight times higher than in Washington, the lowest.
   
• Iowa has the highest ratio of female executives to male executives, which is 3.9 times higher than in Utah, the lowest.
   
• New Hampshire has the lowest share of single-mom families with children younger than 18 in poverty, which is two times lower than in Louisiana, the highest.

To view the full report and your state or the District’s rank, please visit: 
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-states-for-working-moms/3565

 
“The U.S. still has a lot of work to do when it comes to improving conditions for working moms, given the wage gap and the lack of representation women have in certain leadership positions. However, some states are significantly better than others. The best states for working moms provide equitable pay for women and a strong potential for career advancement, along with robust parental leave policies and high-quality child care, health care, and schools.”
–
“Connecticut ranks as the best state for working moms, and it had some of the lowest unemployment rates for women last year, at just 2.7%. It also has a small gender pay gap, with women earning over 89% of what men make, the fourth-highest rate in the country highlighting the state's commitment to pay equity and economic opportunities for women. Finally, Connecticut has very good parental-leave policies and is among the best places in the country for working from home.”

- Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst


Expert Commentary

What can companies do to help working parents balance their home and work life?

“Companies can provide working parents with pay that is high enough to cover child care costs, while also providing as much flexibility as possible, especially for family medical leave.”
Rachel Wu, Ph.D. – Associate Professor, University of California, Riverside
 
“Affordable child care is key for working parents. Companies that provide or support child care are an enormous aid for working parents. Flexibility in work hours and remote work options, at least on some days, also assist working parents in dealing with child care, medical appointments, and school events.”
Ann C. Hodges – Professor Emerita, University of Richmond
 

What careers are the most difficult and the easiest for balancing work and family?

“Any job that requires very strict schedules, especially ones that interfere with daycare/school drop-off and pick-up times, as well as requiring a lot of travel will put a strain on parents, especially moms.”
Rachel Wu, Ph.D. – Associate Professor, University of California, Riverside
 
“Careers that provide flexibility for working parents are the easiest for balancing work and family. That flexibility may come with the career itself or…with a career that offers a variety of work options, some with flexibility. Nursing, for example, offers a variety of job options, some which provide flexibility and some which do not. In particular careers, the employer will make the difference, as some employers will provide the needed flexibility while others may not. In other careers, regardless of employer, the career option offers little flexibility. Jobs that require physical presence on the job site for specific hours, particularly for hours when children are unlikely to be in school or day care, are the most difficult to manage. Careers with evening or weekend work hours, however, may enable one parent to work those hours while another works standard work hours, minimizing the need for child care.”
Ann C. Hodges – Professor Emerita, University of Richmond
 

What steps should policymakers take to support working mothers’ labor force participation and address disparities between men and women in the labor market?

“Universal/heavily subsidized daycare (similar to the German model), guaranteed and highly flexible maternity and paternity leave, more childcare/fertility incentives/benefits.”
Rachel Wu, Ph.D. – Associate Professor, University of California, Riverside
 
“In recent years some states, in addition to requiring equal pay for equal work based on gender, have enacted other laws designed to encourage gender equity. Two examples are pay transparency laws, which require job ads or postings to specify the pay or pay range, and laws prohibiting prospective employers from asking about prior salary. Enacting such laws where they don’t exist, and providing robust public enforcement of all laws requiring or supporting pay equity, would support working mothers and reduce pay disparities. Many employees, especially low wage employees, cannot find attorneys to file and litigate claims for violation of these laws. Nevertheless, it is important to provide for a private right of action to enforce these laws, in addition to public enforcement. Where the likelihood of enforcement is limited, compliance with these laws is not encouraged. Similarly, paid leave laws should be enacted for both parents after birth and for illness of the employee or a family member. Only a small number of states have such laws at present. As with gender equity laws, enforcement is important and both robust public enforcement and a private right of action for those with the resources to hire counsel will aid in compliance. Finally subsidies and/or tax credits for child care will also be of significant benefit to working parents.”
Ann C. Hodges – Professor Emerita, University of Richmond


More From WalletHub

• Best & Worst States for Women
• Best & Worst Places to Raise a Family
• Best & Worst States to Have a Baby
• Best Places to Get Married

Book Nook - George the Mouse in a Log Pile House

In author Rebecca Atanassova and illustrator Alissa Hansen’s upcoming children’s book, readers follow an adventurous mouse named George searching for the place where he belongs. Inspired by the true tale of an English wildlife photographer and his wild mouse friend, George the Mouse in a Log Pile House reminds readers that friends come in all shapes and sizes, kindness connects hearts, and each new day holds a bit of wonder.

Always follow your whiskers. Your whiskers will lead you home… 

Join George the Mouse on his big adventure through the wide world to find the place where he belongs. George the Mouse in a Log Pile House reminds readers that friends come in all shapes and sizes, kindness connects hearts, and each new day holds a bit of wonder. The book is inspired by the true tale of an English wildlife photographer, Simon Dell, and his wild mouse friend, George, who popped up in his back garden one sunny day. As featured in People magazine and media worldwide, George the Mouse and his log pile house have charmed fans online with its handcrafted scenes and the playful antics of the mice who live in Log Pile Village. 

George the Mouse in a Log Pile House is a timeless bridge between the very real Log Pile Village beloved on social media and the boundless world of imagination. 

May the adventures begin… 

Book Nook - Since You’re Mortal: Life Lessons from the Lost Greek Plays

In Since You’re Mortal: Life Lessons from the Lost Greek Plays (W.W. Norton; May 5, 2026), Bard College classicist James Romm, PhD.  gathers newly translated passages from ancient tragedies and comedies preserved because a fifth-century compiler, Stobaeus, excerpted them as moral guidance for his son.

The result is not a philosophical treatise but something arguably older and sharper: dramatic ethics in short, concise, witty statements that hold a universal observation about life.  Organized by themes such as courage, love, luck, grief, justice, and public life, these brief, powerful passages read like timeless commencement counsel. Honest about hardship yet clear about character, this is a humanities-rooted gift for graduates stepping into an uncertain world.

James Romm is available for interviews starting April 28, 2026.  If there is interest, please respond with a date/time for the interview and a mailing address to send the book in April when it is available.  We will send a PDF immediately.

The excerpts are brief, memorable, and discussion-ready, ideal for commencement reflections, graduation gift guides, or end-of-year reading lists.

Passages and fragments include lines such as:

• “The mind sees and the mind hears; all else is deaf and blind.”
• “Seeing you’re human, don’t ask for a painless life… ask instead for surpassing courage.”
• “If Fortune exists, there is no need of gods.”

The advice invites graduates to wrestle with resilience, self-knowledge, responsibility, and the unpredictability of adult life. Because these lines come from plays originally performed before the citizens of Athens, where drama served as a public forum for ethical and political debate, they offer a natural bridge to conversations about civic responsibility, intellectual humility, and entering public life.

Dr. Romm has spent decades immersed in Greek and Roman culture and civilization and is one of today’s most respected classicists in America. He is the James H. Ottaway Jr. Professor of Classics at Bard College and the author of numerous acclaimed books, including Plato and the Tyrant, Ghost on the Throne, and Dying Every Day. His essays and reviews have appeared in The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and The London Review of Books.

About James Romm:  https://www.jamesromm.com/
James Romm is the James H. Ottaway Jr. Professor of Classics at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. He specializes in ancient Greek and Roman culture and civilization and is the author of numerous acclaimed books, including Plato and the Tyrant, Ghost on the Throne, and Dying Every Day. In addition to writing narrative history, he has edited and translated major works of classical literature for modern readers, helping bring the ancient world into contemporary conversation.

Romm’s reviews and essays have appeared in The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, The London Review of Books, The Daily Beast, and other publications. His honors include a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Birkelund Fellowship at the Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Writers and Scholars at the New York Public Library, and a Biography Fellowship at the Leon Levy Center for Biography at the City University of New York.

Book Nook - Since You’re Mortal: Life Lessons from the Lost Greek Plays

In Since You’re Mortal: Life Lessons from the Lost Greek Plays (W.W. Norton; May 5, 2026), Bard College classicist James Romm, PhD.  gathers newly translated passages from ancient tragedies and comedies preserved because a fifth-century compiler, Stobaeus, excerpted them as moral guidance for his son.

The result is not a philosophical treatise but something arguably older and sharper: dramatic ethics in short, concise, witty statements that hold a universal observation about life.  Organized by themes such as courage, love, luck, grief, justice, and public life, these brief, powerful passages read like timeless commencement counsel. Honest about hardship yet clear about character, this is a humanities-rooted gift for graduates stepping into an uncertain world.

The advice invites graduates to wrestle with resilience, self-knowledge, responsibility, and the unpredictability of adult life. Because these lines come from plays originally performed before the citizens of Athens, where drama served as a public forum for ethical and political debate, they offer a natural bridge to conversations about civic responsibility, intellectual humility, and entering public life.

I had a chance to learn more in this interview.

How did Greek drama serve a role as moral education?

In classical Athens, drama was more than entertainment. Tragedies and comedies were performed before large civic audiences during religious festivals, where citizens gathered to watch stories that explored questions about justice, power, responsibility, and the limits of human control. Through mythic narratives and striking lines of verse, playwrights such as Sophocles, Euripides, and Menander invited audiences to reflect on human conduct and the consequences of choice.

The fragments preserved in Since You’re Mortal show how these plays often condensed their moral insight into memorable lines. Such statements lingered in the mind and circulated beyond the theater, shaping how people thought about fortune, character, and the conditions of human life.

What can modern students learn from ancient Greek plays?

The Greek dramatists were deeply interested in the problem of how to live under conditions we cannot fully control. Their characters confront ambition, love, loss, injustice, and mortality—experiences that remain familiar today.

What students often discover in these plays is a form of wisdom that does not promise easy solutions. Instead, the poets emphasize courage, moderation, self-knowledge, and an awareness of how quickly fortune can change. Even brief fragments can capture this perspective with striking clarity, reminding us that the ancient stage was a place where human vulnerability was examined with honesty and precision.

Why is it important to recognize lesser-known tragedies and comedies, even if we only have excerpts?

Only a small portion of Greek drama survives in complete form. While a handful of plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes were copied and preserved, hundreds of others disappeared over time. In many cases, the only traces of these works survive as quotations preserved by later writers.

Even a single line can preserve the voice of a lost play. These fragments broaden our understanding of the ancient theatrical tradition and remind us that what we possess today represents only a small remnant of what once existed. By recovering these scattered pieces, we glimpse the wider range of ideas and perspectives that animated the Greek stage.

Dr. Romm has spent decades immersed in Greek and Roman culture and civilization and is one of today’s most respected classicists in America. He is the James H. Ottaway Jr. Professor of Classics at Bard College and the author of numerous acclaimed books, including Plato and the Tyrant, Ghost on the Throne, and Dying Every Day. His essays and reviews have appeared in The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and The London Review of Books.

About James Romm:  https://www.jamesromm.com/
James Romm is the James H. Ottaway Jr. Professor of Classics at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. He specializes in ancient Greek and Roman culture and civilization and is the author of numerous acclaimed books, including Plato and the Tyrant, Ghost on the Throne, and Dying Every Day. In addition to writing narrative history, he has edited and translated major works of classical literature for modern readers, helping bring the ancient world into contemporary conversation.

Romm’s reviews and essays have appeared in The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, The London Review of Books, The Daily Beast, and other publications. His honors include a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Birkelund Fellowship at the Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Writers and Scholars at the New York Public Library, and a Biography Fellowship at the Leon Levy Center for Biography at the City University of New York.

Book Nook - Ezekiel’s Volcano: A Story About Calming Big Feelings and Finding Your Inner Rainbow

Assistant Principal and former early-childhood educator Ana Angelica Teodoro teaches young children a calming breathing activity in her colorful debut picturebook, “Ezekiel’s Volcano: A Story About Calming Big Feelings and Finding Your Inner Rainbow” (Barnes & Daughter Press, May 12, 2026, ages 4-8). 

Inspired by a student from her first year teaching, Ana’s delightful story teaches kids a useful breathing activity to help them find calm in the stormiest moments. In this heartfelt classroom story, we meet Ezekiel: a bright, energetic first grader whose feelings sometimes get a little…explosive. When big emotions bubble up, his classroom feels shaky, loud, and unpredictable, just like a volcano about to erupt. But when Ezekiel learns a new skill called Rainbow Breathing, he discovers that he can calm even his biggest feelings, one color at a time. With the gentle support of his teacher Mrs. B and his classmates, Ezekiel learns that inside every eruption is a chance for new beginnings.

Book Nook - Kid Potato

You can have an absolute mashing good time with Spuddy in Kid Potato by Neil Coslett (on sale May 5, 2026). Filled with wacky humor, friendship, and adventure and a perfect read for newly confident and reluctant readers. Kid Potato sits alongside the shelf of Captain Underpants, Dog Man and for fans of The Amazing World of Gumball. 

 

Kid Potato (aka Spuddy) is just a regular kid . . . except he's a potato. Okay, sometimes weird stuff DOES happen. Like the alien invasion. Or when he was almost swallowed by a robot toilet. Or that time his finger turned radioactive. Join Spudbert and his eccentric school friends Chomp and Raven as they embark on ridiculous adventures. From helping an alien who crash-lands inside Chomp's head to doing a science project with Kid Evil (rumor has it that he doesn't even wear socks!), the absurd fun never stops!

Author-illustrator Neil Coslett has a degree in graphic arts and has worked in directing, animation, illustration, and broadcast television. His award-winning animation, “Killing Time at Home,” was distributed in the UK as a school teaching resource by the British Film Institute. He’s now focused on creating fun cartoon books for children.