Oftentimes, colleagues become friends. Such was the case with Denise Gealer and me. Denise was one of the second grade teachers when I began teaching at Groveland Elementary School in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Denise’s calm deameaner, ready smile, and musical talent drew me to her. She created a joyful classroom climate and clearly loved her students. I always looked forward to our conversations and admired her talent both as a teacher and a musician.

At our last retired teachers luncheon, Denise and I reconnected. When I asked her what she’d been up to, she shared that she had published two picture books over the last few years. I was so excited, both for Denise and for myself. I, too, have written several picture book manuscripts, but unlike Denise, have not taken that next step. Denise answered some of my questions and was willing to meet up with me to further discuss the publishing process.

Naturally, I rushed to order her books from Amazon prior to our scheduled luncheon. They did not disappoint. Leaning into her experience as a mother, Denise crafted two beautiful books. I’m delighted to share them with you today.

A Bug House for Katie is told from the perspective of the eldest of three children Just when the eldest sister thinks her younger siblings are asleep and she can have Mom all to herself, the younger sister, Katie, starts to scream because there’s a spider in her room. Big sister’s initial annoyance turns to compassion and we learn how she cleverly handles the situation. This is a unique bedtime story, that will capture children’s interest from beginning to end. Denise Gealer hits the mark with this tale that is both warm and humorous.

What Should I Dream About? is also set during bedtime. A loving mother guides her child through a repertoire of wonderful dream-worthy ideas. Lovely illustrations accompany the rhyming text which is certain to capture a child’s imagination and lull him off to dreamland.

If you’re looking for a special book for a child in your life, I would highly recommend these sweet stories. Both books can be purchased on Amazon. Denise has graciously offered to guest post on this blog, so look for her wise words in a future post.