Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites - Kids Kaleidoscope

In the summer of 2015, Katie Mullaly and Toby Allen joined forces to shake up the children’s book market for good, by releasing a unique fusion of story and life lessons dubbed by critics as “Dr. Seuss meets Dr. Phil”. ‘Land of OR’ was an instant success, and the project’s duo are now back to continue changing lives with a second installment in their series.

‘Land of AND’ continues the theme of inviting children on a rhythmic, rhyming and rambunctious adventure – but with a new and refreshing message about the importance of inclusion.

As you float down the river that rolls and rumbles through Land of AND, you'll get the chance to join up with new and interesting characters you may not have thought to include in your plans before.

You'll learn that even those who seem scary or different at first may bring something great to your journey; whether it's a special skill, a wealth of experience, or even just a unique sense of style!

You'll have to watch out for the Yabbut, who tries to keep your odd and unusual new friends from coming aboard. But with help and wise advice from your trusty river guide, you'll make sure that everyone gets to come along!

“Our first adventure, ‘Land of OR’, was about helping children recognize the many choices they’ll be faced with in life, and discover how to make the best decision in any situation,” explains Mullaly, whose goal is to help all children live a mindful, meaningful life. “We wanted to develop a series that perfectly balanced an empowering, life-changing story with stunning imagery that would immerse children in the adventure. Toby Allen is the perfect illustrator to have by my side, and all of this combined to make our first book a runaway success.”

Continuing, “We’re now back with a story that continues to help children build a solid foundation for life, by learning how important it is to include others, celebrate their differences and embrace the gift that is diversity. It’s a real mix of fictional adventure and fact-based life-lessons. We had an overwhelming response to ‘Land of OR’ and are hoping to duplicate its success.”

Critics came out in force with positive reviews for ‘Land of OR’. L. Little wrote, “The Land of OR is a delightful and beautifully illustrated story about traveling through a strange and magical land filled with a cast of colorful characters. This would be enough, but what sets this book apart from other children’s books is the original and fun way it provides useful tools that children and adults alike can, or should use when making choices.”

PJ adds, “As a children's sports coach, I found this book to be so well focused on the intended audience. Kids love rhymes and cool characters. This book taps into both. As the child is drawn in on the journey, they will learn some valuable lessons along the way. Loved it!”

‘Land of AND’, from Faceted Press, is due for release in December of 2015. For more information, visit the series’ action-packed companion website: http://www.landofchildrensbooks.com.