Bella and Bird Explore Sadness | Awareness Tour

Bella and Bird Explore Sadness Awareness Tour is presented in partnership* with Deana Plaskon and The Children’s Book Review.

Join Bella and Bird on a heartfelt journey through big emotions as we kick off the virtual book tour for Deana Plaskon’s Bella and Bird Explore Sadness!

When Molly comes into the pasture gloomy and sad, Bella, a wise horse, and Bird, a wisecracking barn swallow, step in to help. Together, the friends explore why Molly is feeling sad and discover better ways to cope. Through Molly’s experience, young readers discover practical tools for understanding their own sadness, managing big feelings, and building emotional intelligence.

A thoughtful, tender picture book with a clear purpose and a genuinely comforting heart… It’s a gentle, practical book for families who believe feelings don’t need to be feared, only understood.

—Literary Titan

Big feelings, big prizes! Follow along on this virtual book tour and enter to win one of five signed copies of Bella and Bird Explore Sadness by Deana Plaskon. Feeling extra lucky? One grand prize winner will take home the complete set—signed copies of all three books in the series: Bella and Bird Explore Anger, Bella and Bird Explore Sadness, and Bella and Bird Explore Happiness.

Whether you’re raising a little one learning to name their emotions or just want fresh tools for navigating the big-feelings moments, this is a giveaway worth entering. Don’t miss your shot—enter below!

Bella and Bird Explore Sadness
Virtual Tour Dates

Bella and Bird Explore Sadness Giveaway

About the Book

Bella and Bird Explore Sadness

Written by Deana Plaskon

Illustrated by Lea Marie Rivotti

Ages 5-10 | 32 Pages

Publisher: Bella and Bird Books (2026) | ISBN: 979-8987268452

Publisher’s Book Summary: Molly cried. She really cried.

When Molly comes into the pasture, gloomy and sad, Bella, the wise horse and Bird, the wisecracking barn swallow, step in to help. Together, the friends set out to explore why Molly is sad and offer valuable lessons and better ways to cope. By the time Molly leaves the pasture, she’s gained new insights, is in better control of her feelings, and has tools to take along with her.

Bella and Bird Explore Sadness provides a foundation for readers to explore, understand, and effectively manage sadness, and serves as an invaluable tool for starting honest conversations about big emotions.

Buy the Book

About the Author

Deana Plaskon is an award-winning children’s author, educator, licensed mental health professional, and someone who can’t walk past a friendly dog without stopping to say hello or beautiful flowers without stopping to smell them. Bella isn’t just a storybook character. She’s Deana’s real-life Gypsy Vanner horse. Deana has been known to have long conversations with her. Bella always has something to say; you just need to watch her body language and listen. And Bird (yes, his name really is Bird!) is inspired by the curious little barn swallows that gather Bella’s flowing mane to build their nests in her stall.

After Hurricane Ian, Deana saw how deeply children were affected by fear, sadness, uncertainty, and change. That experience inspired her to create the Bella and Bird Emotion Explorers series, blending engaging stories with practical emotional intelligence tools to help children understand and navigate their emotions.

When she’s not writing, you’ll usually find Deana at the barn with Bella, spending time with her family, or dreaming up her next children’s book adventure.

For more information, visit https://bellabirdbooks.com.

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Thanks for following along with us on Deana Plaskon’s Bella and Bird Explore Sadness awareness tour!