Month: February 2012

Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois he spent years wanting to write his books, but always put it off. Finally he told himself if you do not start now, you will never start. Bolivar finally sat down and started to write and draw. He found himself in excitement and pleasure, only wondering why he did not start sooner.

Jan Berenstain (July 26, 1923 – February 24, 2012) co-created over 300 of the beloved “Berenstain Bears” books with her husband Stan Berenstain (September 29, 1923 – November 26, 2005), shedding light on social graces and creating life-long readers and Bear Country devotees.

Barney Saltzberg is an über-talented children’s book author/illustrator/singer/songwriter. He has published around thirty books, recorded four CD’s of music for children, and has even written some songs for the PBS show Arthur. Once a year he teaches a class at UCLA on writing and illustrating picture books.

Parents always have high hopes their children will have a bright future. New parents hear it all the time from relatives and strangers, “One day, he’s going to be President” or “She’ll be so smart, she’ll be a brilliant surgeon.” Parents don’t really believe it, but somewhere deep down they hope that, just maybe, it’s true.

Crystal Godfrey LaPoint is an accomplished composer and artist. For over three decades she has suffered from the dark legacy of depression. A survivor of domestic violence and sexual assault, Crystal is now a tireless advocate for survivors of relationship violence and for destigmatizing mental illness.