Mascot Blog

Children’s Books

By Brandie Hollingsworth

A Crooked Crown Day is about an African-American girl who is just having a bad day. She is teased at school, forgets her homework, and is laughed at by the kids at school. By the time she arrives home, her invisible crown, representing her inner strength, is about to fall to the ground! Fortunately, her grandmother is there to fix her crown with her hands and wise words.




A Special Glow



By Jessica Crews

Just like in public schooling, ant colonies have one leader, and anything he or she says is what goes! But is what they say ALWAYS right? Read along to find out what makes one ant stand out in the bunch to help all other ants!




Amal the Thirsty Gamal: A Christmas Tale



By Robert Schorr

Amal the Thirsty Gamal is for every child who might be struggling with how he or she is perceived by others. (Oh yes, camels care about that, too!) Our little hero has spent too many years listening to all the wrong voices and thinking all the wrong things: about his hump, about his appearance, about himself. But—oh!—get ready! Because “wise men” have joined this particular caravan journey, and when one of them speaks up around the campfire one night, everything changes for little Amal the Gamal!




Austin’s Allergies Goes to a Birthday Party



By Erin Mandras

Birthday parties are the absolute best.
With food allergies, Austin is different from the rest.

He discusses details about food allergy safety.
And what friends can do to help him navigate bravely.

Austin even offers ideas for a party favor.
Nonfood items definitely keep him safer.

Finally, by following his rules, he won’t miss the fun.
Food allergies won’t stop him from being with everyone.




Cedar Creek Critters: From A to Z



By Jonathan and Joshua Masterson

Explore Cedar Creek from A to Z.
(You can also find Qs, Us, and Ps.)
The alphabet is all around town.
Look around—let’s see what can be found!




Emerson’s Exquisite Eyes



By Nikki Hennek

Emerson’s exquisite eyes are no secret; they’re what make her unique! Although she grew up learning how to do things slightly different than her friends, they all admire and like her for who she is. Emerson’s happiness and bravery shows how children of all abilities are superstars! Color along with Emerson as she experiences the world around her.




How to Not Be Attacked by a Bear



By Brian Griggs

Hey Bear!
Hey Bear!
I know you’re there.
Somewhere…

Jake’s Mom and the Runaway Circus Train



By T.P. Brennan

One day while working for the railroad, Brakeman Jake accidentally allows the animal section of a circus train to be set loose through a railroad train yard. Soon, the circus animals are on a collision course with the fastest freight train on the railroad, the Cannonball Express, which is traveling at full speed down the main track. Will someone be able to stop the circus animals in time and save the day?




Laundry the Giant



By Amanda Des Roches

Once upon a time in a house just like yours, there lived a gentle giant—Laundry the Giant. And three lucky children are about to discover just how magical Laundry can be…

The Adventures of Quintarus: Introducing My Big Biracial Family



By Dr. Tracy Williams

Being different
Is not always easy,
But our friend Quintarus
Shows how much fun it can be.

Quintarus explores
Special animals too
That are both black and white
Just like him and you!

Follow along
And you will soon see
What life is like
In his biracial family!




The Dream Tree



By Bridged Atkins

Meet Patrick and Chauncey, a curious boy and his floppy-haired best friend. While on a walk on a sunny summer day, they stumble upon a treasure that teaches them how to plant a dream and watch is grow. Join Patrick and Chauncey on his Aunt Kathleen’s farm in Montana for a moving adventure through life’s many seasons.




The Red Fence



By Ed Damiano

In the uniform town of Vanderloo,
Everyone, everywhere has the same view.
What happens when Astred, tiny Todd, and Ned
Decide to paint their white fence red?




The Show and Tell That Changed the World



By Kayla Webb

Instead of wishing away your beauty, why not embrace it? Catch a glimpse inside the lives of a group of diverse young ladies who share what makes them beautifully different. From a small girl who dreams of going to the moon to an amputee who loves to paint, this book will inspire you to find and embrace what makes you beautifully different. Why fit in when we were born to stand out?




The Story of Leaf



By Laura Packer

THE STORY OF LEAF is a thoughtful short story designed to help individuals of all ages understand the true power and freedom that accompanies a lifetime of inevitable changes. It opens a dialogue for thinking differently and welcomes the wisdom of nature to guide us through transitional events.

The story begins as Leaf finds comfort and safety high in his tree on the sunny, or yang, side of the mountain. But as the forest honors its seasonal shifts, Leaf is confronted with an uninvited journey and an important decision that literally transforms him forever.

Incorporating Taoist philosophy of yin and yang, Five Element theory, and Mountain Meditation, The Story of Leaf gently explores the larger meaning of one’s existence and the ability to find harmony and peace within life’s endings and beginnings . . . as is the way.




Will You Still Love Me?



By Bendu Jackson

Would I get to pick if it’s a boy or a girl? Will I have to share my toys? What about my time with Mommy?

Peppering his mother with questions, the hero of Will You Still Love Me? faces a challenge familiar to many children: the arrival of a new baby. By describing the normal feelings of jealousy and anxiety that come with welcoming a baby brother or sister, Bendu Jackson invites young readers to explore their emotions and process change when a new sibling joins the family.




With the Right to Fight: Planting Peace



By Anika Christopher

Wangari Muri Maathai is the winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize and founder of the Green Belt Movement.

In Kenya, there are trees standing tall, rivers running races, and village gardens growing. Seeing this with eyes eager to explore, little Wangari’s love for the earth grows as deep and as wide as the skies above her. But in a community where women are supposed to stay at home, her love is squeezed into the smaller space of her heart.

What no one knows is that the love that was forced by society to be small is actually a tiny seed that, with the right rain and sunlight, would sprout into millions and millions of trees.

Nonfiction

IT Auditing Defined

By Larry Singleton

Prayers and Po-Boys is the author’s account of his own journey with cancer, taking readers from the earth-shattering diagnosis, to the ups and downs of chemotherapy, and ultimately to Singleton’s miraculous recovery. He details not only the physical pain he dealt with, but the mental and spiritual toll both cancer and chemotherapy took on his life.

Readers will find themselves inspired by Singleton’s courage in the face of everything cancer had to throw at him, including the extreme side effects that accompany chemotherapy. Prayers and Po-Boys will both touch and uplift audiences as they experience firsthand the trials Singleton experienced as both a cancer patient, and survivor.

What’s On Your Mind?: A Collection of Quotes for Meditation and Reflection



By Kimberly Headley

What’s On Your Mind is a wonderful devotional to add to your spiritual formation. The vicissitudes of life compel us to search our inner selves, find creative ways to tap into the Most High, and access the power that guides us into a journey of contemplation.

Take the time to engage your thought life in a healthy discourse with the Divine and with self. God has connected each of us to God’s presence and has invited us into a world of experiencing a divine level of revelation, wisdom, and insight. Never be afraid to share What’s On Your Mind!