The Little Town of Share-A-Lot
by LoLo Smith
In The Little Town of Share-A-Lot, the egotistical mayor of a small town is in quite a quandary. The townspeople are in an uproar over her latest initiative. The business owners and community workers are on strike. The doctor won't see any patients, the construction worker won't build houses and the police won't stop crime! Will the voters initiate a recall and oust the mayor?
Young readers see the mayor grapple with the question of who the most important citizen is in the town. Is it the doctor who cures the aches and cures the ills without collecting on unpaid bills? Or is it the mayor herself who has won elections for two decades, made speeches and led parades?
The Little Town of Share-A-Lot is a spirited and engaging story that uses repetitive language to teach career education to children under age 8, as well as the value of sharing and compromise.
Parents will love free companion gifts: download of 24 pages of spelling, reading and math activity sheets based on the names of the community workers and download of boy and girl paper dolls with paper clothing/uniforms for 6 community workers.
Purchase The Little Town of Share-A-Lot by LoLo Smith
Community Workers & COVID-19 by LoLo Smith
(A Children's Book About Coronavirus)
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Looking for an engaging book to teach children about the coronavirus and explain what community workers do? This is it! In Community Workers & COVID-19, kids are introduced to a special town called Share-A-Lot where a doctor, nurse, teacher, construction worker, grocer, chef, emergency medical technician (EMT), police officer, and a mayor all work together to save lives during the coronavirus pandemic.
Throughout this engaging story, children will learn about the role each community worker plays in the town while learning the virtue of sharing. From the teacher who reminds students to wash their hands, to the research doctor working on a vaccine for COVID-19, to the grocer and chef providing nutritious fresh food and vegetables to keep the body healthy, each worker plays an essential role in the town and they are all happy to do their jobs to help the community get through a difficult time.
But what happens when the mayor decides to offer a special prize to the most essential worker in town? How will they ever decide who plays the most essential role? You'll have to read to find out.
By the end of the book, children will have a greater understanding of how each community worker helps combat coronavirus pandemic and a newfound appreciation for the community workers keeping them safe in their own community.
Purchase Community Workers & COVID-19 (A Children's Book About Coronavirus)
Sista CindyElla Mae (The African-American Cinderella)
by Loretta Smith
Cinderella wasn't the only person who grew up in a dysfunctional family. In this book, you will meet Sista CindyElla Mae who is also mistreated by her step family. Sista CindyElla Mae has to cook, clean and even do homework for her two stepsisters. She holds onto her dreams in spite of setbacks and wins out in the end with the help of a very unusual Godmother.
Purchase Sista CindyElla Mae (The African-American Cinderella) by Loretta Smith
Children's Folk Tales and Myths. Children's Growing Up and Facts of Life Book
Sista CindyElla Mae (The African-American Cinderella) by Loretta Smith
Meet the African-American Cinderella. The Cinderella of glass slipper fame wasn't the only person who grew up in a dysfunctional family. In this book, readers will meet Sista CindyElla Mae who is also mistreated by her step family. She has to cook, clean and even do homework for her two stepsisters. She holds onto her dreams in spite of setbacks and wins out in the end with the help of a very unusual Godmother.
About the Authors
Loretta Smith, co-author, is an educator, writer, creator of Living Storybook, a literacy program for young children, and co-founder of Do The Write Thing of DC, a 501(c)(3) tax exempt not-for-profit organization. She has written ten books for children and one book for adults, Mr. Jordan Goes to Washington (or The Last Dance of Michael Jordan with the Washington Wizards). Loretta was raised in St. Louis, Missouri but has lived in Washington, DC for more than 40 years. She has one adult son who is also an educator and writer.
Margo E. Williams, co-author, is an educator, writer and entrepreneur who hails from St. Louis, Missouri. Prior to establishing her own public relations firm, she was a radio and TV producer, talk show host and news reporter for CBS Stations in St. Louis, Baltimore, Youngstown and Detroit. Her articles have been published in Black Enterprise Magazine, NAACP's Crisis Magazine, the Detroit News and the Las Vegas Review Journal. She has lived in Las Vegas for the past decade and is currently working on a book about her beloved dog, 15-year-old, Frisky.
My Doll & Me: Superheroes Fighting Bullying With Kindness
by Carla Norde and LoLo Smith
Bullying has become a serious problem. Many children skip school every day because they are afraid. The book, My Doll & Me, describes the talk-walk-tell strategy to deal with bullies:
• Talk to a bully and ask the bully to leave you alone.
• Walk away from the bully.
• Tell an adult that you are being bullied.
My Doll & Me gives another way that all of US can help prevent bullying. We can be kind. We can say kind things to one another, even when we don't really want to. We can try to get along, even when we'd rather fight. We can stop being unkind to each other on the internet, even if it's entertaining.
My Doll & Me includes 10 kindness slogans, a kindness pledge, 10 no or low-cost acts of kindness to carry out at home and in the community plus 2 pages of Just For Fun Facts. Kindness is the new cool! Parents will like the free companion gifts - a BINGO-style Kindness Game or Bully Busting BINGO.
Purchase My Doll & Me: Superheroes Fighting Bullying With Kindness by Carla Norde and LoLo Smith
Read with Kindle Unlimited. Available in Hardcover and Paperback.
Ten Acts of Kindness by LoLo Smith
We know we should be kind, but where do we start? Right here.
Ten Acts of Kindness shares 10 no or low-cost acts of kindness that parents and children can carry out at home and in the community.
Parents and children especially like the crazy cute characters in superhero costumes, the kindness slogans and the kindness pledge. When children recite the pledge daily, they learn to be kind and bullying decreases. Parents love the companion gift for this book, a BINGO-style Kindness Game to help encourage your child to practice simple, yet powerful acts of kindness. Teach your children to be kind starting today!
Book Reviews for Ten Acts of Kindness by LoLo Smith
Ten Acts of Kindness is both good for kids and adults alike. Not only is the book crazy cute to look at, but the suggested kindness activities are easy yet not things we think to do each day. Complete with a kindness pledge sheet at the end and wonderful kindness slogans. I loved everything about this book from the look of the print, colorful adorable characters, fantastic flowing writing to the message of kindness and how to achieve it. I HIGHLY recommend this children's book.
- Aurora Faye
This is a very warm children's book that gives children 10 wonderful ways of being kind to one another. It is also a great reminder for adults to be kind to one another as well. It reminds us how easy it is to smile and how nice it is to receive one. Other kindness acts include taking a teacher flowers or checking in on elderly neighbors. It is a very nice book with lovely illustrations featuring anime characters in superhero costumes. It also offers a Kindness Pledge. Super Cute Book!
- Theresa Potts
Ten Acts of Kindness presents a powerful message that we can change the world one act of kindness at a time. Children learn 10 ways to spread kindness with this book. From sharing toys to helping elderly neighbors, this book shows that no act of kindness is ever wasted. Included in the book are 10 kindness slogans, and a kindness pledge which encourages children to be kind at school, at home, and in the community. The Kindness BINGO Game that is offered for free download, will help encourage children to practice simple, yet powerful acts of kindness. This book is perfect for age 3 through 9 and is highly recommended.
- Gerald Norde Jr.
Purchase Ten Acts of Kindness by LoLo Smith
Available on Kindle Unlimited and in Paperback
Ten Acts of Kindness by LoLo Smith presents a powerful message that we can change the world one act of kindness at a time. Through this book, children will learn how easy it can be to spread kindness. From sharing toys to including everyone in a game on the playground, this book shows that no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. A kindness slogan is found on every other page.
Ten Acts of Kindness is perfect for age 4-9. Kids will love this book because they will feel empowered to change the world, one act of kindness at a time! If you value raising kids that make the world a better place, then this book is for you. Listen to ways to express kindness toward your friends, neighbors, community and family:
http://www.audioacrobat.com/sa/W4WXtpPP
Intimate Conversation with LoLo Smith
LoLo Smith is a children's book author on a mission to positively reshape the way children of color see themselves. She was dismayed with the lack of children's books with characters of color so she established a tax exempt nonprofit, Do The Write Thing of DC, with two like-minded individuals, and began publishing books by, about and for African Americans. "I'm filling diversity gaps in children's literature and doing my part to normalize the appearance of African American and Hispanic children in books," she says. She has written 8 books for children on topics such as kindness, bullying, the value of sharing, community workers and the COVID-19 pandemic. Her books feature Anime characters, American Girl dolls, superheroes and even dogs!
BPM: Please share something our readers wouldn’t know about you.
In addition to writing books for children, I am a sports enthusiast and have published a book about Michael Jordan retiring from the Bulls then spending his last playing days with one of the worst teams in the NBA - the Washington Wizards (Mr. Jordan Goes to Washington). I was also a sports columnist for a local Baltimore paper, in the early 2000's, and wrote a column early on after Kobe Bryant's arrest in Colorado about why he should be found not guilty if his case went to trial.
I also developed a publication, Guide To Wedding Publicity, in which I provided information on how brides can obtain free publicity for their weddings. This DIY (Do It Yourself) guide was based on my experience in getting the wedding of Jeanne Roberts, daughter of then-billionaire businessman, Michael Roberts, featured in 20 different print and on-line newspapers and magazines, including the front cover of a white bridal magazine that had never had a black bride on its cover.
BPM: If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
Intense, naturally funny, and helpful.
BPM: Tell us about writing your first set of children's books. What was the journey like?
When I was teaching 2nd grade, I asked my students to bring a book from home. One student brought a copy of the Yellow Pages and said that was the only book in her home. I became determined to produce a book that each child could take home for their personal library. I took photos of my students dressed as community workers and wrote a book based on a kiddie play I produced with the children, called Share-A-Lot. The play was about the community workers learning the value of sharing. That book was put together on a shoe string budget. Was I ever glad when Amazon.com started helping self-published authors with their own print-on-demand company called CreateSpace which is now Kindle Publishing.
BPM: Introduce us to your most recent work. Available on Nook and Kindle?
While I have been home-bound because of COVID-19, I tailored a book I had previously written about community workers to describe what these workers would be doing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The book, "Community Workers & COVID-19" includes tips on how to avoid getting or spreading the disease.
I also wrote "Max & Bo: Two Dogs On The Go" and present information about COVID-19 in a very gentle way so that children will not be so afraid and know that they can protect themselves in very simple ways from getting the disease. All of these titles listed below are now available at Amazon and on Kindle.
BPM: Who do you see reading your books? What age group will benefit from the stories?
My children's books are geared towards ages 4-8 in kindergarden - 2nd grade primarily. I do have one book, Sista CindyElla Mae (The African American Cinderella) which is written for students in grades 3-5.
BPM: Writing can be an emotionally draining and stressful pursuit. Any tips self-care for creative folks?
I feel very drained when I write because I am in front of the laptop for hours. I find that it helps to take Kelp (Iodine) when working on the laptop.
BPM: Do you have anything special for readers that you’ll focus on this year?
When anyone purchases any of the books featuring community workers, they will receive the following for FREE: Boy and girl paper dolls with paper clothing/uniforms for 6 of the community workers (doctor, chef, firefighter, police officer, teacher, judge). Activity Sheets for Community Workers (24 pages of spelling, reading and math activities).
BPM: What projects are you working on at the present?
I am working on two projects at the present that are very important to me:
1. The nonprofit that I co-founded (Do The Write Thing of DC) is currently offering a Video Book Club to 20 students in Kg-2nd grade who attended Plummer Elementary School in the second most deprived area of the District of Columbia (Ward 7) during the 2019-2020 school year. Do The Write Thing implemented an after-school program at Plummer from Oct 2019 through Mar 13, 2020 when schools were abruptly closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
We called all the parents after the school was closed and asked if their child could participate in our Video Book Club. We have been reading books from a list selected by the CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND for its FREEDOM SCHOOLS. The last books that will be read to these young children will be: Max & Bo:Two Dogs On The Go by LoLo Smith and Community Workers & COVID-19 by LoLo Smith.
2. I have just issued a second edition of my book about kindness (Ten Acts of Kindness) and I previously published an anti-bullying/kindness book (My Doll & Me: Superheroes Fighting Bullying with Kindness). These books feature anime characters in superhero costumes with American Girl dolls, also dressed in matching superhero costumes. These books include the following material:
Ten no or low-cost acts of kindness that children can perform at school or in the community with their parents;
No Bullying Pledge; Kindness Pledge; the Walk-Talk-Tell strategy to deal with bullies; 10 Kindness slogans (examples: no act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted; kindness is always in season; kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see, it's cool to be kind).
JUST FOR FUN facts: lyrics to NO BULLYING, an original song written by local DC artist. All purchasers of either book will receive FREE KINDNESS BINGO or BULLYING BUSTING BINGO.
BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work in the community?
Do The Write Thing of DC (501)(c)(3) tax-exempt not-for-profit organization established by LoLo Smith and two others on April 5, 2010 that publishes books for, about and by African-Americans. Do The Write Thing also implements academic enrichment programs after school and during the summer.
Learn More About Do the Write Thing Foundation of DC
Do The Write Thing addresses the need to offer youth from economically and socially vulnerable communities in the District full access to performing, literary and visual arts instruction which teach actionable strategies and constructive methods of self-expression. Research shows art education helps students in low performing schools where learning is impeded by the detriments of poverty.
The needs of our target population are well documented in research which shows children from vulnerable communities have low social-economic indicators that are inextricably linked to lags in academic performance, inter-generational health disparities, mental and behavioral health challenges, social isolation and criminalization. There is evidence within the research that promising approaches for minimizing the harmful effects of poverty should be culturally appropriate, align with school-day instruction, include parental involvement, develop self-esteem and expand safety net opportunities.
Kids have the best chance at success when they feel listened to, empowered, and respected. That’s why Do the Write Thing designs its arts-based after-school pro- grams – reaching 250 students in DC’s most under-served wards – with the help of the youth themselves. Younger children write and produce their own books, casting themselves as the heroes and proudly presenting their creations, while middle and high school students use poetry, songwriting, music production, and more to raise their voices about issues that matter to them.
The Kindness Project uses art and literature to encourage little and big acts of kindness, while Fashion Against Bullying spreads positivity through a fusion of fashion, stage production, writing, and entrepreneurship. Your support teaches kids to fight hate with creativity and compassion. Isn’t that what our world needs?
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