Kickstarting
the Book
Stay tuned for new Kickstarter LAUNCH Date
Mother Nature's PrincessesThe StoryFour girls find themselves on an adventure after school as they quest to discover Phyla’s big secret. As they race to meet their friend at the tree house, they face some harrowing challenges. Their journey leads them to learn more about the natural world, about environmental scientists and what they do, and it takes them to destinations beyond their imaginations.
The BookThis fun chapter book is geared for fourth to fifth graders and provides a glimpse into the diverse roles and work that professionals in environmental science perform. It encourages children to be good stewards of the Earth. It is good for both girls and boys, but it is designed with girls in mind and encourages them to consider STEM fields through the use of images of women environmental scientists.
This book uses a nontraditional approach of informing and educating through storytelling. The girls in the book learn about nature and environmental sciences from stories and from each other. It's an amusing read, sprinkled with humor, and sneaks in the education when no one is looking. It does provide a glossary for curious minds, but it is not structured at all like a science book. The book also contains a quote section, a song, and hands-on activities. The TitleAs I pondered the scope of the book that I planned to write, the idea of Mother Nature’s Princesses came to me and it felt like the perfect fit. Some girls love princesses, some don’t. Honestly, I never was in to princesses, but I love Mother Nature’s Princesses because they are no ordinary princesses. They are about so much more. They are regular girls who have a nature calling and a connection to Mother Nature.
The princess meme has long been ingrained into children's stories and elicits a fairy tale image that often seems unattainable. I wanted to offer an alternative image of natural, ordinary girls endowed with the feeling of princess empowerment. It seemed so fitting for Mother Nature to speak to her daughters to rise up to protect her. Mother Nature is true royalty, so it is natural to think of her daughters as her princesses. Why did I write this book?I stepped up to a big challenge when writing this book. A friend of mine asked if I would write a children’s book to inspire girls of color (and diverse ethnicities) to learn about environmental science and empower them to pursue careers in natural science fields. – It needed to be a book to encourage an appreciation of nature and sustainability awareness, but also one that would promote diversity, inclusiveness and people working towards common goals.
Science and environmental education is my background and my passion. Since I am multicultural, it felt like a great fit. I wanted to weave that into the story and have the main characters be girls of diverse ethnicities. My supporting characters are of Hispanic, Native American, and of Irish heritage, and my central character, Phyla, is African American. I chose to target one of my favorite age groups, third through fifth graders. Girls still need more encouragement and reassurance to go into science fields. They need to see and learn about more role models and envision those possibilities for themselves. It occurred to me that the best way to introduce environmental science to kids would be in a book that is fun to read and not a chore. It could not be too “sciencey” and boring. That was the challenge, but it came together as the characters came to life in my mind. AcknowledgmentsA special thank you goes to my friend, Bekkah Marshall, for her encouragement in writing this book to inspire girls of all backgrounds to learn about and pursue careers in environmental science. Much gratitude for your input and your patience!
It is with great appreciation and gratitude that I thank my husband, family and friends for their patience with me, also, as this labor of love took a toll on my time over the years. I am forever grateful to my parents for their wisdom of providing me with my own nature-playground that allowed me to spend my afternoons in the trees. I thank them for helping to instill a love for nature and all living things, as well and a strong curiosity about the world around me. Why Kickstart?IF FUNDING IS SUCCESSFUL, kickstarting will accomplish a much grander scope than I could do by any other method in a relatively quicker time frame.
It will allow for:
Kickstarter is an all or nothing platform. If the goal amount is not reached by the target campaign deadline, the project will be unsuccessful and no money will be collected. - This is why I need your help to please spread the word and make this project a reality! The books will be printed and shipped to all pre-sale backers if the funding is successful. I greatly appreciate your help in making this green book come alive! While I could self-publish and just place my book to be sold at online book stores who will manufacture them when ordered, I believe in using sustainable practices. Conventional printers do not have these options. I feel compelled to get them printed using eco-friendly practices, which are not as harmful to our environment. There are so many things to consider when attempting to print in an eco-friendly fashion. It requires thinking about the product's full cycle of impacts to our environment, from sourcing the materials, to the actual production processes, to far after the product has lived its life. How responsible is the printing company in regards to pollution they create and resources they consume? What kind of paper or inks are can be used that are more sustainable, less damaging and less toxic? I want my book to be printed in the most eco-friendly fashion, but this incurs much higher costs to print than traditionally done. This is my primary reason for looking to crowdfund this endeavor. I think it is really important for me to walk the talk, since some of my book's core missions are to promote greater stewardship of the earth and our natural resources. How can I promote these kinds of behaviors if I am not willing to take those steps myself? It is so easy to do what everyone else is doing, but how will things change for the better if everyone is not willing to do better? The easy, cheap way that everyone else is doing it, is not the right way for me and this book. I'm deeply passionate about this book and its potential positive impact on kids, communities and the world. I want to see this book get into as many nature centers, libraries, and schools (especially Title I) as possible to provide kids with inspiration and empowerment to learn, act, discover, and make positive change for the planet! To make this project succeed, I please need your help! This is a grassroots effort. If you care about the world we are leaving for our kids, please share this website, and connect and share on social media! (Please tag with @MotherNaturesPrincesses or #mothernaturesprincesses) Kickstarter Launch Date Postponed Click here for Kickstarter project page and then on "Notify me on launch" to see the full project once it goes live. I have postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in the US and will relaunch in the future, once a new date can be rescheduled with my launch event team. The safety of all volunteers and participants comes first. Please stay tuned for a new launch date announcement! Thank you so much for your patience and for your support! |
Drafted sketches of women environmental scientists
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