Audio Book Version
A Story of Becoming. A young seed germinates in the forest before unfurling and finding her way through the rich dark soil of the earth. As she becomes a young seedling she stretches toward the sunlight, wondering what she will someday become. Nourished by dewdrops, she grows in anticipation of the possibilities hidden within her. While still slight, some of her leaves and branches are eaten by animals. Despite the setback, she grows and matures until one day she discovers her purpose . . . she is an apple tree. She delights in being an apple tree; but over time she continues to encounter hardships, some of which are seemingly insurmountable.
A Story of Becoming is an enlightening tale of self-discovery and realization, brilliantly depicted through the life and lens of an apple seed as it journeys through the wondrous yet sometimes painful experience of existence. Coupled with soulful, hand drawn illustrations of great beauty and depth, it will captivate the heart and touch the soul of both children and adults alike.
It has been an Amazon Best Selling Book.
Winner of 18 Literary Awards including Golds with Nautilus, Reader's Favorite, Literary Classics, Mom's Choice, Paris Book Festival and, London Book Festival.
Reviews:
Sara Niña
I appreciated the illustrations more than the reading… something you'd wish to read to children to inspire thoughts like 'beauty is not in appearance but in good actions'
Kate
Uplifting and inspiring. A beautiful book! Both the story and the artwork are lovely! The miraculous circle of life is presented both sensitively and authentically, warts and all, while cleverly demonstrating the interconnectedness of all forms of life.
Kara S
This book is pure nourishment for the soul and the eyes. The story about being who you are meant to be, despite hurts and pain, is beautifully told. The illustrations, exquisite. I spent ages just looking at them - pieces of art on each page. My 5 year old daughter also loves looking at the illustrations, stopping me on each page, as she finds another detail to admire. I have already recommended it to friends whom I know will enjoy its beauty and appreciate its message.
Amazon Customer
This is a beautiful book with a heart-warming short story of the growth and life of an apple tree with a hint of magic. I think it would make a perfect read-together book for a primary school aged child and an adult where they can explore various themes of change, learn more about the natural world and expand their vocabulary. Equally it is a lovely book for any adult wanting to embrace some positivity whilst enjoying the outstanding illustrations which adorn each and every page.
Eala The Mother Swan By Ayn Cates Sullivan
A young boy named Hugo goes in search of the Eala, the magical swan his grandmother has told him about. He finds her just as she is preparing to fly between the worlds. Circling back down, Hugo climbs on her back and she takes him between the crack of night and day so he can find the songs and colors of his heart and soul.
Illustraited with colourful artwork from Paige Ozma Ashmore. She was born in the South and spent her formative years living in Germany. She credits living near forests and castles as her main inspiration for her art. Steeped in fairy tales and older stories, she learned of bears that could talk, sleeping princesses in old castles and how the woods could hold deep mysteries inside of it. She was further inspired by her exposure to Russian lacquer painting and classic fairytale illustrations. She has taken classes with Ka Graves, Leonie Horwitz, Lisa Albinger and Flora Bowley. She works mainly in acyrlic painting and soft pastel. “I believe that art sings the secret music of the soul and I paint images that awaken the old stories hidden in our bones.” – Paige Ozma Ashmore www.artofpaige.com
Reviews:
Kristine Morris
"In the empowering picture book Eala, a bullied boy learns that magic lives in each human being. In Ayn Cates Sullivan’s bilingual picture book Eala, a magical swan helps a boy to learn the truth about who he is. Hugo’s grandmother told him stories of Eala, a magical white swan who could teach him much. But Hugo is bullied by his brothers for his belief in magic until he doesn’t know what to think anymore. He just knows that he is different.Hugo goes to the river while he’s crying. There, swans gather just before their flight among the stars. Eala is moved by Hugo’s tears, and takes him to recover the pieces of his soul that were lost when life was hard and others were unkind. Turning black to blend with the night sky, Eala tells him to remember the ancient magic. Hugo promises to do so, after which the book nods to the constellation Cygnus (the Swan) as a reminder of people’s inner magic.
The book tackles childhood differences in a tactful manner. In its sensitive story, the contrast between Hugo’s mocking, rock-throwing brothers and the gentle, supportive love he receives from his
grandmother, who understands his belief in magic, is strong. With support, Hugo comes to see that he is part of a beautiful universe, and that life itself is magical.
The book’s English and Spanish paragraphs appear on the same page, making it easy for speakers of one language to pick up vocabulary in the other. The text is accessible and consistent in its reading level in both languages. Its descriptions are often poetic: “Mother Swan flapped her great wings and they flew between the crack of night and day.”
Small graphics enliven the pages of text. The book’s colorful artwork has a childlike style, but still portrays the grandeur of the universe well. The smiles on the faces of the sun and moon make the cosmos seem to be a welcoming place, and Hugo’s excitement and joy at realizing that he is part of the majesty he sees around him is palpable. The font is both elegant and easy to read.
In the empowering picture book Eala, a bullied boy learns that magic lives in each human being."
Kristine Zimmerman for Readers' Favorite
Eala: The Mother Swan / La Madre Cisne is a magical bilingual story written by Ayn Cates Sullivan. Each page includes both the English and Spanish text. The folktale begins with Hugo, a young boy, heading down to the river to see if the story his grandmother told him was true. She shared a story about some swans that had the ability to travel between worlds. Eala, the Mother Swan, was the most special of all. As the sun is setting, Hugo sees Eala and asks to go with her. Eala recognizes that Hugo needs this magic to become whole again and she allows him to ride on her back. Hugo has a magical journey and when he returns to the river in the morning he has been healed.
Eala: The Mother Swan / La Madre Cisne is a beautifully lyrical story. Ayn Cates Sullivan has written a magical folktale-like story. Nature is so inspiring and healing and it is easy to imagine at the beginning and end of the day that there is a moment where we can slip into another world. What is so lovely about this book is that Hugo finds a way to heal himself as he journeys with Eala, the Mother Swan. Paige Ozma Ashmore has created some beautiful soft pastel illustrations that enhance the gentleness of the story. Parents and grandparents will enjoy sharing this lovely bedtime tale with their young ones. It will send them off to dream about their own magical night-time adventures.
The Whisper Angel
This is the tale of the Angel of Hope and how, with the help of the Archangel Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphaela, she manages to reach her potential as a helping angel. The only thing that Hope wishes to achieve is helping others in need. At the beginning of the story, the little angel is not certain what her job is or if she has a name. Although she knows she was born out of thoughts of love, joy, and peace, she does not know her specific role. The little angel reminds us that truth protects us and love sustains us.
The story is accompanied by stunning illustrations created by Sandra Betancort.
Reviews:
Carolina Restrepo - 5 Star Review, Reader’s Favorite
"Even though Whisper Angel is a short story, it is a powerful one. Its message is clear; there is always someone or something looking out for us, we are not alone in this. Hope can be found even in the most unexpected of places. Complementary to the story, the illustrations had me enraptured; they bring the story to life in so many ways. They provide so much peace while reading, they are perfect for this particular story! Many people persevere through dire situations because they keep their hope alive and know that help is on its way; it is an unconscious motivation that helps us continue and solve things, even to help ourselves. “Always remember that truth protects us, and love sustains us” is a great lesson that I took away from this story.”
Bruce L Erickson, MotherEarth Media
“Whisper Angel is a perfect way to inspire a child into the reality of Angels. The little Angel whispers in your ear every time your turn a page.....and each time you turn a page you will hear her more!"
Iva Kenaz, The Goddess Within
“Whisper Angel is a beautifully written story full of hope and miracles. I loved how it introduces the main archangels in such a simple yet powerful way. A magical read for both children and grown ups.”
Size: 11"X8" Portrait
[ Hardcover - 978-0997046786 ]
