Kokopelli the Butterfly

"Kokopelli & the Butterfly" is a book created specifically for parents and children of all ages to share together. Parents find the story to be very fulfilling, keeping them "in the moment" with their children. Children enjoy its magical, life-like illustrations and messages of love throughout.

It is a love story that takes place in tribal times, centered around the main character Kokopelli. Through his intriguing adventures, the reader is delighted by the book's poignant messages of environmentalism, appreciation of nature's beauty, kindness to animals, tolerance of diversity, and peaceful conflict resolution.

When Kokopelli is faced with the plight of an amazingly beautiful, caged butterfly, he must make the most important decision of his life!

In the Summer of 1995, author Michael Sterns took a three week journey to the national parks in the "Four Corners" region of the U.S. to camp and photograph. Rendered speechless constantly by the beauty of the region, and intrigued by the popular tribal character Kokopelli, Michael wrote the story "Kokopelli & the Butterfly".

Michael had dreams no grander than finding a local artist to put sketches with the story and binding the manuscripts at a local copy center to give as gifts. Through serendipity, Michael met a cartoonist for a major film studio, Joe Cioffi. The meeting was so amazingly coincidental (or was it?), Michael decided to create a children's book instead.

Over the next five years, Michael worked with Joe on the drawings, and then enlisted the help of friend Gayle Deal, who breathed life into the drawings with her amazing computer graphics talent.

Through Kichita Productions, a Tampa Bay publishing company that assists authors in self-publishing, Michael's book came off the press in November of 2000. Through a diligent grassroots effort, "Kokopelli & the Butterfly" is taking off with kind words from television, radio, and print media.

Michael has created a fundraising program to assist elementary schools, public libraries and special interest groups that key on children, the environment, and animal rights.

Michael delights in getting his book's messages of love out to the masses by performing storytellings of his book and inquiring of the children as to what they feel they learned from the story. Any copies of "Kokopelli & the Butterfly" sold at the event allow Michael to donate a nice percentage of the money raised right back to the hosting group.

Michael's dream is to travel all over this great country, spreading his message of love, drinking in the beauty of nature, and meeting wonderful new people along the way.