Sunny's Tale

Have you ever wondered about how to talk to children about secrets?

Not all secrets are meant to be kept.

Sunny, the Squirrel loves life in the big oak forest-climbing tall trees, gathering acorns, and playing with friends. But one day, something happens that changes everything. Suddenly, Sunny is carrying a secret that feels like a heavy stone, making Sunny feel "yucky" and confused inside.

Even though Sunny is scared to speak up, a gentle observation from Mom opens the door to the truth. Sunny learns that some secrets are too big for small hearts to carry alone, and that finding your voice is the bravest thing a little squirrel can do.

Laura Garofalow Valencia holds a Bachelor's degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Family and Intimate Relations and a minor in Child Development. She went on to earn a Master's degree in Human Behavior, followed by a second Master's degree in School Psychology along with a Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) credential. With more than 25 years of experience in education, Laura has dedicated her career to supporting children, adolescents, and young adults from preschool (age 3) through transition programs (age 21). Her extensive work within a comprehensive school district has allowed her to serve students and families across a wide range of developmental stages, academic needs, and life transitions. In addition to her work in K-12 education, Laura served as an adjunct professor for 15 years, teaching at several universities and mentoring future educators and mental health professionals. Her combined experience in sociology, human behavior, child development, and school psychology reflects a deep commitment to understanding and supporting the whole child within the context of family, school, and community. Through her professional practice and academic contributions, Laura brings both compassion and expertise to her work, grounded in decades of hands-on experience and a passion for helping individuals thrive.

Kara White is known as Ms. Kara by her talented groups of art students. In addition to being a published illustrator, she is a commissioned artist for pet portraits, family portraits, and landscapes. Her career as an art educator began in 2009 as Artist-in-Residence and continues to teach pre-school through 5th grade to this day. She also hosts private and group classes for all ages after school and on weekends where fun meets art education. As a mentor, Ms. Kara has helped many of her students with their professional art portfolios for admissions into colleges and various art schools. One of the most rewarding accomplishments was being sponsored for many years to teach weekly at a children's hospital to benefit the families in need there. With decades of experience working with children, this art educator focuses on the confidence her students gain by believing in themselves and what they can accomplish through art, creativity, and expression. She has compassion for sensitive hearts and takes this with her into every classroom and art experience, as well as on every illustrated page. A very special thank you to Ms. Kara's daughter, Kellie, who helped tremen-dously with these digital pieces in this lovely book. They dedicated themselves to seeing this vision come to life through every step of the way on each original illustration.