Tilly Toad's Heavy Load

Have you ever worried about being different? Tilly Toad has!

Tilly is thinking about his first day at Lilyflower Academy and worries about being made fun of because he has different colored spots than the other frogs and toads. The day before school starts, his grandfather takes him on a walk to Lilyflower Pond. During their walk, Grandfather Hops fills Tilly's backpack with heavy stones. As Tilly's load gets heavier, Tilly finds it more and more difficult to bear. Finally, Tilly can't carry any more of his heavy burden and he asks Grandfather Hops for help. What follows is a lesson on taking control of your feelings and learning to let the negative ones go. Tilly also learns to love and accept himself for who he is.

Jo Dodd's children's picture books will bring a smile to your face and joy to your heart! Jo was born in England and grew up in the beautiful Dorset countryside. At 21, she traveled to the United States for an internship, little knowing she'd fall in love and start a family. Though working in corporate America for the past 25 years, Jo always had a passion for writing and knew, deep down, this was her true calling. Jo recently took a leap of faith to step away from a leadership role in Learning and Development with a Fortune 500 company to launch her own business as an author and coach. While both heartwarming and entertaining, Jo's books also deal with the issues of diversity that we face in today's world. As a Mum of four bi-racial boys, she has first-hand experiences of the effects of diversity on adults, children, families and friends. Jo's debut picture book, Tilly Toad's Heavy Load is the first in a series. Tilly's stories are loosely based on experiences Jo's boys face growing up as bi-racial children in a world that makes them feel different. To stay abreast of Tilly Toad's TOADTilly Terrific adventures, visit www.tillytoad.com and be sure to follow Tilly on social media. To keep in touch with Jo, visit www.livinginjotopia.com where you can subscribe to her newsletter and receive updates about her work.