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How Nature Inspires Children’s Authors
In a recent blog post, I wrote about how sometimes what you have in mind for your life, is not always the same as what life has in mind for you. It seems that this is a common thread among children’s authors. We don’t often set out to become children’s authors, but somehow, something in our lives, inspires us to walk down a different path. There is something that leads us to become children’s authors and so often, it is something we have found in nature that we wish to share with others. Recently, I had the pleasure to make acquaintance with wildlife photographer, Lieve Snellings. Her story, like mine, is about how nature inspired her to become a children’s author. I would like to share her story with you. Before going to Quebec I couldn’t even recognize a sparrow By Lieve Snellings It was in 2008 that I flew to Quebec for the first time. At that moment I even wasn’t able to recognize a sparrow. Now, seven years later, I have published two books with Margot the groundhog as main character, in the series ‘Fauna in Quebec. Surprising images about life in nature.’ Isn’t it amazing what love can do? My partner, a nature photographer, lit the wick of passion for nature photography inside me.Read More
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Finding the True Stars of the Ocean full Preview
This is a preview of Finding the True Stars of the Ocean, A Realistic Coloring Book for future marine Biologists. Available on Amazon Not just a coloring book! Finding the True Stars of the Ocean is a great educational tool for students (grades 2-5) and teachers alike. If your child was inspired to become a marine biologist or learn more about marine ecosystems after watching one of the blockbuster animated movies, like Finding Dory, then Finding the True Stars of the Ocean is for them. Inside this educational coloring book, your child will learn about the coral reef and kelp forest ecosystems and the balance that exists between the species that live there. They will learn about the real life version of characters from the big screen including: Clownfish, Regal Blue Tangs, Porcupinefish, Butterflyfish, Damselfish, Cleaner Wrasses, Rockfish, Octopuses, Hammerhead Sharks, Whale Sharks, Sea Turtles, Spotted Rays, Sea Lions, Sea Otters and more. Each colorable illustration is accompanied by a one-page fact sheet about the species. Children will learn about species feeding habits, coloration, anatomy, body design, and their role in the underwater ecosystem. Important ecological principals covered include: symbiosis, the effects of collecting fish for the aquarium trade, reef etiquette and conservation. Including these topics is intended to help children make better decisions about the world we live in. This book is brought to you by award-winning author and illustrator and prolific marine science educational material developer, Monika Mira.Read More
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Day of the Dead Mermaids
Most of you know me as a coloring book illustrator. Black and white lines are my forte with a special affinity for marine life. BUT, I also like to dabble with painting. Since it is that time of year, I figured I would show off some of my mermaid paintings for Dia de los Muertos. This is where I combine my sugar skull illustrations with marine life or should I say, fantasy marine life? My Day of the Dead Paintings are available as prints, pillows, t-shirts, shower curtains and other fun stuff on FINE ART AMERICA, along with some of my other Day of the Dead art. Meanwhile, teachers are buying up my downloadable Day of the Dead Coloring Sheets this month, because they make a great additional to cultural lessons about Dia de los Muertos. You can find the coloring sheets on Teachers Pay Teachers, AND you can get FREE printable sugar skull coloring sheets right here on this website. Just sign up here.Read More
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Giveaway on GoodReads for Finding the True Stars of the Ocean
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Education version of Finding the True Stars of the Ocean now available
Lucid Publishing has released the downloadable education version of Finding the True Stars of the Ocean. This marine science unit includes dozens of colorable illustrations, species profile fact sheets, habitat articles, and ecological principles. Students will learn about species’ feeding habits, coloration, anatomy, body design, and their role in the underwater ecosystem. Important ecological principals covered include: symbiosis, the effects of collecting fish for the aquarium trade, reef etiquette and conservation. Including these topics is intended to help children make better decisions about the world we live in. The articles are best suited for 3-5th grade reading level, but teachers will find that reading the articles to the students while they color the illustrations is a great way to reduce classroom stress while reinforcing the topics covered.Read More
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Inspired by Finding Dory
Disney movies have inspired millions of little princesses. Compelling stories told on the big screen, can have a lasting effect on the families that watch them. How do you think Finding Dory will inspire your children? It is unlikely that they will be inspired to become fish. Instead, children may become fascinated with sea creatures and marine life and want to learn more about it. A movie like Finding Dory may even inspire your child to become a marine biologist, but this depends somewhat on how their fascination is supported and encouraged. After hearing about the release of Finding Dory, author Monika Mira was inspired to write and illustrate a book that offers factual information about the marine life that the characters are based on. Finding the True Stars of the Ocean is an educational sea life coloring book that is written for kids that are interested in becoming marine biologists or that simply wanting to learn more about these species. There are no bubble-eyed cartoon characters in this coloring book. Instead, Mira uses more realistic illustrations of marine life in its natural environment. Accompanying the colorable illustrations are fact sheets, where kids can learn about each species, their anatomical features, feeding habits, and their role in the ecosystem. “I’ve noticed that there seems to be some sort of innate human response to want to own things that are treasured,” says Mira. “ This is especially true for children, and it may be a form of inspiration.Read More
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Free Coloring Sheets
Lucid Publishing is happy to announce that they will begin to offer FREE COLORING SHEETS from their library. Enjoy this free coloring sheet that includes the real life stars from the Finding Dory Movie: the blue tang and the clownfish. These fish are also the stars of Lucid Publishing’s new title: Finding the True Stars of the Ocean, A Realistic Sea Life Coloring Book for Future Marine Biologists. This book will teach our future marine biologists scientific facts about reef fish, coral reefs, whale sharks, kelp forests, and other marine life.Read More
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Christmas Coloring Book Coming Soon!
Lucid Publishing is proud to announce that their new Christmas Coloring Book will be released shortly! We believe that the Three-dimensional Christmas Ornament Coloring Book & Paper Crafts will inspire your creativity with twenty-four highly detailed holiday designs. Best-selling Coloring Book Illustrator, Monika Mira brings you this unique and delightful art activity. The elaborate patterns are fun and relaxing to color. Thousands of different color combinations are possible, so your designs will always be unique. The ornament designs can be used for Christmas cards, decorations, and gift tags, or assembled into unique three-dimensional ornaments to hang on your tree. Inside the book, you will find intricately designed ornaments such as Christmas trees, stars, and fanciful birds, as well as simple but traditional ornament shapes, a tin angel, and a snowy church. Five blank templates have also been provided for artists who wish to design their own ornaments. These designs are fun for both kids and adults, so the book makes a great family activity. In fact, psychologists are now recommending coloring as a way to relax and relieve stress.Read More
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New Marine Biology Lesson Released
Lucid Publishing is proud to announce the release of a Fish Anatomy and Biology Lesson for Grades 4-8. The lesson is adapted from Award-Winning title, The Complete Hawaiian Reef Fish Coloring Book. The lesson is appropriate for teachers wanting to add a little marine biology to their curriculum but also addresses other subjects like reading and art. The Fish Anatomy and Biology Lesson is available as a download from Teachers Pay Teachers and includes: Fourteen (14) pages of illustrated non-fiction reading on the following topics: Taxonomy, anatomical terminology, body shapes including form and function, mouth and tail design, coloration and camouflage, scales, reproductive strategies, and fun fish facts. Internal and External Anatomy worksheets for coloring and labeling Colorable illustrations for all anatomical features and body designs. Worksheets for mouth and tail design. Gyotaku fish printing art project that teaches fish anatomy. Swim bladder experiment/activity that shows has fish control buoyancy using Boyleʻs Law.Read More
