The Butterfly Trap ELEVATOR PITCH we give it to you here first

Well….. You have waited long enough! Our book has been listed as a new release on our publishers website… we are about to go live on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and our books will soon be flying off book shelves everywhere.  Since you guys have been with us, waiting patiently and following us on this publishing journey since the beginning, we are giving you our elevator pitch first!

Let’s start with a fun fact… did you know that The Butterfly Trap has been published before?

And did you know that originally she was called Lulu? Well, we have already shared that our character is now called Luki which is a combination of Lee-Ann and Kuki.

The Butterfly Trap was first released 15 years ago with the same title but a much more crude version that I wrote and illustrated without the creative direction from my gifted and talented wife, Kuki. I had it scanned, and laid out by a graphic artist, printed and bound at a local printer and was distributing copies in the schools that I worked at, to friends and family etc.

The takeaway here is that the story has already been extensively field tested by children from ages 2-11. Children are the best test market because they are so honest and uninhibited. Their feedback is golden because they have no filter!

And here’s the best news...

EVERY TIME we have READ THIS BOOK, in many different contexts, classrooms ages and settings it was met with delight! There was laughter, engagement, reflection and attention. I created this book from my heart for the hearts of children and they connected.

Most importantly though I want you to know that the new and improved version of The Butterfly Trap has surpassed my expectations because it was conceived thanks to Kuki’s vision and creative direction. We also owe a debt of gratitude to our collaboration with our publisher, editors and creative team. Thanks to this, our story has been tweaked, reworked and reborn and is now a more well thought out, consistent and well developed product overall.

So, It’s all happening now friends and we can hardly even believe it….

But we promised you our elevator pitch so that you will be the first to get to know Luki and The Butterfly Trap book so, here it is P.S we memorized it!!

“The Butterfly Trap is a book about a girl named Luki. Luki is a willful little girl who won’t let anything stop her. Not even her Mother!

She loves butterflies so much that she wants to have one as a pet. But how much is too much? This story is special because we learn why Luki’s dream may or may not be such a good idea.”

— Lee-Ann and Kuki

Check out our first ever video debut of our elevator pitch here!

Soon, we will have the privilege of reading the story to you and give you access to our exclusive line of limited edition merch. Over the first weekend of November our hearts will be bursting because this project has so much heart in it, there is so much history and is literally a piece of who we are. Nothing feels better than sharing who you are with authenticity.

Thank you for receiving it.

Yours,

Dragon and Bunny

Pop Up Shop Friday November 2nd

Book Launch Saturday November 3rd

Today we answer YOUR questions! It’s DragonBunny Books Q and A day….

Many people have been asking us questions and we have been listening. So, here we go!

Q. Why are we hosting a Pop up Shop AND a Book Launch / Reading back to back?

WELLLLL……we decided to host the book launch on Saturday Nov. 3rd at Youth Innovation downtown from 10 am-noon because the space is beautiful and has a great community vibe with a gorgeous library. We knew right away that this venue would be perfect! Our objective for the launch is to host an event for both parents and kids that is conducive to our first live reading of our book, while we offer a few activities for the kids, some snacks and can get access to our exclusive The Butterfly Trap line of merch. When we started talking to people and inviting them to the event, we began thinking about the configuration of the space… (did we mention that it’s a beautiful space and has a great community vibe, natural light, exposed brick walls ...the works! Yes, I know we did but it’s important.)

But here’s the thing … the space for our launch is beautiful but it’s not HUGE!

It accommodates around 100 people comfortably and we really wish to focus on reading and animating the story at the launch, perform some live music and encourage movement and dancing too! Because of course, you all know how much we love to whip out our skills and demo our innate love of delighting, animating and entertaining little humans.

Soooo…… Because we wanted to accommodate you and offer you a more intimate opportunity to  SHOP, we decided to open our POP UP SHOP (Friday, Nov 2nd). A one day only event is dedicated exclusively to selling and signing our book and displaying our exclusive merch all for the very first time!! We selected another location (Mtl West), that is very spacious and accessible

Please note that we want you to attend both events as they will each offer something different, (from setting to vibe, space and content) However, We will NOT be reading or animating at the POP UP Shop. This will be more like a meet ‘n greet! If you wish to hear the story being read and / or have kids who would then the Launch on Saturday morning is the best option.

Q. How are you guys feeling? Are you excited now that you are published authors?

No. We are actually pretty anxious right now. I know that I am personally having a pretty major anxiety flare up tonight and am pretty sure it’s cause of the stress of the book. We still haven’t even held a copy of our book. We have been through rounds of edits and approval and admired oodles of digital files but have we made face to face contact? No… All we are doing is spending more money and time and energy on something that is only theoretical at this point. Is that scary? Yes. Are we feeling insecure? Are doubts creeping in? Absolutely yes. Right now the whole things is kinda surreal. We are in a bit of shock and the learning curve has been steep….

Every spare moment we have we are knee deep in marketing, branding, edits, merchandising, strategizing and planning our next book! Soooo…. Are we excited? Yes! For us to actually get to the other side of this project that was conceived 9 months ago! Isn’t that ironic?

I feel labour pains coming on….

POP UP SHOP

We are excited to announce our

NEW event …

Our first ever ….

Can’t even believe it’s real

POP UP SHOP!!

We wanted to give you an exclusive chance to buy our book, have it signed, meet ‘n greet and check out our new line of limited edition merch while having some refreshments.

Join us anytime between 5 à 7 pm at 7505 Sherbrooke West (Mtl West)


Please note that the OFFICIAL PUBLIC LAUNCH and READING will take place on

Saturday, November 3rd as planned… so, if you wish to experience

“THE BUTTERFLY TRAP”

story being read for the first time then JOIN US AT BOTH EVENTS!

Thanksgiving is Gratitude Time

Well… its Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend and we thought it would be the perfect time to list some things we are grateful for….

1. EACH OTHER (DRAGON + BUNNY)

2. OUR BOOK (THE BUTTERFLY TRAP)

3. YOU!!!

We are so close to releasing our first book and have been through some challenges and frustrations evoking the whole range of emotions lately in this final stage of the process

(ugh! feels a little like how late stage pregnancy must feel. It’s like we are about to burst here!!!)

BUT….

• We must remember how far we’ve come

• We must remember the importance of pursuing our dreams

• We must remember to be grateful for every drop!

We continue to learn about the publishing industry and are gathering up knowledge and experience for future projects and to share with others who might wish to pursue their own book publishing dreams.

We continue to ride the wave of emotions from elation and joy to fear and self doubt.

But on this Thanksgiving week end, with a month to go before our book launch, we are THANKFUL and wish to thank you for believing in us and following us and being on this publishing journey with us!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM DRAGON and BUNNY! WE LOVE YOU GUYS AND ARE FILLED WITH GRATITUDE THAT WE GET TO DO THIS WITH YOU xo

DO WHAT YOU LOVE! LOVE WHAT YOU DO!

BLOG September 28 2018

This may seem impossibly simplistic and idealistic. This may not always be an option. This may be something for only the privileged few. I know that’s how I felt. For most of my life I have had to do what I had to do and didn’t have the luxury of reflecting on what I loved or even what I needed.

I needed to pay the bills

I needed to eat

I needed to survive

I’m not sure if it’s generational, cultural or a result of my life circumstances but I am shifting into a more purposeful stage of my life. I am relentless and driven but resolved to pour myself solely into projects that uplift and serve. This past week I was reflecting on why I still teach yoga to kids. I have had to decline so many work related offers lately but this is one of the commitments I am determined to maintain.

Why?   Yoga has inherent value and so many benefits but, I love it because when I teach yoga I get to remind my students that they are seen… like really seen for who they are. Not how they look or what they wear or for their performance in sports or academics but for their being… dare I say for their soul! This is something that I believe we all long for. We long to be seen and to feel connected. In class, I don’t articulate this using formal or religious language but it’s something we experience… together. Through music, listening, stillness, movement, play, yoga poses, breath practices and meditation. We experience the holistic, beneficial, profound and uplifting benefits of yoga in community.

I am drawn to people and places where being seen and feeling connected (to self, community and source) are paramount.

Working on the “The Butterfly Trap” book filled me with a deep sense of connection that I can hardly put into words. Developing the main character, Luki, expressing her journey through language and images, capturing the essence of the story in this way was a transcendent experience.

I asked Kuki how she felt about this. I mean, I am confident that she agrees because we both gush at the end of the day sharing how much we each love and are thriving at our respective jobs. But I asked her to say what it is she loves and why…

She told me that she loves teaching kindergarten because she gets to give back the most beautiful gift that her late grandmother gave to her: unconditional love! Being a part of the lives of children as they navigate the world independently for the first time fills her with indescribable joy. “I have my finger on the pulse of their lives” She believes that modelling kindness and fairness will have a profound impact and help her students to enhance their capacity to be decent human beings.“I have always wanted to be an artist. I have had this dream  for as long as I can remember. I pursued Fine Arts even before Education so co creating The Butterfly Trap and starting DragonBunny Books feels like a dream is coming true!”

“I have always wanted to be an artist. I have had this dream  for as long as I can remember. I pursued Fine Arts even before Education so co creating The Butterfly Trap and starting DragonBunny Books feels like a dream is coming true!

”

I believe that doing what you love means that you are aligned with your higher purpose and this is something to encourage and nurture in ourselves and each other. But I also appreciate what might hold us back from doing this. My hope is that we can stop and take a look at aspects of our lives that flow, where there is both ease and challenge, find the sweet spot and pour ourselves into those areas and watch them multiply!

A Day In the Life of A Dragon!

OK, Here it is …. A Day in the Life of A Dragon… Because you asked for it!

Dragon wakes up at the crack of dawn.

She roars and stretches with a giant dragon yawn.

The little dog and cat need to go pee and get fed

They always make sure that she gets out of bed.

The Bunny and Dragon eat breakfast at last

Even early in the morning, they are having a blast!

Iron the shirt

Get dressed and shower… when it’s time to go to work, she smells like a flower.

At Kindergarten house she tells stories and sings

All the children line up when the bell rings

Coffee time gives dragon the energy she needs

To soothe and teach children and put Band-aids on knees

In the evening, there’s hockey YES! Dragons even skate on ice!

After there will be dog walks, holding hands feels so nice

Good night Dragon

Good night Bunny, dog and cat

Tomorrow we’ll do it all again - if you can imagine that!

THE END

Patience is a virtue … in all the ways BLAH BLAH BLAH

Since we have been on this book publishing journey, we have had to explore the boundaries of our patience. This is a polite way of saying, that it has been, at times, difficult.

When dealing with third parties, this often means having to accommodate timelines that are disappointing, human error (other than your own) and ideas that may not coalesce.

For the most part, I consider myself patient or perhaps I am mistaking this for what I freely give to others and deny myself, as I tend to just push myself until I get the job done. I get easily frustrated / impatient if things don’t get done expediently.

But the thing is, to publish a book, there were things that we simply had to delegate and couldn’t accomplish on our own. In fact, we hired a book publisher / publishing consultant to walk us through the process.

We are learning as we go that each step takes not hours or days, but weeks and sometimes even months to complete. Each round of edits and reviews is time consuming. This is particularly tricky I am noticing, because we live in a world where we are used to waiting mere seconds for everything! Downloads take moments, deleting is instantaneous and payments are processed with but the tap of a card. Personally, I am the type to stay up all night to see a project through because I don’t feel settled until it’s complete. This probably isn’t something to advertise because it is likely a symptom of my anxiety, or some mild form of OCD. This is by no means humble bragging, just saying it like it is. I also drive Kuki a little nuts with my determination. In fact, she has called me manic when I am in this mode. So, as I said, this process has, at times, been difficult. We have had to sit back and wait, patiently as our book has undergone this transformation. From idea, to words, to drawings, paintings and ultimately, to print!

But, we are, in fact finally actually nearing the very end. We are now able to celebrate an actual book launch date

Saturday, November 3rd 2018 at Innovation Jeunes

and we will even have sales and distribution details for you shortly.

You will soon read our story

“The Butterfly Trap”

where Luki has her own battles with patience (or lack thereof). I was actually thinking of her as I was blogging today and am realizing that the very story that I co-wrote still has something to teach me. You will see exactly what I am talking about when you read the book yourself! We believe that good stories will morph with you and offer you and your families different lessons and insights over time.

As long as you are patient of course!

Here is a link that will make you impatient with your own impatience

9 Reasons why Patience is A virtue

Why aren’t there 10" lol?

Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover

I suppose it’s a part of human nature to see something and judge it very quickly. We form opinions, opt in or out of opportunities, people and places in the blink of an eye.

Our culture is obsessed with appearances. It’s commonly understood that we go to great lengths to put our best foot forward. We spend thousands of dollars on clothes, beauty products, accessories, hair styling, cosmetic procedures etc.  We are preoccupied with posting pictures of ourselves, preened and filtered to perfection, on social media platforms.

In fact, if someone doesn’t measure up, we might dismiss them entirely, assuming they are not credible or worth investing any time and energy in. Sadly, we might even ignore them altogether.

So, if  this is the world we live in, you can understand why It’s so scary for us to reveal our first potential book cover / title to you….

So before we share it, we will simply ask that you

Please don’t judge a book by it’s cover.

Unless of course, you like our title and book cover in which case, we hope you will judge it accordingly and be deeply convicted that this is the best children’s book ever written! You will then automatically rush to buy it and tell everyone you know. Soon after, Disney will approach us to sign a movie deal! Right?

This is what we hope but the truth is, it’s scary and vulnerable to be in this position. There are so many other books, artists, stories and concepts that are way better than ours. On Instagram alone, I am floored by the raw talent and dedication of so many of the artists who produce children’s books that literally knock my socks off every day. Too often I am left wondering if our book even measures up….

We are revealing the title here today and are nonetheless hopeful that you will stick around even if you don’t like the title and potential cover because there is more to it than meets the eye…

Every page tells a story and our story has a message because our books do that. Tell stories with a message.

Our slogan is ...“Big Questions for Little Humans” after all

Any worthwhile endeavour requires more than a glance and can evolve over time so, take a glance and give it some time. We are planning on sticking around for a while and we wish to grow with you all on this awesome publishing journey.

So, here it is what do you think….. Do you want to know more? Leave us a comment... 

It's True!

We are publishing our first children's book. Available SOON! If you have subscribed, you will be the first to know more! Subscribe HERE

Here is the list of winners!

We have an announcement to make...

If you entered, you won!

Congratulations!

Afra, Ardyth, Mary A. Mary, Beverly, Nancy, Christina-Marie, Julie-Ann, Lara, Nicki

We will be notifying you by email to claim your prize! shortly.

Thank you for playing! 

The Empathy Challenge

What is Empathy Anyway?

“the ability to understand and share the feelings of another”

Some people might wonder, why is this a big deal? They might say, it’s really not complicated this empathy thing and I’m actually usually pretty good at it.

Upon further reflection, we might find ourselves less empathetic than we would have thought. For instance, I started thinking about where I lack empathy and I easily came up with a few.  Such as if someone is confrontational or overly harsh with me or if I’m driving and I get honked at or cut off. In fact, if apathy is the opposite of empathy then I can even identify with having stronger feelings than basic apathy. At times I can even feel hostile. The point is, we are human and there are times when empathy doesn’t come easily and doesn’t feel natural. When we are not empathetic, we are even capable of destructive, irrational and harmful behavior.  This doesn’t represent our best or highest selves.

By contrast, if we were always empathetic there would be less conflict, less poverty, less disconnect, less hate and the world would surely be a kinder, gentler, more pleasant and safer place.

This is where we come in.

Fun Fact: Empathy can be practiced, learned and improved upon.

Kuki commissioned the Empathy Series because she knows how much of an impact an empathetic classroom can have on the quality of learning and relationships in her classroom. Visual representations of empathy help to promote empathetic behaviour.

It’s a new school year, a chance to put our best foot forward. Why not invest ourselves in cultivating empathy in our own contexts?

““The time has come to leverage the power of empathy and embark on a global empathic action revolution””

— Dr. Anita Nowak

We can train and encourage empathy by flexing our empathy muscles. DragonBunny books would like to encourage you to take on the empathy challenge. At home, at work, in the car, classroom, dining room, internet or gym.  

Be Kind!

Be generous!

Be grateful!

Be you!

Let us know how you do! Have Fun!

Back to School Give away!

Hello Peeps! We have an exciting give away but first we are asking for a few minutes of your time because we want to know how you feel …

It’s back to school season and with that Kuki is busy preparing her classroom and reflecting on fresh starts. In case you weren’t already aware, one of the best things about Kuki aka Dragon aka Ms K or Ms Kuki is that she has a huge heart and an abundance of patience! (Thank God, because she is married to me!) But in all seriousness, she truly is a one-of-a-kind teacher and she devotes so much of herself to her work. I know because I have dinner with her every night and I can see the love and care in her eyes when she talks about her students.

Anyway, the point is, this week, she commissioned DragonBunnyBooks to create a series of posters for her classroom that will help to shape a culture and atmosphere of empathy. Which of course reflects who Kuki is as an educator, wife and person.

She commissioned the posters because one of her educational priorities is to make children feel safe and loved. She wants them to know the same security and boundaries that she received from her late grandmother (Noni). We recently watched the documentary devoted to Fred Rogers called “Won’t you Be my Neighbour?” which left us both sobbing to realize the impact that his life had on so many. I can personally testify to being moved by his kindness and recognition. When Mr. Rogers looked at the camera, right into my own eyes, and said he liked me exactly as I was, I felt a warmth and acceptance that was unique and that I didn’t even know that I was starving for. Fred Rogers devoted his life to the social-emotional well being of young children and is a role model to us! We don’t take our job as children’s authors lightly. We know that DragonBunny Books will be reaching into the hearts of children and our hope is to heal, inspire and encourage the next generation to strive for a kinder, better more sustainable world. No pressure…  

So, we made a series of posters to encourage and inspire these virtues

• kindness

• generosity

• gratitude

• self worth

Now, what we really  want to know is how you feel? Calling on the parents, educators and anyone with an opinion….

How do we best teach empathy?

What are your strategies?

Do you think that empathetic action should be a part of the core curriculum in schools?

Or should this subject be reserved for a family setting?

Can books change lives?

If Fred Rogers could do it why can’t we?

Answer any of these questions in the comments under this blog pinned to top of our FB Page or Instagram to be eligible to win a DragonBunny Books print! OR, if you don't have FB ands still wish to participate, comment here below this blog!

The more comments you make, the more chances you have to win! 

Good Luck!!

Contest Rules

1. You must comment on one of the questions from the blog to be entered to win

2. Bonus points if you share our page or our post to your page

3. Bonus points for wit and humour

4. Deadline is Wednesday, August 29th. We will announce the winner Live!

Celebrate our wedding anniversary with a new blog on the joys of reading aloud!

Hello Dear Friends of DragonBunny Books,

As it is our 4th wedding anniversary and we are so happy and excited about the occasion, we wanted to celebrate with a little pre book launch freebie / giveaway!!  

We created this week's blog just for parents and educators on the benefits on the joys of reading to kids, along with a few helpful dos and don’ts!

PLUS A FREE DRAGONBUNNY BOOKS ORIGINAL COLORING SHEEEEEEET! Hot off the presses! Designed just for youuuuuu (great for home or classroom)

OK, so Why read aloud to your kids? 

Let's start by sharing our own personal struggles with this….

"As an educator, I Sometimes fall into the misguided belief trap that reading is not a “productive” use of time… or worse still that reading aloud to those who can read, of all ages and abilities, is somehow not impactful or beneficial.

I’m not sure what informs this misconception but I have to use logic and rational thinking to talk myself out of it. Is it because we are conditioned to question how something as pleasurable as reading can actually be beneficial? Sometimes we have to challenge our perceptions and thoughts because they aren’t always accurate!" (Bunny)

"Actually, prior to this blog, I had already made a commitment to reading aloud as a regular and consistent practice in my classroom. Because I often found myself running out of time after doing the “real” work of a busy, energetic kindergarten class, I would often have to omit story time.  As a way of addressing this problem, I will dedicate the beginning of my lesson to reading aloud so that I don’t run out of time! Honestly, all of the important academic benefits aside, I truly love the performance and engagement of story time. It is such a bonding and dynamic way of teaching!" (Dragon)

---

““READING ALOUD OR LISTENING TO A STORY BEING TOLD IS ONE OF THE MOST “CEREBRALLY” ENGAGING EXPERIENCES A KID CAN HAVE””

— Jim Kwik

---

““ONE OF THE GREATEST GIFTS ADULTS CAN GIVE - TO THEIR OFFSPRING AND TO SOCIETY - IS TO READ TO CHILDREN” ”

— CARL SAGAN

---

Here are a few more reasons to read aloud to your kids….

• Improves Vocabulary

• Makes connections between spoken and written word

• The pure enjoyment of reading

• Improves Attention span

• Improves cognition

• Is a safe and healthy way to explore emotions

• Promotes bonding

• Stimulates imagination

Dos and Don’ts … (always more Dos than Don'ts) 

• Do Read every day!

• Do Read favourites over and over again (especially if it's a DragonBunny Book!)

• Do Choose a space that is distraction free (ie technology free and interruption free)

• Do allow yourselves Enough time to enjoy thoroughly

• Do Ask wondering questions to encourage your child to reflect and process

• Do use your voice to express the flavour and tone to animate the story

• Don’t read if your child is not in the right frame of mind

• Don’t read books that aren’t interesting to your child.

• Don’t get off track - Do try to stay focused if a distraction occurs redirect and refocus but be willing to stop if necessary. Tomorrow is another day.

• Do have fun and be playful!

We had no idea!

We had no idea!

You guys already know that publishing a kids book is a dream come true for us! 

We each have memories of reading books when we were little and being completely immersed in the illustrations: the mood, characters and details. We were captivated by the story and have such strong, vivid memories of them! Dragon would use the pages as a backdrop for her figurines and would use her imagination to become a part of the story. I would stare at the images for hours, scanning the pages for details that would tell me more and draw me deeper into the story.

But we have a whole new respect for the process and the art work now! 

Publishing our first book has also been an education. The process has at times been gruelling. We both have full time jobs and this has made juggling all of the stages of producing and publishing our book particularly challenging. We have been squeezing in our book work on weekends, adding late nights and as many art cram sessions as we could afford.

We had no idea!

But now we do and we are already planning our second book!!!!

Stay tuned guys… this is only the beginning!

*note that we use the word read for pre readers as well, since pre readers use images to tell stories before words.