There's No Place Like My Own Home

Today is Alyssa's first day at Lee Ponder Intermediate School, and along with learning new names, faces, and classrooms, she has to maintain her secret. One that she doesn't want anyone to know, not even her new best friend, Onika. You see, Alyssa and her mom are homeless. When Alyssa has an assignment (to write a letter to a student in Alabama whose school and home have been destroyed by a tornado), she bears her soul. However, when the note is lost and believes the school's bully, Marcus has found it, that things drastically change for Alyssa and her mom.

Readers have enjoyed this book as young as second grade, and the comments from parents, educators, children, counselors, and more may be summed up in this one sentence, "Although Alyssa and her mom are homeless, they are not hopeless." The book may be used in conjunction with classroom Standard of Learning subjects such as Language Arts, Health, Social Studies, Government, and Public Speaking. There's No Place Like My Own Home has been found helpful for Social-Emotional Learning to include (but is not limited to) kindness, gratitude, sufficient conflict resolution, positive self-image. The reader will also learn how to reduce aggressive behavior, demonstrate self-control, manage emotions, set positive goals, engage in positive relations, and learn to solve problems effectively. Lastly, the book has an anti-bullying message.

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR

As parents, we see so many distractions vying for our children's attention, challenges that may cause them to disconnect from humanity. We want them to understand the power of gratitude and empathy without feeling as if we are forcing it upon them. Age-appropriate books have a way of emerging our children into worlds that represent the qualities we know will make them kinder, more caring, and compassionate. This is what I had in mind as I penned the words to my book, "There's No Place Like My Own Home." I have to confess; I didn't set out to write this book. It was born out of a conversation I had with Christine Bush, the Valoha Giving Movement founder.

She told someone I had written a children's book on the subject of homelessness; I had not. But from that conversation, this beautiful book was born. Reading it with your child will open the door to honest, sincere dialogue about those less fortunate, empathy, compassion, and the power of hope, faith, and friendship. I cannot wait to read your reviews on this work of love. Stay tuned, the sequel, "Home is Where the Heart Lives," is in production.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Florenza is an author, publisher, narrative coach, speaker, radio talk show host, Master Storyteller, wife, and mother. Florenza and her husband, CSM (Ret US Army) Trefus Lee, have been married for 38 years and reside in Hampton, Virginia. Their daughters, Jessica and Missy, call Las Vegas, Nevada home.

PUBLISHED TITLES BY FLORENZA:

Adventurous Olivia's Alphabet Quest
Adventurous Olivia's Calm Quest: A Mindfulness Book
Adventurous Olivia's Numerical Quest
Amiri's Birthday Wish
Barry Bear's Very Best, Learning to Say No to Negative Influences
Brooklyn Beaver ALMOST Builds a Dam
If...The Story of Faith Walker
O'Kapi
There's No Place Like My Own Home
The Tail of Max the Mindless Dog, A Children's Book on Mindfulness
This Time Next Year: A Friendship Story
Manny & Tutu
Welcome Home Daddy, Love, Lexi
When Life Gives Us Wind

Children's Books coming soon are:
Acornsville, Land of the Secret Seed Keepers
Micah and Malik's Super Awesome Excellent Adventure
Oh, My Goodness, Look at this Big Mess
Two Bees in a Hive

Young Reader Chapter Books coming soon are:
Hoku to the Rescue
Two-Thirds is a Whole

For more information regarding Florenza's books, or to contact her to speak at your school or event, please visit www.florenza.org.