Mantoloking, New Jersey resident Marie Unanue, who was also born and raised in NJ, has taken on two new roles of recent… this debut author is also a Kindness Advocate, helping children and their families incorporate more kindness into their lives through her #LetsAllBeKind challenge. Kids are encouraged to print out a sign and take a picture with them at the kindness scene to spread this positive message.
“The Adventures of Phatty and Payaso: Central Park,” (iUniverse, August 24, 2018) is an Early Chapter Book by Marie Unanue. Marie’s fascination with Characterlab.org helped her to write a story that would help teach the character skills missing in today’s children. The book focuses on six skills: curiosity, gratitude, grit, self- control, social intelligence, and zest.
Unanue’s commitment to serving the community here is unparallelled. She is doing over 20 school visits in NY and NJ partnered with Horizons and supporting literacy initiatives all over the country. On her school visits she brings free copies of her book as well as curriculum materials for every child. Some New Jersey libraries she’s visiting or donating her debut book and accompanying literacy materials to include:
Fanwood Memorial Library Make and Take Stories program
Ocean City Free Public Library Summer Kids Programs
Family Storytime at South Plainfield Public Library
Through “The Adventures of Phatty and Payaso: Central Park,” child readers learn about good behavior and how to treat people with kindness. Kids can identify with a character’s fear or insecurity and experience the feeling of achievement when the character overcomes it. This is not just book about an adventure in Central Park, it is a book about kindness, character and overcoming obstacles. Like the best children’s content, though, these books have fun “inside jokes” for the parents reading along, with puns and pop culture references for those older bedside readers.
Unique in its use of minority characters to set the scene, this book will find a home on the shelves of those most focused on giving equal attention to special needs children, latinx culture, and of course, cat lovers.
Readers and literacy partners can find out more information at www.letsallbekind.com