The 10-part children’s picture book series aims to empower children to embrace their individuality and be kind while learning facts about sea creatures.

BATON ROUGE , LA, UNITED STATES , January 11, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A teacher, writer, and gifted education specialist for over thirty years, Dr. Elizabeth Connell Lewis, considers herself a "champion for the dreamers." The children's author of two picture books, My Teacher's Garden, and Stick Boy, Lewis, is currently seeking a publisher for the first book in her 10-part picture book series, Camilla Makes A Splash.

The first book in her anticipated ten-part series features Camilla, a kind young cuttlefish who struggles with her appearance as she compares herself to other squid in her coral reef home. After her mother reassures her that she is “just right” and should use her unique strengths to help others, she does this. Camilla learns how good it feels to use her abilities to help others and how to make a splash and spread ripples of kindness.

This story is written in rhyming verse with an intended audience of children aged 3-8 years. In the creative nonfiction genre, Camilla Makes a Splash addresses social-emotional issues that many children experience regarding self-acceptance and appreciation of their unique strengths. The book will feature colorful and realistic illustrations of sea creatures throughout the story. Facts about Camilla, her environment, and her sea-creature friends will be included at the bottom of each illustrated spread inside open clam shells.

As an elementary science teacher and gifted education specialist, Lewis understands the struggle to find exciting and engaging nonfiction books for young children. "In my experience, children are most fascinated with the unusual," she says. "For this reason, I chose a flamboyant cuttlefish as the main character. The story is written in rhyming verse because I believe it is the best vehicle to teach younger children."

Lewis has already laid out the themes for the nine additional books in the series, each featuring Camilla Cuttlefish. Each story will address a different social-emotional topic and positive character traits, such as altruism, honesty, integrity, and determination, and will also contain interesting facts about various sea creatures. While teaching and raising four highly creative children, Lewis developed a passion for exceptional students. Under her brand, Nurturing Potential, she has bundled her experiences and stories in various books and presentations, hoping to inspire learners of all ages to embrace their unique gifts and develop their talents.

Elizabeth’s mother, Kathryn Connell, worked with Lewis on the publication of My Teacher's Garden. The book, based on Elizabeth’s teaching experience and Kathryn’s knowledge of different plants, tells the story of Ms. Hildegard, a special kind of teacher who has a knack for gardening, which she translates into the attention she provides her students. Just as a gardener tends to the unique needs of different flowers, Ms. Hildegard gives each child what he or she needs to blossom and grow. "A good teacher differentiates learning experiences for students just as an experienced gardener prunes and nurtures her garden so that each different plant will thrive," Lewis says.

Lewis's second book, Stick Boy, is the story of an imaginative child who dreams up all sorts of adventures with the help of his stick. The book was inspired by Elizabeth’s son Rob, who was fascinated with sticks as a child. Although a bright, sensitive, and creative boy, he received negative attention for his imaginative play and ideas. Dr. Lewis wrote the book to celebrate Rob and other creative students like him who often find themselves in this predicament. She sees creative behaviors such as fluency, flexibility, elaboration, originality, and abstract thinking as real strengths that should be developed in schools. "Without these behaviors,” Lewis says, “ there would be no new inventions or discoveries or solutions to problems that we might face in the future. We need to nurture creative traits and see them as positive exceptionalities."


About Elizabeth Connell Lewis
After earning an M.Ed. and Ph.D. in educational psychology (gifted and creative education) from The University of Georgia and serving in a variety of educational settings, Elizabeth has emerged as a "champion of dreamers." She celebrates creativity and is thrilled when an idea becomes a reality. Lewis enjoys guiding students to develop their unique talents and interests and to apply these strengths to help others.

Dr. Lewis currently serves as the Instigator and QUEST Center Coordinator at The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The mother of four highly creative children whose gifts were not always appreciated or nurtured in school, Elizabeth regularly advocates for gifted and creative students. She trains teachers in the identification and nurturing of creative behaviors in students and designs and implements projects that challenge, engage and inspire curiosity in creative children of all ages.

For more information on books, presentations, or speaking engagements, please call +1.706.201.3927 or email elizabeth@nurturingpotential.org.

Dr. Elizabeth Connell Lewis
Nurturing Potential
+1 706-201-3927
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