Books published by Bellissima Publishing

Telling a lie is wrong. It is a mystery why people think they have to lie to others. Perhaps you have told a lie, and it is bothering you because you don't know why you lied. Maybe you felt backed into a corner and didn't want to disappoint your mother and father, or your friend. But the problem with lying is once you get started, it seems you just can't stop the lies; and sometimes the lies get bigger and bigger until everything feels out of control. Penelope Dyan looks at this subject and throws in some animal facts to amuse the reader, but the bottom line is if you are yourself, and if you are being yourself, you have no need to lie about anything. Everyone needs to be happy with the person they are, and that INCLUDES YOU! Penelope Dyan is a former teacher, an attorney and an award winning author who thinks even serious subjects can be looked at with a smile, and in this book she does just that, and she also includes some mind inspiring facts about some of her favorite animals to inspire curiosity, dialog, fun, creativity and learning!

Someone is expecting a phone call, and it hasn't come. I wonder who it is to whom our hero wants to speak? Can you guess who? Perhaps ypu should read this very silly book and find out for yourself. Simple repetition of a few good words at a time, make this book easy to read. And the cast of characters from Penelope Dyan's other books for kids will help you recognize the words that name them! Penelope Dya knows just how to do this because she was once a teacher, and she was like no other. She invented a system to teach kids that was all her own and did not teach inside the four corners of ANY box. This book also has a surprise reference to today's modern technology. (But don't tell!) The story is still timeless. The drawings are simple so kids will be encouraged to copy them and draw characters of their own. The poetry is focced on fun and teaching certain skills, but nothing is spoon fed to her readers. This is because Dyan knows that kids all have big imaginations, and they know how to think. Learning to read is not about how many words you can recognize, according to Dyan. It is about enjoying what you read. When you enjoy reading, the learning part just comes naturally! Besides being a former teacher, Penelope Dyan is also an attorney and an award winning author. She know what she knows about kids and the process of learning to read, because she remembers being one of those kids who wanted to read and write books, and she is convinced there are millions of kids out there who are as curious and excited about learning as she was. This is why Dyan wants to "keep it fun!"

Sometimes we have a pet that we love so much, and no matter how hard we try it seems we just cannot seem to completely protect them. Something happens, and they get hurt; and you take your pet to the vet and then your dear pet gets better. This is a story about what happened to a very real cat named Blake; and it seems Blake is very lucky that a cat has nine lives, because Blake is always getting into some kind of trouble. Find out what happened when Blake the cat got a very loose tooth. Find out what the kind and wise veterinarian did to make Blake the cat feel so much better. Written and illustrated by the award winning author, Penelope Dyan, this is a somewhat serious book (written in her usual comical and kid-friendly fashion) just for you! Learn, read and enjoy this book about Penelope Dyan's very own cat (who happens to be Blake the cat) and see how the problem of Blake the cat's very loose tooth was resolved!

Sometimes boys have gas, and they have to let it out. Girls try to hide these things, but boys think it is funny. This is why Penelope Dyan added this book to her For Boys Only ® series of books. The whole point of buying a book is to read it, and if kids like the books they read, they will read even more books! Penelope Dyan gets boys and she has a sense of humor about who they really are. So have a laugh and have some fun while you read this book. Penelope Dyan is a former teacher, an award winning author and an attorney, and one of her For Boys Only ® books is even on display in the Saison Poetry Library on the fifth floor of the Royal Exhibit Hall, London, UK, chosen by the United Kingdom Arts Council to be there! The kid-friendly drawings in all the Dyan books combine with the funny poetry and humor in a way kids just love! And this book is no different. Dyan wants to encourage all her readers to enjoy reading and to create and learn, proving once again that you can't go wrong with a Bellissima Book!

This is a very true story written about a very special little girl who grew up to be a famous Peking Opera Star. Not only that, she became famous for singing the star role of the bearded man! How did all of this happen. Little Miss Qi had a dream, and if you want to know how she made her dream come true, then read this book and find out. Sometimes children need to be inspired, especially when they feel like they just cant make things happen. The story of Qi Xiao Yun is inspiring because ts is the story of someone who beat what would appear to anyone else to be impossible odds to make her dream come true. Written and illustrated by award winning author, former teacher and attorney, Penelope Dyan (who has also made all her dreams come true) this book tells the story of one of her very special friends. Kids can practice their reading, have this story read to them, or use the book as a catalyst to write about their own dreams, or about someone they know who had also made dreams come true. There are a lot of inspiring people out there in this world, some alive today and some from times past. How do you think Thomas Edison felt when he invented the light bulb? I'll bet that was a dream cone true for him. How did Claude Monet feel when he finished a painting. I'll bet each painting was another dream come true for him. But the thing to remember is all those very big dreams began from somewhere, and that somewhere came from the hearts and minds of those who dreamed. Nothing is impossible. Just read this story and find out! Someday maybe you can share your dream come true story. Or perhaps YOUR dreams are ALREADY coming true! (You can have lots of dreams, you know!)

This is another Mikey and Me book, written so little eyes you have trouble seeing can really see the words. This book contains words from the Dolch reading list, works with picture/word recognition and repetition and rhyme as it tells the story of 'Mikey & Me And The Sea.' Once again there is a very important message in this book, and that message is to be yourself, a familiar theme in many Penelope Dyan books. Why does Dyan keep repeating this message? She repeats this message because so many of us are unhappy with who we are; and this is very, very wrong. Self image and self confidence are necessary elements we need in order to grow up and to be a strong and healthy individual. So go and explore the sea with 'Mikey & Me,' and be everything that you can possibly be---because you are special! And there is no one out there exactly like you. We are like fingerprints. No two of us are exactly alike, even if we are twins. Penelope Dyan is a former teacher, an attorney and an award winning writer. Two of her books for children have been chosen by the UK Arts Council and are on display at the Saisoon Poetry library on the fifth floor of the Royal Exhibit Hall at Southbank Centre, London. Two of her other books are listed in the best books (top ten) on the Pukeke Reading list in Australia; and her book "Surfer Girl" was best teen book at both the 2008 New York Book Festival and the 2008 Hollywood Book Festival and is also recognized on the Girls Voices In Literature Database, Miami University Florida.

Han's Christian Andersen said, "Every man's life is a fairy tale, written by God's fingers." And if we begin as empty slates for God to write upon, then this is what must have happened to Hans Christian Andersen! Now you can walk where he walked and see what he saw and find out what motivated him and inspired him to be a great writer.John D. Weigand and Penelope Dyan traveled to this magical place to see where all the inspiration began and to experience the serene beauty of this place they call 'Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen.' Kid's can use this book when they travel to Copenhagen and insert pictures, tickets and notes, and make up their very own fairy-tales to tell to their friends when they get home! Or they can travel vicariously with Dyan and Weigand through the pages of this book.Written by award winning author, Penelope Dyan to complement the beautiful photography of John D. Weigand, this book serves several purposes, one of which is to enlarge the horizons of the young. Use this book as you talk about one very famous author, Hans Christian Andersen, so that your child may see where this man lived and what inspired him. Ater all, all kids know his stories!Besides being an award winning author, Penelope Dyan is also an attorney and a former teacher. She brings her teaching expertise to the table with every book she writes. And when a child recognizes what he has already seen in a book, traveling can be ever so much more delightful and exciting!

Welcome to the world of Easter Eggs and Bunny wishes, where a kid learns there is more than this for the reason for this season. Just like Christmas, Easter is part of one long glorious story;;and Christians all over the world celebrate this day. Penelope Dyan knows how much fun those Easter baskets and things are to kids, and so she doesn't ignore them in the telling of the story. As usual, she incorporates humor and fun into this book with her kid friendly illustrations and host of wonderfully lovable characters as she presents her poetry with a story to which a child can relate and from which a child can learn. Dyan is an award winning author and poet, a former teacher and an attorney who knows and understands kids and who most importantly remembers what it was like to simply be a kid. This is why she is able to relate to them so well. Using tried and true techniques she used with children when she was a teacher, techniques she used with her own children when they were growing up, she brings her classroom right to you with her use of repetition and rhyme, reinforcing basic early reading and learning skills. All Dyan's books, as are all Bellissima books, are books with a meaning and a purpose! You can't go wrong with a Bellissima book!

Do you wait anxiously for the Easter Bunny each year? Here is a fun story that will help you pass the time as you read. This book is funny, easy for a kid to read, and its pictures are drawn just for you. Copy them and make your own books, and try writing a poem all about Easter! Penelope Dyan is an award winning author and poet, whose books are even on display in the Saison Poetry Library, Southbank Centre, Royal Exhibit Hall, London, UK, chosen by the UK Arts council. Her book "There's An Alligator In My Closet!" was recently listed on the National Kindercare recommended reading list, and she has won several other literary awards as well. Dyan is a former teacher, and she is an attorney; and the teaching techniques used in this book are the same tried and true teaching techniques she used as a teacher! Dyan will tell you she wants learning to be fun, and that when you are a kid, everything should be fun; because life is really truly lots of fun! This is the message she imparts to her young readers in her books, and even the most advanced little readers are sure to laugh and enjoy her books! The simple repetitive language helps kids learn, because what they don't recognize or "miss" on one page, they are sure to recognize on the next page, and have instant reinforcement through word recognition when that 'tough' word is repeated. This means instant success! Some words are also just ever so carefully placed to enlarge vocabulary! And please enjoy the play on words as you read this book, because words are also loads of fun!

Is it true beauty is only skin deep? Author Penelope Dyan thinks so, but the important thing is not what she thinks, it's what you think!Meanwhile all the characters in this book think they are beautiful simply because of what their mothers told them and what they think they see on the outside. Is beauty an illusion. Is beauty only in the eye of the beholder, or is there something more, something inside of a person that really makes them beautiful? This is a question you must answer for yourself, because the answer to that question is different for everyone. The monkey in this book sums it all up for us by telling us everything that glitters is not gold, and this seems to say it all.Written by award winning author and world recognized children's poet Penelope Dyan, Bellissima once again brings you a book that is certain to make you smile, and maybe even make you giggle! So read this book and then let the light inside of you shine through, because each of us has a light inside of us, and that is why we are all beautiful. Just ask your mother and she will tell you it is true. You are indeed beautiful!

Sometimes do you feel like you just can't be still? And does your mother tell you you have ants in your pants? Of course, you know you don't have ants in your pants, even though ants may seem to be lurking just about everywhere else! Penelope Dyan explores the concept of what it means to have ants in your pants, and while you are laughing, you can learn to count to ten. This is a book perfect for either boys or girls, even though it says it is for boys only on the cover, because sometimes even girls have big problems with sitting still. Dyan is a former K-12 teacher and an award winning poet and author who believes in education for all, even if you have trouble sitting still! Enjoy the cute illustrations and the fun poetry and share this book with all of your friends, because this book proves once again that Bellissima really does love kids, even if they do seem to have ants in their pants! Two of Dyan's other little books (that are a lot like this one) have been chosen to be placed in the Saison Poetry Library housing the Arts Council Collection at the Southbank Center, on the fifth floor of the Royal Exhibit Hall, London. You just can't go wrong with a Bellissima Book!

Victory in the French and Indian War cost the British plenty. At the war's end in 1763, King George III and his government decided to tax American colonies to recoup war costs. A series of taxes were passed against the American Colonies. And when the Crown tried to tax tea, that was the last straw for the colonists.Penelope Dyan takes a look at our history through her poetry and art and seeks to teach kids what they do not seem to be taught anymore. It used to be that year after year school kids were inundated with the familiar phrases and other acts in American history that became the birthright of all Americans, George Washington and the Delaware, Paul Revere's famous ride, the signing of the declaration of independence, the Boston Tea Party, Betsy Ross and her creation of the Colonial American Flag, and Patrick Henry's famous phrase, "Give me liberty or give me death!" are just a few of the forgotten pages of history addressed in a fun and entertaining way in this book.Penelope Dyan as a former K-12 teacher knows how to make learning history fun and entertaining, and she has outdone herself in this book aimed at the younger crowd, but enjoyed by all who peruse these pages.Dyan is an award winning poet and author who knows and loves kids, and kids love Dyan and her books. You can't go wrong with a Bellissima book. A Bellissima book is a mind investment!

When you are two all the world is a grand, grand place; and today is a big day for the two year old in this book, because it is her birthday! Now she knows she won't always be two, and she most doesn't consider herself a terrible two.. And soon, as she will see, she will be three, four and five. However, today she is two and that is bigger than one.Let your child know he or she is growing up, and enjoy every bit of your child as he or she grows into first a kid, then a tween and finally a teen, before growing into adulthood. "Today I am Two, I Am Two Years Old Today," is a book your child can save and cherish.Filled with the wonderful poetry of Penelope Dyan, and illustrations that are mean to inspire and encourage the imagination, this award winning and honored writer and poet brings home the fun in this great little book that even teaches a little math!Even if you aren't two, it is fun to read this book and remember when you were young enough to run around in your underwear, to bark like a dog, and to run through the sprinklers in your front yard! Enjoy everything. Enjoy it all. Enjoy life. Become two again. Remember when. . .It is always okay to be sentimental, because that is what being human means. It means it is okay to stop and smell the roses, to enjoy a balloon and to eat too much birthday cake! Every day is great when you are two!

Approximately two hundred Peninsular bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) live in the Lake Mead territory that covers the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and part of Arizona. The Lake Mead Area staff cautions visitors to remember the sheep are not tame, and they (the sheep,that is) butt heads at 50 mph with 2400 pounds of force and can and have butted people who get too close. These sheep, slightly smaller than the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, are endangered, Why are these sheep endangered? The answer is simple, they are endangered because of disease, predation, habitat loss, and because of us humans disturbing them. They were Listed as a federally endangered species on March 18, 1998 and their habitat ranges (in the United States) from Palm Springs, California south right down to the U.S./Mexico international border.The Peninsular bighorn sheep are exposed to many dangers due to urban-mountain development including automobile collisions, poisonous plants, high predator densities, and parasites. They have been listed under the California State Endangered Species Act since 1971, but their numbers continued to decline; and some people are trying to live with them in tune with nature, while others too recklessly either consider them a nuisance or do not watch carefully enough for them when driving and doing other human activities.Endangered species status does, however, provide greater habitat protection, because under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service can require modification of development projects if they threaten the Peninsular bighorn sheep. You will hear many people say the sheep are becoming too tame, and this is hurting the the sheep; and what they are saying is quite true. So never feed one of these sheep, because it might harm them; and in the very least, it will make them less wild and therefore less self-protected. It is okay to look, but don't get too close; and it is never, never okay to touch a wild animal. not even these lovely sheep.Enjoy the photography of John D. Weigand and the poetry of Penelope Dyan as they take a trek to see these beautiful, majestic, Peninsular bighorn sheep; and listen as they tell their tale. These sheep are not alone on the endangered species list, but they still need to move off from this list and become one of our comeback kids!

The mountain village of Zermatt, Switzerland is nestled in a valley between steep mountains, and it is dominated by the Matterhorn. When you exit your Swiss-red train, and see the cobblestone streets and horses and carriages, you immediately will notice are no cars. The air is clean and fresh, and the people want to keep it that way! The main street bustles with people shopping, dining and having a good time, and there are no tour busses anywhere. In short, everything is cute and fun, and you immediately know where Walt Disney got many of his ideas for Disneyland, as you can see the Matterhorn from nearly every prospective in the Zermatt village. And this is exactly why photographer John D. Weigand and author and poet Penelope Dyan wentthere, to capture some of the magic of Zermatt. It seemed like the perfect spot for kids, nestled in the serenity of the Swiss Alps. . . just waiting to be ogled and explored.The Zermatt nights were even more beautiful than the day as the Weigand photographs portray, but most amazing of all was the Matterhorn, shining white against the sky by day, and full of amazing color by night.

Milan, Italy was founded under the name of Mediolanum by the Insubres, a Celtic people. It was captured by Romans in 222 BC. After that Milan was ruled by the Visconti, the Sforza, the Spanish and the Austrians. In 1796, Milan was conquered by Napoleon I, and in 1805 he made it the capital of his Kingdom of Italy. During World War II, the city was bombarded by Allied bombs, and after the German occupation in 1943, Milan became the main hub of the Italian resistance. There are many fun things for kids to do and see when they visit Milan. Kids can see the one and only Leonardo da Vinci painting of "The Last Supper," shop at the very famous Galleria Emanuele II, also known as il salotto di Milano, visit the Duomo di Milano, Castello Sforzesco and more. It seems you can't be bored when you are in Milan, and Moms and daughters will love Milan because it is a fashion capital.Take another journey with photographer John D. Weigand and award winning author and poet Penelope Dyan and explore the fun and the magic of beautiful Milan!Children need to experience beauty to grow, and to Italians all beauty is art. One might say Milan is truly the original melting pot, and one might also say the melting pot has created one of the most beautiful cities in the world where you can hop aboard a trolly, a bus or the metro and see living and past history in all its intensity and majesty.

Rome! Magnificent Rome! From the lights of Rome at night to its busy days, there is excitement and magic in the air! There is truly no place quite like Rome. So take a walk through history as you and your child uncover the old Rome and marvel at the splendor of today's Rome. Tour the Colosseum and hear the tales of the games played there. Imagine you are a citizen of old Rome and see how exciting and modern these old Romans really were!Enjoy the photography of John D. Weigand and the poetry of Penelope Dyan as you trace their footsteps through time and marvel at all the glory of the Vatican. Climb the Spanish steps and toss a coin in the Trevi Fountain and make a wish.And remember as you smile and laugh with your child as they are introduced to Rome, that there is truly no place like home, unless you're in Rome; and add this book to your Bellissima travel books for kids that look simply great on your coffee table!

Once upon a time, the moon had a dream that it could catch the sun. And finally, the moon's dream came true! However, it appeared this wasn't the first time, or even the only time, this had happened; and it appeared that the moon had been playing this game with the sun since the beginning of time!And with any luck, it would keep playing this game until time's end.Use this book to discuss the solar eclipse and what it means. And while you are at it, you can practice your reading skills with this 'learn to read' book filled with word repetition, word recognition and rhyme. Written by award winning author, attorney, and former teacher, Penelope Dyan, this book with its extra-large print is perfect for young eyes. And its size is perfect for carrying in a kid's backpack! So enjoy this book as you think about the miracle of our sun, earth and sky; and then think about the wonder of people long ago who experienced the same miracle dancing before their eyes.Then when you are all through having fun reading this book, watch the free music video that goes along with this book on Bellissiavideo's YouTube channel.

Messina, is the capital of Sicily. Founded by the Greeks, it has a long history of having to rebuild itself, giving a strength to its inhabitants, who do not readily give in to any adversity as a people. In 1783, an earthquake destroyed much of the city. It took decades to rebuild. Another earthquake damaged the city on November 16, 1894, and Messina was almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake and tsunami. December 28, 1908, that killed approximately 60,000 people and destroyed most of its ancient architecture. The city was rebuilt in the following year. Then there was further damage from massive Allied air bombardments in 1943, during World War II. But this book is not about that, this book is about how all these things impacted and shaped the minds and souls of the people of Messina, Sicily; and this is the real story behind the story.Practice reading skills through word recognition, and through word repetition and rhyme, and think about Messinäs people. Try to imagine the place of antiquity founded by the Greeks and then see more of this place as you watch the free music video that goes with this book, posted on the Bellissimavideo YouTube channel.

You can do anything if you put your mind to it; and if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, the Bible says you can even move a mountain! This book is about mountains and choices you make, because the truth is when you encounter a mountain, there are lots of things you could do. This book will help you think about those things as you practice your reading skills through the use of word recognition, and word repetition and rhyme!Written by award winning author, attorney and former teacher, Penelope Dyan, this 'learn to read' book is meant to be fun, because learning should always be fun; and for a kid, having fun is an important part of growing up to be the person you will be someday. And this brings us right back to that mountain. You see, sometimes a mountain just needs to be moved; and since life is about choices, whether you move a mountain is always up to you, When you are finished reading this book, you can watch the free music video that goes with this book on the YouTube Bellissimavideo channel for more learning fun.

Sometimes a person needs to go right back to the beginning; and that's what photographer John D. Weigand did when he visited Aarhus, Denmark, the birthplace of his grandfather, the inventor, Julius Petersen, who knew Thomas Edison and Orville and Wilber Wright, and who left Denmark as a young man to seek his fortune in the world!There are lots of fun things to do and see when you go to Aarhus, Denmark; and there is even a place they call the 'old town' (Den Gamle By) where you can have some old-fashioned fun and see exactly how things used to be.Take a trip with award winning author, attorney and former teacher, Penelope Dyan, and photographer John D. Weigand, as you practice your reading skills though word recognition, word repetition and rhyme in this 'learn to read' book, and imagine taking a trip back into time. Then watch the music video that goes along with the book that you can find on the Bellissimavideo YouTube channel, and have some more learning fun!; because learning should always be fun!

Sometimes when you think something is lost (like your cat) it isn't really lost at all! You might say that (in that case) something never really lost is found. Since finding good things is also generally a very good thing, you will smile when you find out where our young protagonist thought her Lucy might be, and where she also found her sweet Lucy.This is another Penelope Dyan learn to read book. Use this book to practice your reading skills through the use of word recognition, word repetition and rhyme. Enjoy the kid-friendly drawings of Penelope Dyan and try using the some of the words you have learned to make a book of your very own.Penelope Dyan is an award winning author, an attorney and a former early childhood educator, who has used everything in these learn to read books (that she has created) in tried and true classroom situations. Finally, there is a fun music video on the Bellissimavideo You Tube channel that goes with this book to further enhance your learning fun!

The Island of Hawaii is still growing, and although it is known as the youngest of all the Hawaiian Islands, there is a lot to see and do! The Island of Hawaii s is the home of one of the world's most active volcanoes (Kilauea), the tallest sea mountain in the world at more than 33,000 feet (Maunakea), the most massive mountain in the world (Maunaloa) and the largest park in the state (Hawaii Volcanoes National Park). This book looks at one small part of this island, Kona, Hawaii. Written by the award winning author, attorney and former teacher, Penelope Dyan. this is a book for kids intended to help them to not only see a part of the world, but to also help them practice some basic reading skills, through word repetition, word recognition, and simple rhyme. Two of Penelope Dyan's books are in the Saison Poetry Library at Southbank Centre, London, UK, chosen by the UK Art Council, proving a book by this author is always special. Learning should be fun, and if kids have fun learning, then they will love to learn. Dyan believes travel is about the senses, about seeing with the eyes and feeling with the heart; and there is no better place to experience this than in Kona, Hawaii! Look for the music video that complements this book on the Bellissimavideo YouTube Channel to further enhance the learning process.

Everyone has birthdays. The question in this book is not what do you want for your birthday, but rather, what do you already have? And what do you not have? Use this book as a learning tool to practice reading skills through word recognition and rhyme, and add new words to your reading vocabulary as you have fun with the very simpe kid-friendly illustrations by Penelope Dyan. Penelope Dyan is an award winning author, an attorney, and a former teacher who uses tried and true teaching methods that are simple to use in all of her early reader books for kids. Dyan believes learning should be fun, and more than that, she believes all books should have a real purpose, one that encourages discussion and thought in even the very youngest reader.There is also a music video to go along with this book, that has the same name as this book (to make it easy to find) on the Bellissimavideo YouTube Channel. So dance and sing and have fun, because learning (like life) should always be fun, especially when you are five!