Begin Again Books

Meet Ray Tillman! Ray is the author of “Eppees and the Tooth Fairy: Autumn’s First Flight.” He started writing this book in 1991 after he created it as a bedtime story for his daughter. He believes that imagination can tie generations of families together, and his book is evidence of that. The idea of the Eppees came from his father, and those magical beings sparked the curiosity that he fostered with his daughter, who helped craft the story. Today, he shares that same love of storytelling with his granddaughter, who has already begun to write her own tales. We love Ray’s ability to connect with young readers and his youthful approach to writing! I am excited to have Ray as an author in our book family, and I am looking forward to seeing what new worlds he creates!

Begin Again Books brought on two new authors last year, and we are really excited with the work they’re doing! I'm happy to introduce Colleen O'Malley. I met Colleen while on a contract gig for another company, and she is one of the best connections I could have made. Not only does she support everything I do, but she also is a tireless source of inspiration and creativity. Colleen tells stories that are perfect for kids who are curious about the world around them, and all of her literary projects stem from her love of her family and friends. She is a relentless cheerleader for the people she believes in, and truly brings out the best in everyone she interacts with. We published two of her books this year, “The Last Honeybee” and “Santa Loves Nachos,” and they are fabulous! We are looking forward to more collaborations this year and can’t wait to see all that Colleen accomplishes!

Welcome to 2025! We’re off to an exciting start: I’m happy to announce our collaboration with Neighborhood Forest, an organization that is dedicated to planting trees to beautify our neighborhoods, reduce our carbon footprint, and help children appreciate the wonder of our planet. Neighborhood Forest partners with schools, libraries and youth groups to send kids across the US free trees to plant and watch them grow. Last year, the organization gave out over 67,000 trees, and they are committed to reaching 1 million children in the next few years. To help reach their goal, Begin Again Books has created a special edition of "At the Tippity Top" just for Neighborhood Forest families. This book includes content about Neighborhood Forest and a special set of pages that allow families to track the growth of their tree. Parents who purchase this book will help fund the Free Tree program and get a keepsake that their family can enjoy for years to come. Books and trees will be shipped out in time for Earth Day 2025. You can get involved by visiting the Neighborhood Forest web site (www.neighborhoodforest.org) to see if there’s an institution in your area that is participating. If not, consider making the recommendation to your school, library or other child-related organization! If we all plant one tree, we can help make a difference to the health of our world. Please join us? in supporting Neighborhood Forest this year! #freetreesforkids #neighborhoodforest #earthday2025 #kidsandtrees

We are excited to announce two new titles, available just in time for the holidays! Get your pre-order in now!

July 15 is Social Media Giving Day, a day designed to use social media as a way to support nonprofit and charitable organizations. The goals? To raise awareness of invaluable organizations and promote the importance of fundraising. Begin Again Books partners with nonprofits that align with our book topics, and to support them, we are celebrating Social Media Giving Day all month! We will be around town at events sponsored by our partners and spearheading campaigns to help drive awareness and raise funds. Take some time this summer to support your local organizations, or help us support one of the nonprofits we love! ?? We raise funds for The Free Book Buggie in Minnesota, who brings books to communities without access to libraries. ?? We are collecting gently-loved books for Reach Out and Read Colorado, which partners with local pediatricians to make reading part of a child’s wellness visits. Help us prescribe reading from birth! ?? We love our animal rescue organizations! We’ll be doing a reading at the Longmont Humane Society in Longmont, CO, where visitors will get to meet Pico, the star of the Pico the Chug series! ?? Passionate about oral health? Check out the Save a Smile organization, part of Cook Children’s in Fort Worth, TX. Their team works with local school districts to educate children about the importance of oral health. Eager to get involved? Visit our website at https://lnkd.in/gdrQi55f, where you can find out how we're supporting these organizations. You’ll also find our calendar of events, if you’re local and want to stop by. This month, we encourage you to get out there and give back! Cook Children's Health Care System Reach Out and Read Colorado Longmont Humane Society

Has it been a long week for anyone else? My kids have only been on summer break for 2 weeks, but we've crammed so much into that time that it feels a lot longer! My intention was to create a schedule-free, relaxing summer, but I'm exhausted! ?? ?? If you want to give your kids a great bedtime story experience, but just don't have the energy tonight, don't worry: we've got you covered. Rebecca Sanchez, Founder of Peopleside, has a monthly storytime video, featuring children's books with great lessons for both kids and parents. She was kind enough to record a reading of "The Great Adventures of Pico the Chug: Lost and Found," so pull up a screen, head to YouTube and rest those precious vocal chords! Tonight, storytime is on us! https://lnkd.in/e6MMmbDY Enjoy!

Begin Again Books supports children’s literacy across America. Ever heard of a book desert? It’s an area with no libraries or literacy centers. I first heard the term from Debbie Beck, founder of The Free Book Buggie, a small-but-mighty nonprofit based in Minnesota’s Twin Cities. She and her team of volunteers transformed a shuttle bus into a mobile free book store for kids. They travel to community centers and other locations in Minnesota book deserts. And they don’t just loan the books; each child gets to pick multiple books to keep. They’ve distributed over 400,000 free books in just six years. How can you help? The Free Book Buggie is looking to expand its reach by outfitting and stocking a second bus. You can take part in making this a reality. Begin Again Books is donating $5 from every book you purchase to The Free Book Buggie. As you buy ahead for birthdays, holidays, or classrooms, you’ll be supporting a vital learning opportunity for under-resourced communities. And if you’re local to the Twin Cities area, The Free Book Buggie also welcomes donations of new or pre-loved books. You can check out their website for information about how to donate: www.thefreebookbuggie.org. We are proud to support an organization that is making a difference in the lives of children!

As business professionals, we wear many hats. We tackle challenges, lead teams and strive for success. Amidst all that, work-life balance sometimes feels elusive. Here at Begin Again Books, we believe that nurturing our personal lives, including our roles as parents, makes us better professionals overall. That's why we're dipping our toes into a topic not typically covered on LinkedIn—bedtime stories! We're curious to see how fellow parents approach this nightly ritual. So, take a break from your spreadsheets and join our poll below. Be transparent. How’s it going? (p.s. Please share this poll with your network so parents everywhere can add their thoughts.)

This week has bookends—two important celebrations: Earth Day, on Monday, April 22, and National Arbor Day, on Friday, April 26. The planet we live on brims with amazing natural wonders, and this week is a great time to celebrate our world and give a little back. Not sure how to do that? Here are five ideas: ?? Donate to an organization that supports the environment. It can be any organization, big or small: ocean conservancies, recycling centers, forest foundations, wildlife sanctuaries or clean air task forces. Figure out what you love most about the Earth and find an organization that aligns with your passion. ?? Contact your local town or city to find out how they are celebrating. Maybe there’s a local festival you can attend, or perhaps they are hosting a clean-up event. Some towns offer free trees to plant, and others have information on ways you can make your home more environmentally friendly. ? Get on trend and go thrifting! "Upcycling" is all the rage on social media, and it also reduces waste and cuts down on transportation, which helps our environment. Next time you need something, head to your local thrift store before buying new. Alternatively, you can donate your old items to your local thrift shop! Spring is here, and it’s the perfect time to clean out that hall closet. Instead of throwing items away, go donate! ?? Support your local businesses! Whether you buy your produce from a local farm, get your next gift from a boutique featuring local artists, or eat at a restaurant down the street, spending your money in your community can help preserve our world for years to come. ?? And the best way to support the environment? Read about it! Get the family together and read about a topic you all love. I’ve always loved trees, so I wrote a book about them, called "At the Tippity Top." It’s the story of a Bristlecone Pine at tree line, and what she thinks her life would be like if she were a different kind of tree. It's a great way to learn a few fun facts about a variety of trees! (And it's available at some local libraries, if you really want to reduce and reuse!) If we all do one small thing to support the environment this week, think about how much impact we’ll make! ?? ?? What is your plan? Share your thoughts in the comments! [Artwork by Peter Buwalda, featured in "At the Tippity Top"]

Is your family ready for a pet? ? For several years, my colleague's daughter had been asking for a dog, using a variety of persuasion techniques. Eventually, she put together a Google Slides presentation outlining the mental health benefits of a family pet. Almost instantly, my colleague’s position softened. Seizing her moment, the daughter made a suggestion: Daughter: “Let’s just look at the shelter. There’s no harm in looking. No obligation to adopt.” Parent: “Dogs require a lot of attention, and we’re not ready to take on that responsibility.” ? Daughter: “But mom! I’ll handle all the care. I promise!” I’m sure you or someone you know has had some variation of this conversation. But pet ownership is not a decision to be made lightly, and everyone in the family should be involved in the conversation. ? I wrote The Great Adventures of Pico the Chug series as a fun way to start a conversation about pet ownership and what’s involved. It’s a great bedtime story, but it’s also an easy way to help your family get ready for your new addition! ? What persuasion techniques did your child try? What caused you to finally say “yes!”? Share your stories in the comment section below.