Ericka S Story

Erika's Story is one woman's account of the tragedy of the Holocaust. Erika is a survivor who recalls the difficult decisions her parents had to make and how those decisions have affected her life. Erika has a quiet hope and confidence which is sure to inspire readers. The exquisite illustrations of Roberto Innocenti are poignant and moving. The combination of words and pictures in this book speak not only to the reader's head but also to the heart. The foreign rights to Erika's Story have been sold in eleven countries.

Reading Ericka's Story was one of the hardest things I have ever done. There were times when I had to stop reading, because I could not stop crying. I don't know if it was my own pain or the pain I felt for you, Dominic and Racquel. Reading the book helped me understand why it was so difficult for you to write. The purpose of the book is compelling. In my view, it admonishes parents who have children with life threatening diseases to bond with family and others in their social networks and especially God to help them through all of the uncertainty and pain that they will experience. The book does a wonderful job of capturing the feelings of all of the people in your lives and the roles they played in this drama. It is a premier for all parents with children diagnosed with terminal diseases. Frank Lomax III Ericka's Grandpa Minister Kelley Denise Gulley, MBA is a member of World Conquerors Church in Oakland, California, where she leads the Prayer Warriors Ministry and serves on the Vision in Action Team which works to implement Pastoral initiatives. She is a dynamic facilitator, speaker and teacher who counts it a privilege to have worked in and ministered to people living in low income communities of color across the country and in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Kelley's purpose in life is to bless others. She believes that she has been given gifts, abilities and experiences so that she can be used by God as a transfer point for these gifts to be deposited in the people who cross her path. Kelley is married to her high school sweetheart, Dominic. They have two children Racquel and Dominic, Jr. who you will learn more about in Ericka's Story.

Ericka Miss America is a story about a little girl, living in her own little world of make believe. She has big dreams and a big imagination. She knows that you can dream big, but you still have to get the work done. As a bonus, there are also five pages of fun activities for your child to do in the back of the book. There are pages to color, a word search puzzle, a cut out and a memory game. Spend some quality time with your child, it is something they will always remember.

Daniel, whose family suffers as the Nazis rise to power in Germany, describes his imprisonment in a concentration camp and his eventual liberation.

The Jumping Fish is a story about a granddaughter‘s visit with her grandparents in a Mexican Village. Ericka and her grandfather share a special moment talking about how we are all created for a purpose and a time. This conversation focuses on a fish that was in the fisherman‘s boat and has just died. The story uses the death of the jumping fish to talk about death and the appreciation of life. The book will appeal to an audience of young children (4 years and older) but would best be shared with a caregiver. The book could provide opportunities to have a discussion about feelings that occur when something or someone dies. Ericka realizes that as the fish dies we all will eventually die. Both the fisherman and her grandpa share loving thoughts to help Ericka move through this concept. Though death is discussed, I believe the main theme is about the appreciation of life; cherishing and making memories with loved ones thus forming strong relationships. An interesting feature of the book is the illustrations and the unique colour background capturing the fun and energy of a Mexican holiday. The images match the story in a very unique way and it was a pleasure working with two very talented artists. We hope that the compassion and love that weaves through the story will touch the hearts of all who read it. Thank you Jennifer, Stephanie, and Chalene.

The poignant, “powerful” (The Boston Globe) look at how to appreciate life from an extraordinary professor who teaches about death: “Poetic passages and assorted revelations you’ll likely not forget” (Chicago Tribune). Why does a college course on death have a three-year waiting list? When nurse Norma Bowe decided to teach a course on death at a college in New Jersey, she never expected it to be popular. But year after year students crowd into her classroom, and the reason is clear: Norma’s “death class” is really about how to make the most of what poet Mary Oliver famously called our “one wild and precious life.” Under the guise of discussions about last wills and last breaths and visits to cemeteries and crematoriums, Norma teaches her students to find grace in one another. In The Death Class, award-winning journalist Erika Hayasaki followed Norma for more than four years, showing how she steers four extraordinary students from their tormented families and neighborhoods toward happiness: she rescues one young woman from her suicidal mother, helps a young man manage his schizophrenic brother, and inspires another to leave his gang life behind. Through this unorthodox class on death, Norma helps kids who are barely hanging on to understand not only the value of their own lives, but also the secret of fulfillment: to throw yourself into helping others. Hayasaki’s expert reporting and literary prose bring Norma’s wisdom out of the classroom, transforming it into an inspiring lesson for all. In the end, Norma’s very own life—and how she lives it—is the lecture that sticks. “Readers will come away struck by Bowe’s compassion—and by the unexpectedly life-affirming messages of courage that spring from her students’ harrowing experiences” (Entertainment Weekly).

Bitter the Chastening Rod follows in the footsteps of the first collection of African American biblical interpretation, Stony the Road We Trod (1991). Nineteen Africana biblical scholars contribute cutting-edge essays reading Jesus, criminalization, the enslaved, and whitened interpretations of the enslaved. They present pedagogical strategies for teaching, hermeneutics, and bible translation that center Black Lives Matter and black culture. Biblical narratives, news media, and personal stories intertwine in critical discussions of black rage, protest, anti-blackness, and mothering in the context of black precarity.