What would you do if you were a kitty looking for a new home? In Lavalino Finds his Forever Home , a kitty named Lavalino is enjoying his life on the streets of Italy. He lives in a beautiful garden next to a church. He has many friends who feed him fish and milk. But then, one day, the rains come and our cold kitty goes on a search to find a family to call his own. I wrote my Lavalino book to explore a theme that is important to children: how to persevere when you feel like you don't belong, or are struggling with a life challenge. I was inspired by a true story that is very close to me. My sister, Vicki, found and adopted an adorable kitten in Italy. The real-life Lavalino was a charming, clever cat with lots of character, and I had known for a long time that I wanted to create a series of kids' books inspired by Lavalino's adventures. The world is a much smaller place than when I was growing up, and I wanted to write a book to give kids a fun, yet meaningful way to learn about interesting places and people. As an extra bonus, my book allows teachers and parents to work on some key terms in another language in a fun way. I am an education specialist, with a master's degree in education. In writing this story, I used my experience as a teacher as well as my understanding of human development and how kids learn. In my first book, it was important for me to tell a story that highlights the importance of persistence when met with a challenge, be it in learning or social situations. I've made Lavalino have a high sense of optimism in order to help children cultivate their own sense of perseverance and worth. I hope you love Lavalino as much as I do and that you follow along with us as he goes on further adventures in the "The Adventures of Lavalino" series.