Come join in the storytime celebration of Laura Roettiger's new book: An Accidental Hero: A Mostly True Wombat Story!

About the Book:

When Wombat sees the bushfires raging out of control, she learns that helping those in need of sanctuary in a time of crises provides unexpected rewards. This STEM picture book, written as a newscast, was inspired by true events during the fires that spread through New South Wales in 2019/2020. Pre-Order the Book: https://secondstartotherightbo...

About the Author:

Laura Roettiger is a reading specialist from Chicago, IL who weaves her passion for STEM learning into stories for children. Her roots in Chicago remain deep but now her home and heart are firmly settled in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado with her Goldendoodle Charlie.

Since moving to Colorado, Laura focused on writing for children, working in environmental education, and mentoring new teachers at a STEM school. Her teaching superpower of encouraging curiosity in children has transferred to her books. Her debut ALIANA REACHES FOR THE MOON (Eifrig Publishing, 2019; German edition, 2022) shares the story of a girl who combines observation, research, and experimental play to create a beautiful surprise for her brother. Her book upcoming book, AN ACCIDENTAL HERO, A MOSTLY TRUE WOMBAT STORY (Eifrig Publishing, 2024) allows readers to understand the devastation of fire while experiencing hope when a stranger offers shelter and kindness.

Laura loves lifelong learning! She has worked in a variety of careers and volunteer roles, including banking, writing for a variety of publications, proofreading court documents, serving as a commissioner of the American Youth Soccer Organization, overseeing religious education, writing curriculum for a college test prep company, teaching elementary school in Chicago and the suburbs – all while earning degrees in business and a Master of Arts in Teaching and Reading, PLUS raising three children.

Laura combines her enthusiasm for helping others with the knowledge and experience she’s gained along the way. This is most recently evidenced in her co-creating the promotion group Picture Book Gold. https://picturebookgold.wixsite.com/website

About the Illustrator:

Debbie Palen received an education in fine art, illustration, which became her profession. Debbie's art has found a home in the world of children’s and middle grade publishing. Her work has been recognized by the Educational Press Association, Print magazine, How magazine, Highlights for Children, and the 2020 Northern Lights Award in middle grade fiction. She lives in Cleveland, Ohio with one semi-feral outdoor cat, one semi-feral man, and the world’s most unphotogenic indoor cat. Debbie can be reached at dpalen@fmgirl.com.

About the Publisher:

Eifrig Publishing - https://www.eifrigpublishing.com/

Our motto is our mission — “Good for our kids, good for our Earth, and good for our communities.”

We are passionate about helping kids develop into caring, creative, thoughtful individuals who possess positive self-images, celebrate differences, and practice inclusion. Our books promote social and environmental consciousness and empower children as they grow in their communities.