The Biz: The Grapevine

Kids enjoy making things and are also very curious about animals, so what better way is there to get them excited about nature than assembling a fun birdhouse kit? Tweet Tweet Home offers easy-to-assemble birdhouses that make a great family craft for kids of all ages. These colorful, attractive birdhouses are made from durable, 100% recyclable plastic and are perfect for the outdoors. Kids will love making the houses and then choosing the ideal outdoor spot to watch as birds settle in and make a home.

Along with a new school year come new challenges for children and sometimes, frustration. The best teachers use innovative tools to help kids learn more easily. As an experienced teacher and new mom on maternity leave with a pile of Thank You cards to write, Ellen Richard was inspired to create a business to help children, called Letter Learning. While thinking about learning exercises to help children learn how to read, write and spell correctly, she had the idea that by making their own greeting cards, kids can learn while having some creative fun. As a bonus, the cards make wonderful keepsakes for grandmas!

A talented duo, husband and wife team Michael Glenn and Colleen Monroe collaborate to publish children’s books that entertain, educate and celebrate the beauty and life lessons found in nature. The Monroes live in Michigan with their three children. Michael is a gifted artist, with a special knack for painting nature. He is recognized as an award-winning painter of wildlife, but has the most fun creating children’s books with Colleen. Each of their books is a gift of love, with a poetic and engaging style in both words and illustrations.

Claire Boudreaux Bateman is on a mission to write books that inspire children of all ages. Her most recent book, Call Me Hero, is based on true stories of heroism and service that she witnessed firsthand in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. It is a story about service written for tomorrow’s heroes. A fictitious mutt called “Hero,” who is rescued from Hurricane Katrina’s flood waters and given a chance for a new life, narrates Call Me Hero. Little Hero has lost his home, his family, and, worst of all, his name. As he searches for his owner, he discovers the true meaning of “hero.”