Reader's Favorite 5 Star Award Given to The T-Rex Who Wanted To Be A Long Neck!

My book The T-Rex Who Wanted To Be A Longneck just received the Reader's Choice 5 Star Award and a fabulous review from Reader's Favorite.

This means my illustrator, Carol Stevens, is in the process of adding this badge....

to the front of this cover.... 

We are thrilled to receive this award!!

If you are an author, we highly recommend checking out Reader's Favorite for reviews. 

For you fellow readers, we recommend you take a peek at the reviews on Reader's Favorite to help you find quality and enjoyable reading material (Reader's Favorite did not solicit this recommendation, it merely stems from my great experience with them).

In fact, I've found the organization so impressive, that I'm applying to become one of their reviewers. Soon I will have this badge added to this site!!

Until then, thanks for sharing in my excitement and best wishes in your own writing and reading endeavors!

~Valerie Harmon

Free Book and Free Book APP: The Chipmunk Who Wanted To Be A Bear, by Valerie Harmon and Carol Stevens

My fifth book in the WantsToBe children's picture eBook series, The Chipmunk Who Wanted To Be A Bear, is FREE from November 3 until midnight November 6.

Pick up your free copy here!

Rated 5 Stars and has hit #1 Best Seller in Category!

This is the fifth fully-illustrated children's book in the Wants To Be series

Book Summary: Chipmunk is so afraid of things that he hates to leave his tree house! When he notices a grizzly bear who doesn't seem scared of anything, Chipmunk gets an idea that shows him to be braver than he thinks. This is not a typical "Be content with who you are" book, but rather "Working hard toward a goal changes you into something more." Which is why in the end (don't spoil the surprise for your child!) after working hard to become a grizzly bear, and conquering his fears in the process, Chipmunk turns into CHIZZLY!  This is a metaphorical example of how we all change after accomplishing hard things.

FREE animated book app version for iPad is available now in the App Store℠. Try it out!

Tapping or swiping the stars within the app can drop an acorn on Bear's nose, catch Chipmunk riding on a fish, or send a hawk soaring in the sky, and much more. The icons on the left release a variety of sounds effects, including a laughing raccoon, gurgling stream or even a grumbling bear. This app teaches children to work hard toward a goal, no matter what, with 61 animations, 28 sound effects, music, and dramatized narration.

Free iPad App version of the book!

Author Valerie Harmon visits a School

I visited a school class on Halloween and read to them The T-Rex Who Wanted to be A Long Neck. I was dressed as an old lady, so you won't recognize me:

Harmon (Old Lady on the stage) reads stories to school children

Reading aloud is exhilarating, especially when your audience roars and stomps along with you!

Best writing wishes,

Valerie Harmon
Wants To Be Series
PS. on secret sale is my newest published book The Spider Who Wanted to be a Cricket, FREE until Nov.3.

Free Book: The Snake Who Wanted To Be A Horse, by Valerie Harmon and Carol Stevens

My first book in the WantsToBe children's picture eBook series, The Snake Who Wanted To Be  A Horse, is FREE from October 30 until midnight November 2.

Pick up your free copy here!

Has hit #1 Best Seller in Category and rated 4.6 STARS with over 40 reviews!

This is the first fully-illustrated children's book in the Wants To Be series.

Book Summary: Snake has a tender belly. When he sees Horse galloping by, he decides his solution is to become a horse. This idea sends him on a quest of difficulty and a surprising new friendship. This is not a typical "Be content with who you are" book, but rather "Working hard toward a goal changes you into something more." Which is why in the end (don't spoil the surprise for your child!) Snake turns into a SNORSE! This is a metaphorical example of how we all change after accomplishing hard things.

Animated app version for iPad is available now in the App Store℠. 

Tapping or swiping the stars within this app can tie Snake's tongue in a knot, send a herd of horses galloping, stick on bandages, and much more. The icons on the left release a variety of sounds effects, including galloping hooves, horses neighing or even snakes laughing. The Snake Wants To Be A Horse app teaches children to work hard toward a goal no matter what, with 71 animations, 35 sound effects, music, and dramatized narration.

Free Book: The Peacock Who Wanted To Be A Pig, by Valerie Harmon and Carol Stevens

My fourth book in the WantsToBe children's picture eBook series, The Peacock Who Wanted To Be A Pig, is FREE from October 26 until midnight October 29.

Pick up your free copy here!

Rated 5 STARS and has hit #1 Best Seller in Category!

Book Summary: Peacock's tail is so heavy his back hurts. When he see's Pig's tiny curly tail he decides becoming a pig will solve his problems. This idea sends him wading through mud, falling into slop, and a surprising new friendship. This is not a typical "Be content with who you are" book, but rather "Working hard toward a goal changes you into something more." Which is why in the end (don't spoil the surprise for your child!) Peacock turns into a PEAGLET! A metaphorical example of how we all change after accomplishing hard things.

An animated book app version for iPad is available now in the App Store℠  

Tapping or swiping the stars within the app can launch Peacock into a mudhole, help him swallow an apple core, balance on a ball, and much more. The icons on the left release a variety of sound effects, including cows mooing or even Pig slurping from a trough. This app teaches children to work hard toward a goal no matter what, with 68 animations, 35 sound effects, music, and dramatized narration.

Free Books: The Crab Who Wanted To Be a Dolphin and The Alligator Who Wanted To Be A Dog

My seventh book in the WantsToBe children's picture eBook series, The Crab Who Wanted To Be A Dolphin, AND my third  book, The Alligator Who Wanted To Be A Dog are FREE from October 23 until midnight October 26.

Pick up your free copy here!

Book Summary: Everyone annoys Crab! Lonely and friendless (because she's cranky), she decides she needs to become a dolphin to solve her problems. Struggling on this quest, she discovers that finding friends requires changes on the inside, not the outside. As she experiences gratitude, and the friendship that follows, she unexpectedly transforms into a mixture of her old self and a new self. Not only an educational story encouraging gratitude, this tale is also a metaphor for how we all transform after accomplishing difficult things. 

This title will be available soon as an animated app for iPad (in the App Store℠) and as a full-color softcover book. 

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Pick up your free copy of The Alligator Who Wanted To Be A Dog here!

Rated 5 STARS and has hit #1 Best Seller in Category!

This is the third fully-illustrated children's book in the Wants To Be series.

Book Summary: Alligator's sharp-toothed smiles scares away all the other animals, and he feels so lonely. Since dogs are friends with everyone, he decides that he needs to become a dog. This decision sends him on a quest of difficulty and a surprising new friendship. This is not a typical "Be content with who you are" book, but rather "Working hard toward a goal changes you into something more." Which is why, in the end (don't spoil the surprise for your child!) Alligator turns into a ALLIDOG. This is pure imaginative fun, but is also a metaphorical example of how we all change after accomplishing hard things.

An animated book app version for iPad is available now in the App Store℠.

Free Book: The Elephant Who Wanted To Be A Bee, by Valerie Harmon and Carol Stevens

My second book in the WantsToBe children's picture eBook series, The Elephant Who Wanted To Be A Bee, is FREE from October 19 until midnight October 22.

Pick up your free copy here!

Rated 4.6 STARS and has hit #1 Best Seller in Category!

Book Summary: Elephant is allergic to the flowers she loves to eat. What can she do? She decides becoming a bee will solve her allergies. This decision sends her on a quest of difficulty and a surprising new friendship. This is not a typical "Be content with who you are" book, but rather "Working hard toward a goal changes you into something more." Which is why, in the end (don't spoil the surprise for your child!) Elephant turns into an ELLABEE. This is pure imaginative fun, but is also a metaphorical example of how we all change after accomplishing hard things.

An animated book app version for iPad is available now in the App Store℠.

Tapping or swiping the stars within the app can start a hive of bees swarming, cause a zebra to rear, send a meerkat scampering away, and much more. The icons on the left release a variety of sound effect, including a trumpeting elephant, a tree crashing to the ground or even a barking meerkat. This app teaches children to work hard toward a goal no matter what, with 73 animations, 36 sound effects, music, and dramatized narration.