Melanie
Stine-Shannon
Melanie Stine-Shannon lives a busy life in sunny southern California with her husband and daughters. In her spare time she enjoys being outside gardening or hiking in Joshua Tree National Park. She left her professorship at the local community college to pursue her dreams of writing. Her books are life lessons woven into tales children of all ages can understand.
Melanie's Latest Releases
Coloring Books!!
The tale of the resilient Joshua tree beautifully embodies the significance of forging a bond with the natural world. Just as the rugged landscape cradles the Joshua tree, offering it sustenance and strength, so too can nature uplift and nourish our spirits. When this iconic tree feels a sense of separation from its surroundings, it bows in a graceful bend—a poignant reminder that our well-being flourishes when we remain connected to the earth that nurtures us. In this enchanting coloring book, you are invited to unleash your creativity, allowing the soothing essence of nature to envelop you as you embark on a journey of self-care and inner peace. Let the pages come alive with your imagination and embrace the tranquility that blossoms when you nurture both yourself and the world around you.
​The story of Therein, the traveling tortoise, teaches us to appreciate what lies within ourselves. It offers a valuable lesson for all ages about finding inner peace and understanding our true desires. At first, Therein seeks happiness by exploring new places and achieving various goals, but he still feels empty. Ultimately, he discovers that true happiness was within him all along. His journey reflects a common concern for both children and adults: the belief that happiness is found elsewhere. With the support of his friends, Therein realizes the gifts he has always possessed. True happiness comes from within. Delve into this enchanting coloring book, where each illustration encourages you to express your artistic nature. Experience the tranquility that arises as you embrace your true self, nurturing your well-being on every page.
The Story of The Crossing Quail is a heartwarming, beautifully illustrated coloring book that follows a little quail full of worries and self-doubt. Unsure of her place in the world, she hesitates—afraid to move forward. But through gentle lessons and unexpected encounters, she learns the power of trust, patience, and letting go. Perfect for children and adults alike, this book blends creativity with an uplifting tale about courage, growth, and finding peace within. Each page brings the quail’s journey to life with whimsical illustrations, encouraging readers to slow down, reflect, and color their way toward calm and contentment. Let your imagination take flight with The Crossing Quail—where every step forward is a step toward joy.
Behind Hopeful Castle was an enchanted forest. Inside the mystical woodland many creatures, plants and trees flourished. If you follow the mushroom lined path, wandering through the woods, you would arrive at a clearing. In the glade is where one miraculous citrus tree exists, which brings each lemon to life. Each citron would experience valuable learning moments along their journey. The sour spheres will be messengers for the Queen of Hopeful Castle. They will be assets to help assist and guide the Queen to learn how to rule her land.
These are the stories of the adventures of the lemon baby blossoms. Each tale includes an important life lesson like positivity, sensitivity, change, and choices. In the end The Queen of Hopeful Castle learns from life’s disappointments and it does not sour her. Through lemon babies we can learn the importance of transforming sour situations into something sweet.
Read More...
Mojave Magic is a collection of ALL eight Mojave stories including:
The Bending Joshua Tree
The Wisdom of the Rocks
The Traveling Tortoise
We Ravens Three
The Rushing Lizard
The Canny Coyote
The Crossing Quail
The Four That Soar
This would be a wonderful collection to have in your home.
Free downloadable coloring sheets based on the Life Lesson books:
(click on the images below)
READING IS AWESOME!
It really is when it is not a chore. Enjoyable kid’s books make the difference between books your kids want to read and ones that stay on the shelf Armed with a life-long love of books, Melanie loves to create stories for kids. These delightful children’s books share her passion through vivid storytelling and illustrations. Each character in these short child stories shares a valuable lesson about growth, happiness, and diversity through personal discovery. Take some time and explore the characters in these short stories. Get to know Henry, Charlie and the others as you follow their journey of discovery.
5.0 out of 5 stars "We Ravens Three"
"As a former teacher I would recommend this book for parents
Simple and thought-provoking. I was intrigued by the limerick narrative and found that the magnificently detailed artwork of the ravens added to the inspirational message of the story - artwork that was almost three dimensional as if I could reach out and touch the raven's feathers.
As a former teacher I would recommend this book for parents, teachers and children of all ages due to the beautiful, rhythmic text, the realistic artwork of these flying magical creatures and the timely, reflective messages contained on each page.
The informative page at the end of the story titled 'Raven Magic' by Michelle Walks with Ravens helped me to reflect on the benefits of the spiritual, magical and natural gifts humankind has been given."
Amazon
Reviews
"5.0 out of 5 stars "THE HAPPY WINDOW" Offers a Lot of Happy Reading for Kids!!
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EXCELLENT BOOK with a great message for kids and beautifully illustrated. I bought several books and gave one to each of my nieces and nephews for their children. They all loved it! Definitely a 5 STAR book for children of all ages."
Mr. Shaffer
5.0 out of 5 stars " Lemon Baby"
“I want to thank you so much for autographing the 3 books for my 5 year old grand daughter. “
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~BZ, Mississippi, USA
