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Book Information
Title: Bella and Bird Explore Sadness
Author: Deana Plaskon
Illustrator: Lea Marie Rivotti
Publisher: Bella and Bird Books (2026)
ISBN: 979-8987268452
Age Range: Ages 5–10 (32 pages)
Series: Bella and Bird — Emotion Explorers
Synopsis:
Molly cried. She really cried. When Molly comes into the pasture, gloomy and sad, Bella, the wise horse, and Bird, the wisecracking barn swallow, step in to help. Together, the friends set out to explore why Molly is sad and offer valuable lessons and better ways to cope. By the time Molly leaves the pasture, she’s gained new insights, is in better control of her feelings, and has tools to take along with her.
Bella and Bird Explore Sadness provides a foundation for readers to explore, understand, and effectively manage sadness, and serves as an invaluable tool for starting honest conversations about big emotions.
Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org
About the Author
Deana Plaskon is an award-winning children’s author, educator, and licensed mental health professional. Bella isn’t just a storybook character — she’s Deana’s real-life Gypsy Vanner horse, and Bird is inspired by the barn swallows that gather Bella’s mane to build their nests.
After Hurricane Ian, Deana saw how deeply children were affected by fear, sadness, uncertainty, and change — an experience that inspired the Bella and Bird Emotion Explorers series, blending engaging stories with practical emotional intelligence tools.
Website: bellabirdbooks.com
Connect: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
Giveaway Details
Big feelings, big prizes! Follow along on this virtual book tour and enter to win one of five signed copies of Bella and Bird Explore Sadness by Deana Plaskon.
Feeling extra lucky? One grand prize winner will take home the complete set—signed copies of all three books in the series: Bella and Bird Explore Anger, Bella and Bird Explore Sadness, and Bella and Bird Explore Happiness.
Giveaway ends at 11:30 PM MT on September 24, 2026
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