The Author & The Illustrator
Tina Levine, Author
INSPIRATION TO WRITE
Tina has an affinity for writing, going back to her childhood. She and her dad wrote poetry to each other even into their adult lives. This writing relationship, as well as her deep love for her dad, continues to inspire her to write from her heart and soul.
Our voices are the medium of our thoughts
Our ears are the medium of hearts
Our hands are the medium of our souls
Whether it is poetry, fiction, or even non-fiction, Tina creates prose inspiring the reader to be the best version of themselves.
Children’s Books that inspire Tina as a children’s author: The Poky Little Puppy, The Little Engine That Could, Are You My Mother?, The Giving Tree, Love You Forever, Thank You, Mr. Falker, Tuck Everlasting, and From Me to We.
Poems Inspiring Tina’s Poetry: Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson-"My Shadow", The Places You'll Go-Dr. Seuss, Casey at The Bat-Ernest Lawrence Thayer, and The Road Less Taken- Robert Frost
INSPIRATION FOR THIS BOOK
"Better Than A Bully: Carrot Top's Surprise"
TINA'S CHILDHOOD
From fifty years ago, Tina can still recall the pain of being called four eyes and being excluded socially. Some of her experiences have influenced the writing of this book.
TEACHING SCHOOL
As a classroom teacher for twenty-five years, Tina observed children at school, as well as adults at work bullied. These experiences inspired, Better Than A Bully: Carrot Top's Surprise.
RECENT RESEARCH
The groundbreaking "Adverse Childhood Experiences" (ACEs), Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente, documented findings indicating that childhood trauma doesn't always impact one's life immediately. The impact of bullying or other traumatic events may present as anxiety, depression, and addiction, as well as other health conditions later in early adulthood.
Some say that there is a difference between teasing, being mean, and bullying. This concept may be right. However, if children are not raised to understand that continuous negative behaviors not only impact their own lives, but the lives others.
THE STORY
Better Than A Bully: Carrot Top's Surprise provides an opportunity for the reader to see how bullies, those bullied, and bystanders can morph into a better version of themselves.
Ned Levine, Illustrator
Ned's Story
Ned Levine has been drawing since he could hold a pencil!
He is an award-winning illustrator in both national/international professional competitions. Ned was a feature illustrator for forty-six years at Newsday, the Long Island, NY newspaper. His unique, whimsical style has also appeared on album covers, book covers, and marketing pieces.
When his wife Tina had completed Better Than A Bully: Carrot Top's Surprise, she knew Ned should illustrate this fabulous book. The uncanny timing for development of this team was as they say “bashert” (meant to be).
THE TEAM
Tina and Ned, author and illustrator of Better Than A Bully: Carrot Top's Surprise are now a team inspired to bring this story to the hearts and minds of children. The theme is a terrific stepping stone for conversations between the child, parent, grandparent, teacher, and related child services.