From the author: "The inspiration for this collection of stories was my daughter Lea. Whether she was four or fourteen, she hated to be lectured. But if the subject matter of our 'discussion' was inbedded in a story, she would not only listen, but learn. She always liked stories she could relate to whether the characters could be used as good examples or bad. During an early doom-and-gloom personality period, I wrote Chin Up and Chin Down. She loved the story and it really helped. On another occasion years later, I asked her what she wanted to be someday and she replied, "I want to be rich." That was the origin of The Fool's Gold. After that, I guess I got carried away and wrote other stories that I hoped she would enjoy and would leave a lasting impression. Lea always said that these stories were her favorites and now I have finally published them. I hope you like them, too. And by the way, Lea is grown up now and turned out great " Most stories for young readers offer a brief form of entertainment with very little lasting value. But with Lea's Lessons, readers will get lost in these unique, entertaining stories, each with an underlying theme and unforgettable characters. Every story provides value as well as enjoyment. What others have said: "I LOVE these stories Teaching students how to identify the 'theme' in literature can be challenging, however, these short stories are an excellent way to guide instruction. They lend themselves perfectly for discussions about the moral, or life lessons, (theme) that the characters learn through their trials and tribulations. These tales are great for kids (and adults) of all ages " - Lorna Holt, Vista Unified School District, 5th grade Language Arts Teacher. "A treasure of short stories They are fun, interesting and cleverly written. The message is clear and easy to identify, both kids and adults are sure to enjoy Don't miss a single one, each lesson is as important as the next." - Cheryl Bartelt, K-4th grade teacher (14 years). Illustrations were done by Matt Leatherman, the author's nephew, who is a graduate of graphic design at Colorado St. University.