Oliver and The Magic Door is a journey into the imagination for adults and children alike. It is a journey that begins in the heart of a dreaming raccoon and his great friend Karla. Oliver, who has always dreamed beyond his limitations, takes on the task of undertaking his life's journey to The Magic Door.

Everyone eagerly awaits the arrival of the long-awaited celebration of Mr.Sun, but only those who persevere despite the difficulties will be able to see their dreams come true. The author invites you to let your imagination soar and together you and Oliver can take flight.

Melanie Figueroa is a local writer from Milford, Delaware who was born and raised in Puerto Rico! From an early age, she went after her dreams with tenacity and courage. She always strives for excellence, sowing joy, service, and love at every opportunity.

Melanie is passionate about music – she plays the bass and the Guitar - and she is also a runner. She is very involved in community work through Anchor Church which she attends in Milford.

The bilingual (Spanish & English) kids' book "Oliver and The Magic Door" takes place in Delaware during the summer solstice. Oliver always dreams beyond his limitations, but with the help of his friend Karla, he undertakes his life's journey to find The Magic Door! This book seeks to highlight the importance of languages, the common good, perseverance, and arouse curiosity for science.

Melanie is an entrepreneur passionate about inspiring children of all ages not to give up, and to move forward amid any circumstance or environment. She longs to conquer the hearts of each of her readers, because in each adult there is also a child, highlighting perseverance, love, faith, friendship, and the common good in her stories.

You can get a copy of her book on Amazon.

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The Bridge Podcast Network is made possible by generous support from The Boardwalk Plaza Hotel and Victoria’s Restaurant on the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware - Open 7 days a week, year-round - Learn more at https://boardwalkplaza.com

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Love Is Kind tells the heartwarming story of Little Owl who hopes to buy his grammy a heart-shaped box of chocolates for her birthday. On his quest for the chocolates, he’s thwarted at every turn but ends up discovering the real meaning of love.

Laura Sassi has a passion for telling stories in prose and rhyme. She is the author of five picture books including the best-selling Goodnight, Ark, which was a 2015 Christian Book Award Finalist. Her next book, Bunny Finds Easter, will release in 2022. In addition to books, she’s published over one hundred poems, stories, crafts, and articles in various children’s publications.

Laura is a graduate of Princeton University and UCLA. She had a successful teaching career before becoming a children’s author. She’s been a homeschool mom, children’s ministry director, historic museum interpreter, and more. She writes daily from her home in New Jersey and finds special joy in sharing her love of reading and writing with the next generation at school visits and other book events.

Learn more about her writing at LauraSassiTales.wordpress.com

Please share StoryJumpers with a friend if you enjoyed this episode. StoryJumpers is still growing, and your positive review and 5-star rating would help.

The Bridge Podcast Network is made possible by generous support from The Boardwalk Plaza Hotel and Victoria’s Restaurant on the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware - Open 7 days a week, year-round - Learn more at https://boardwalkplaza.com

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"Her knees buckled, and she started to sink. Quicksand!"

Hot on the trail of Amelia Darling, cousins Patrick and Beth are transported to Australia where they encounter Reverend George Taplin and his friend James Unaipon, two faithful men of God serving the Aboriginal people and helping them understand the good news of the Gospel. But not every person is interested in this good news.

In the dark of night, Patrick and his new friend, Jandamarra, are kidnapped by bushrangers who need an Aboriginal person to show them the way to a great treasure.

DOUBLE CROSS DOWN UNDER continues The Imagination Station series from Focus on The Family!

With each book, kids are whisked away with cousins Patrick and Beth to embark on a new journey around the world and back in time. Kids experience unforgettable, action-packed adventures when they travel through the Imagination Station series.

You know those tests kids take in the first grade? It’s the first time they have to fill in a sheet of paper covered in little dots. Well, when one of her twins took that test, author Marianne Hering found out that her son Lewis couldn’t read.

So along with a fellow parent and coworker—Paul McCusker—she dove into the world of historical fiction for kids. She wanted to create some stories that had action and adventure but were easy to read. And one last thing—they needed lasting value. So they put in Christian history and some good role models.

Since she had been a professional writer and editor at Focus on the Family for more than a decade, she had a good idea how to start The Imagination Station book series. Paul McCusker was a producer and scriptwriter for Adventures in Odyssey, so he had a pretty good idea about how the Imagination Station should work.

Marianne Hering lives in Colorado, a place where the natural beauty makes it difficult for her to stay indoors. But she stays inside to write books for kids and their families.

And her son Lewis? Well, he’s in college now learning to be a chemical engineer! He still likes numbers better than letters. But . . . he can read!

Learn more about the Imagination Station book series at MarianneHering.com

Please share StoryJumpers with a friend if you enjoyed this episode. StoryJumpers is still growing, and your positive review and 5-star rating would help.

The Bridge Podcast Network is made possible by generous support from The Boardwalk Plaza Hotel and Victoria’s Restaurant on the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware - Open 7 days a week, year-round - Learn more at https://boardwalkplaza.com

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Buster was sure he was the fastest bunny in the meadow. But during a race at summer camp, nothing goes as planned and Buster gets tripped up.

After his epic fall, Buster’s older sister, Ivy, helps him see that failure is an opportunity to grow. As Buster remembers God’s love, he is able to let go of others’ opinions and accept that it is okay to try your best but not always be the best.

Enjoy this reading of Buster's Ears Trip Him Up, read and illustrated by Joe Hox.

Joe Hox specializes in book illustration and fine art. He is on a mission to help make great stories come to life with playful, beautifully crafted illustrations.

As a former art teacher, he enjoys meeting young budding artists and kindling their creative fire. He offers a variety of different artist talks including artist presentations on ‘How To Be A Creative Kid’ – ‘Raising Creative Kids’ - and ‘Worth In Christ’ which is geared toward Christian schools and church groups.

Joe talks about his experience as a bumbling farm kid, finding art, and eventually finding his identity and worth in Christ (not art!). Kids get to watch Joe draw throughout the presentation.

Learn more about his art, and the books he has illustrated at JoeHox.com

Please share StoryJumpers with a friend if you enjoyed this episode. StoryJumpers is still growing, and your positive review and 5-star rating would help.

The Bridge Podcast Network is made possible by generous support from The Boardwalk Plaza Hotel and Victoria’s Restaurant on the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware - Open 7 days a week, year-round - Learn more at https://boardwalkplaza.com

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Enjoy this reading of the prologue to The Green Ember series by S.D. Smith. Meet Heather and Picket - two extraordinary rabbits with ordinary lives. Calamitous events overtake them, spilling them into a cauldron of misadventures.

They discover that their own story is bound up in the tumult threatening to overwhelm the wider world. Kings fall and kingdoms totter. Tyrants ascend and terrors threaten. Betrayal beckons, and loyalty is a broken road with peril around every bend. Where will Heather and Picket land? How will they make their stand?

The Green Ember Series is a bestselling middle-grade adventure saga. The Green Ember has reached hundreds of thousands of readers and spent time as the number one bestselling audiobook in the world on Audible!

S.D. Smith’s stories captivate readers across the globe who are hungry for “new stories with an old soul.” Enthusiastic families can’t get enough of these tales!

If your family enjoys vintage adventure - moral imagination - classic virtues – you’ll all be begging for just one more chapter - - please! Learn more about the series at https://sdsmith.com

Please share StoryJumpers with a friend if you enjoyed this episode. StoryJumpers is still growing, and your positive review and 5-star rating would help.

The Bridge Podcast Network is made possible by generous support from The Boardwalk Plaza Hotel and Victoria’s Restaurant on the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware - Open 7 days a week, year-round - Learn more at https://boardwalkplaza.com

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When a hot air balloon ride goes terribly wrong, siblings Jenny and Cole find themselves soaring thousands of feet into the cold Colorado sky.

In the basket of the enormous balloon, they must overcome their differences and safely land the runaway hot air balloon. This unforgettable flight will captivate your imagination and inspire your heart.

Join Jenny and Cole on their trip of a lifetime as they learn to overcome fear, exercise faith, and extend forgiveness.

Enjoy this reading of Trapped in a Hot Air Balloon by Mark Wainwright...

Mark Wainwright loves adventure. That quest to see new sights, explore new lands, and meet new people has taken him to all 50 states and over 30 countries. He’s ridden elephants in Thailand, hang-glided in the Swiss Alps, and even been stranded on a small boat in the Bismarck Sea.

But Mark also loves finding adventure through the pages of a book! He especially enjoys reading stories that make him feel as if he is there with the characters and experiencing the action for himself.

For 16 years, Mark led the editorial departments at several Christian book publishers. Then, in 2017, Mark transitioned to teaching professional writing courses at a Christian college in Florida. He now uses his publishing experience to help guide the next generation of writers and editors.

Mark’s writing credits include publication in magazines, newspapers, textbooks, and literary journals. He’s recognized as an outstanding writer, editor, and contributor. Above all, Mark remains passionate about using his writing and editing skills for the glory of God. He encourages his professional writing students to courageously influence their communities through the power of writing.

Learn more about his writing when you visit his website at http://www.Mark-Wainwright.com

Please share StoryJumpers with a friend if you enjoyed this episode. StoryJumpers is still growing, and your positive review and 5-star rating would help.

The Bridge Podcast Network is made possible by generous support from The Boardwalk Plaza Hotel and Victoria’s Restaurant on the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware - Open 7 days a week, year-round - Learn more at https://boardwalkplaza.com

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A moment ago, Mariana was trying on a Native American headpiece in Zany Zia’s Hat Shop. Now she’s running scared through the Wild West.

How did she get here? And how did she get caught in a feud between Comanche warriors and a cowboy out for revenge?

When Mariana went to the circus, all she wanted was a friend. Now she just wants to go home before she gets eaten by a mountain lion.

Welcome to Zany Zia's Hats to Where!

Lost in Comanche Country is the second book in the Zany Zia’s Hats to Where adventure series. Middle-grade readers (8- to 12-year-olds) who love time travel, historical fiction, fast-paced adventure, and a little bit of magic will love Lost in Comanche Country and the entire Zany Zia's Hats to Where series.

Erin K. Casey writes for children and adults, and she loves to help people discover and share their stories. She is the author of Get Personal: The Importance of Sharing Your Faith Story, as well as the middle-grade adventure series: Zany Zia’s Hats to Where. Through both her fiction and non-fiction work, she hopes to inspire people to live their own adventures and see God at work in their lives.

Learn more about her books at ErinKCasey.com

Please share StoryJumpers with a friend if you enjoyed this episode. StoryJumpers is still growing, and your positive review and 5-star rating would help.

The Bridge Podcast Network is made possible by generous support from The Boardwalk Plaza Hotel and Victoria’s Restaurant on the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware - Open 7 days a week, year-round - Learn more at https://boardwalkplaza.com

Feedback, or Show Ideas? Send an email to podcast@wearethebridge.org

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What if a fourteen-year-old boy from present-day white suburbia finds himself fifty years in the past, fighting to survive a freak storm in the woods and afraid to accept help from a black man?

Once the two learn to trust each other, Richie learns about the traumatic event that shaped the man Morris’s life: the lynching of Morris’s grandfather in 1923. If Richie can go back in time again and prevent the lynching, will Morris come in from the cold?

The Long Shadow is an anti-racist time-travel story for 10-to-14-year-olds. "This compelling and engaging story is a must-read!" - Rob Currie, author of Hunger Winter: A World War II Novel.

"Part survival story, part exploration of racial justice in America, part journey of self-discovery, and wholly engaging and memorable. A well done and powerful story. It is certainly stuck in my head," says reader and reviewer Joe Corbett, a school librarian in St. Louis

Phyllis Wheeler tells stories that encourage us to step outside our comfort zones. She’s done it—she and her husband spent twenty years raising their family in a black neighborhood in segregated St. Louis.

She’s been a journalist, an engineer, and a homeschooling mom. Now she’s thrilled to be following her dream of authoring books for young people.

Learn more about her books and get a free short story when you sign up for her occasional newsletter at PhyllisWheeler.com

Please share StoryJumpers with a friend if you enjoyed this episode. StoryJumpers is still growing, and your positive review and 5-star rating would help.

The Bridge Podcast Network is made possible by generous support from The Boardwalk Plaza Hotel and Victoria’s Restaurant on the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware - Open 7 days a week, year-round - Learn more at https://boardwalkplaza.com

Feedback, or Show Ideas? Send an email to podcast@wearethebridge.org

Download The Bridge Mobile App to get the latest podcast episodes as soon as they are published!