My Sister My Friend is the story of two sisters who laugh together, play together, fuss together, and do all the things that siblings do, regardless of their physical differences. One sister, the youngest, has special needs and requires a little extra help in her daily activities, while the older sister is independent and attentive. Although they are different in their capabilities, they share a sibling's bond and love. This children's book is for every family member who may need a little extra help, but always gives a whole lot of love!
My Sister My Friend is a fun book about family, fun, life and love. The message lets the reader easily identify with the activities and actions of siblings, in this case sisters. It empathetically gives a peek into the daily occurrences with a special needs sibling and it motivates the reader to immediately personalize and share their story. My sister is my BEST friend!
Lori Lamb
Mansfield Middle School Teacher
2004-2019 Arkansas Department of Education
Past President and Vice President National Alternative Education Association
Mother, Grandmother, Teacher, Sister, Friend
Hoskins, Maria: - Maria Hoskins has served as a Community Outreach Specialist for the Federal Government for more than 19 years and has been employed in the field of community outreach for more than 28 years. During her tenure in federal service, Maria served for 10 years as the Senior District Staff for Arkansas' 2nd Congressional District Congressman Vic Snyder, until his retirement in January 2011. She is a native of Mayflower, Arkansas and a graduate of Philander Smith College where she received a B.A in English and Communications. Maria has published five children's books through her independent publishing company C & V 4 Seasons Publishing Company. Her sixth book, My Sister My Friend, will be released in 2020. Maria's first children's book began with a vision of Christmas Eve at her grandmother's farm, recalling memories from a moment in time, reflecting on the meaning of Christmas. It's a touching story of a girl's memories of her family's holiday season in the mid-1960's on a rural Arkansas farm. "I am excited to share my books with students throughout Arkansas! The motive for my books is to share a happy memory from a moment in time, and to encourage young readers and writers that there is a book in all of us." Maria is married to Archie Hoskins. They have two children, Christina and Victoria, and she is an active member of the Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Maumelle, Arkansas.
Stanley, Craig: - Craig Stanley was raised in Kansas City where his love of art was nurtured. At the age of 15, he started creating works of art for several local companies. This exposure led to the opening of his first art studio. A few years after high school, he moved to Atlanta, GA to attend school, furthering his knowledge as a graphic designer and illustrator. While still in school Craig was recruited to paint several national and world tour music stage backdrops for music recording artists. This is when he entered the world of film production. During this time he started painting artwork for television shows, commercials and feature films. Now with over two decades of experience creating art in the entertainment industry, Craig is known for his work with brands such as Tyler Perry Studios, Oprah Winfrey Network, Disney, Netflix, Sony, & Paramount Pictures.
