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Little Puppy, Big Heart: The Story Behind Yin-Yang the Brave, Children's Book by Jackie Morreale6/4/2026
Worldwide Book Tour, Yin-Yang the Brave
Video Transcript Jackie Morreale My name is Jackie Morreale, and I am the host of Wisdom for Wannabes, the podcast that seeks wise words in business, beauty and betterment. I am joined by two of my favorite people, my co-illustrator on Princess Tessa & Luc the Duke: The Furry Christmas Miracle, Natalia Morreale, who is also my daughter, my very talented daughter, and our fur-baby, Lily Morreale. Natalia Morreale That's me! (in her doggie voice) Jackie Morreale AKA Yin-Yang the Brave. We are very excited to share my sixth story for children, which is a brand-new series called 'Voices in Wonder.' This is a story inspired by our real life Bichonpoo puppy. Natalia Morreale 'It's me, guys.' Jackie Morreale Lily and an old box of pastels that turned into this wall of illustrations behind us. Natalia, will you help me read through this story so that our listeners can hear what it's all about? Natalia Morreale Yes. Jackie Morreale Okay. It is called, Yin-Yang the Brave: A Puppy's Tale of Finding Home, by Jackie Morreale. This is book one in the Voices in Wonder series. Dedication page. This and every book that I have and will ever write is dedicated to my family, who inspire me every single day, and our fur-baby Lily. Natalia Morreale 'It's me.' Jackie Morreale To Morena Mollina for your many words of encouragement. To Gary Fails for your thoughtfulness, creativity, and keen eye for editing. To Keith Gamache for decades of art education and inspiration. 'To make good art,' he says, 'you have to think, look, and care.' Thank you for that. To dog lovers from all over the world who know that providing a 'fur'-ever home, no matter how much yin there is to their yang, comes back to you tenfold in love. Shall we start? Natalia Morreale Yes. Jackie Morreale Page 1: Her day begins like any other. Small, quiet, waiting. The puppy watches the world from her window. Natalia Morreale Page 2: White paper covers the floor. Other puppies sleep, jump, play, or pout. But this puppy is the smallest one of them. Jackie Morreale Page 3: Every day, she waits. Hoping someone will choose her. Maybe today will be the day. Natalia Morreale Page 4: A little boy walks up to the glass. His smile is bright, his eyes are warm. He looks at the tiny puppy, curious. Jackie Morreale Page 5: Then a little girl arrives. She presses her fingers to the glass. The puppy lifts her tiny paws. Natalia Morreale Page 6: Pick me. Pick me. PICK ME! Her whole body wiggles with hope. Her paw reveal her purpose. Jackie Morreale Page 7: A woman lifts the puppy into a small pen. The girl skips closer. The boy follows. He, like the puppy, is quiet and cautious at first. Natalia Morreale Page 8: Then the puppy explores the pen, especially the shoelaces. They're perfect for tugging! Jackie Morreale Page 9: The boy jumps back. The puppy tugs harder. 'Oh!' the girl laughs, gently lifting her away. Natalia Morreale Page 10: A black box appears. 'Say cheese!' says the mom. The puppy panics, squirms in the girl's arms, and howls. Yip yip! She's taken away. Jackie Morreale Page 11: Then the fun is over. The girl waves goodbye. The puppy is back in her window. Natalia Morreale Page 12: The room grows quiet. The tiny puppy rests her head. She dreams of love. Jackie Morreale Page 13: Time passes. The sun moves slowly across the sky. The puppy curls up and closes her eyes. Natalia Morreale Page 14: A tiny bell jingles. Jackie Morreale Page 15: They're back! The girl, the boy. Fingers meet paws on the glass again. Natalia Morreale Page 16: Pick me, Pick me! Puppy-please! This time, the puppy rolls over. She shows her belly, full of trust. Jackie Morreale Page 17: 'Let's call her Yin-yang,' says the girl. 'Yinny for short,' says the boy. 'Because she's silly and sweet,' laughs the dad. Natalia Morreale Page 18: Yin-yang. Like day and night. Cocoa and cream. A perfect balance. Jackie Morreale Page 19: Yinny goes home. She has a name. A family. Natalia Morreale Page 20: A heart full of love. But learning a new world… takes time. Jackie Morreale Page 21: Yinny slips through the fence. Adventure calls! She dashes into neighbors' yards. Natalia Morreale Page 22: When her family runs after her, she thinks it's a game. Catch me if you can! Jackie Morreale Page 23: She chases frogs by the lake. She barks at big dogs on walks. She rolls at things that smell… very, very bad. Natalia Morreale Can we stop real quick? Yes. I just wanted to say, this is my favorite page. Jackie Morreale This one? Aw. Natalia Morreale Page 24: Yinny is having the best time. But her family feels frustrated. Out of balance. Jackie Morreale Page 25: Inside, she begs for food. She leaves little puddles where she shouldn't. Natalia Morreale Page 26: She nips while Dad tries to brush her teeth. At night, her tiny paws scratch as her special girl dreams. Jackie Morreale Page 27: 'Oh no,' says Dad. The girl's eyes filled with tears. The mom sighs softly. The boy hides. (Continued below)  Natalia Morreale and Jackie Morreale introduce the new Yin-Yang the Brave book for children (clip at 9 minutes 45 seconds). Natalia Morreale Why does he hide? Jackie Morreale Because he's afraid and he's sad. Natalia Morreale Of Yinny? Jackie Morreale Yeah. She's sorry, look at those eyes. This is my favorite. These are the puppy-dog eyes, my favorite. Natalia Morreale Page 28: Yinny sits still. She wants to behave. She just doesn't know how. Not yet. Jackie Morreale Page 29: Yinny is learning. Her girl teaches her to sit. Her dad teaches her to stay. Natalia Morreale Page 30: Her mom teaches her to come. Her boy teaches her to fetch. It's not instant. It is not perfect. Jackie Morreale Page 31: Sometimes she wiggles. Sometimes she forgets. But little by little... Natalia Morreale Page 32: They understand each other. The family is learning to speak Yinny. Yinny is learning her place in the family. Jackie Morreale Page 33: One day, Yinny hears it. Tiny footsteps. Rustling in the yard. Natalia Morreale Page 34: She pauses. Stay. She remembers. Her body stills… but her ears listen. Jackie Morreale Page 35: Then – Bark. Bark. BARK! She runs to the yard, focused and sure. Natalia Morreale Page 36: 'Blank' scatters across the yard… Jackie Morreale What do you think is there? What did she find? Natalia Morreale Well, if you want, you can buy the book. You can find it on Amazon. Jackie Morreale I want to skip to the end of the exciting story of Yin-Yang the Brave. I'd love to share a little bit about the real-life dog who inspired the Yinny character in the story. Natalia Morreale It's me, guys, I'm right here. It's nice meeting you, by the way. (in a doggie voice) Jackie Morreale Yes, this is our real-life doggie Lily. What kind of breed is she? Natalia Morreale She's a Bichonpoo, a mix of a Bichon Frise and a Toy Poodle. Jackie Morreale Yes. Not all Bichonpoos look the same. Some are white, tan, black, black, apricot, gray. She is a perfect blend of white and black, and curly all over. Yinny may weigh less than ten pounds, but her personality feels much bigger! She loves to play. Natalia Morreale I love playing. Jackie Morreale She loves to 'chat' and spend time with people. She's happiest curled up in someone's lap or exploring outside. Natalia Morreale I love outside. Jackie Morreale What's one of her funniest talents? Natalia Morreale I heard that Bichon Frises could be dogs in the circus. She could stand on her back two legs and hop around. Jackie Morreale Yes, while she's hoping for table food. Natalia Morreale She knows how to get up. She can spin sometimes, while she's on her hind leg, she can spin. Jackie Morreale Yes, she's very talented. This book was made with so much love and inspired by our own family's adventures with our dog. However, it is not a dog training guide. This story is shaped by observation, imagination, and and everyday moments with our very expressive little Bichonpoo. Let's talk about the meaning of yin-yang. In many cultures, yin and yang represent how opposites work together - yin being the dark, yang being the light. Dark and light, loud and quiet. Playful, calm. Independent, together. At first, Yinny is curious, barky, and sometimes even chaotic, but she's also very loving, gentle, and deeply connected to her family. The look and find. The bonus is how many Yin-yang symbols are there in the book? From cover to cover. Check paws, collars, and clouds. You'll also have to see if the rendering of Lily's real-life paw, used in a story to look like a yin-yang, does look like a yin-yang. I want to talk to all my young artists out there. I believe that every single one of us is an artist on the inside, one way or another. To prove it, I want to share how Yin-Yang the Brave came to life in the art that you see behind. These are the actual pages in the book. I've had the same box of pastels in my possession, these soft pastels... Since about high school? Yes, so 20 years. They were very well-loved back in that day, but sat unused. Then, a year ago, I decided to make a small change: Drawing for five minutes a day. That old box of pastels, mostly broken, tiny itty bitty little pieces of my favorite colors, found its way back into my hands and became the pages that you see behind me. I found inspiration in animals almost every day, and many days it was Lily. Our Miss Yinny over here was finding her own voice in the story, so was I, as a storyteller, as an author, as a podcast host for this show, Wisdom for Wannabes, in the past year. And it all started with sketching ideas daily with these old beat-up soft pastels. We end the book with a creative challenge. If you had to come up with your favorite animal, and come up with some way, some superpower, a way in which they save the day, what would it be? Natalia Morreale This is hard because my favorite animal is a seahorse. Jackie Morreale Hmm. Seahorses are tiny but mighty, just like someone else that I know. Natalia Morreale Seahorses don't have arms. They have a tail. The tail could wrap around, helping stuff hold on tight. If I had to write a book... Everyone doubted the seahorse, saying it's not strong. Then, there was a big, big wave and everyone was going to wipe out. The seahorse grabs on to everyone and also grabs on to the thing and saves them! Together, they make a chain! Jackie Morreale Oh, my goodness, you just wrote the next book in this series. The Brave Little Seahorse that Chains Together. So excited. Thank you so much for reading this new book for the Voices in Wonder series. What do you think young readers will love most? Natalia Morreale The fact that it's a dog. Jackie Morreale The fact that it's a dog. Do you think they should read it with their favorite stuffed animal or pet? Natalia Morreale Yeah. If you have a fish, don't take your fish out of the tank. Jackie Morreale True! Thank you so much for your time. Can't wait to hear your feedback on my new book, Yin-Yang the Brave, A Puppy's Tale of Finding Home. Have a great day! Give your doggie a hug.  Jackie Morreale with her illustrations for her newest children's book, Yin-Yang the Brave: A Puppy's Tale of Finding Home.
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 What if one memory could bring you back to who you really are? In this deeply personal reflection, Wisdom for Wannabes host, Jackie Morreale, shares what happened when she returned to her elementary school 30 years later—and why it moved her to tears. Inspired by a powerful insight from sports psychologists about our brain’s tendency to hold onto the negative, Jackie explores the importance of intentionally creating joyful, meaningful moments we can revisit throughout our lives. This story is about identity, gratitude, and the people—especially educators—who shape us long before we realize it. Read on for a heartfelt reminder to reconnect with your roots, reclaim your truest self, and say thank you to those who helped you become who you are. Topics: • The importance of positive memories for mental health • Creating intentional joyful moments • Revisiting childhood to reconnect with your true self Takeaways: • Our brains are wired to remember negatively, but we must practice recalling positive memories. • Revisiting childhood places can reconnect us with our authentic selves. • Creating meaningful moments intentionally can help us stay grounded and true to ourselves. Quotes: • "I realized that little girl is still me." • "I think I forgot her along the way." • "We need to create moments on purpose." Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: A Memory That Brings You Back to Yourself 00:31 The Insight That Sparked It All 01:11 Walking Back Into Where It All Began 03:15 Remembering the Girl I Used to Be 03:41 A Different Lens on the High School Years 04:05 Creating Memories You Can Return To 04:57 A Simple Exercise to Come Back to Yourself 06:00 Say Thank You, Just Because!  Jackie Morreale reading Princess Tessa & The New Look to Ms. Meehan's students, March 2026 Transcript: Jackie Morreale (00:00) I went back to my elementary school after 30 years and I remembered exactly who I am. My name is Jackie Morreale and I'm the host of Wisdom for Wannabes. I wrote this and I'm saying this now because I don't ever want to lose this feeling. I had one of those experiences that I know I'm going to want to come back to. Not just to remember, but to actually feel again. It made me realize something. I think every single one of us needs to have a memory like that. One that we can return to at any age. One that brings us back to ourselves. I was interviewing these two amazing sports psychologists earlier this week and they said something that really stuck with me: "Our brains are wired to think negatively." We're built to remember the bad moment, the embarrassing moment, the failure. Maybe at one point that kept us alive. It was survival. But now, it keeps us stuck. They said, "If we don't intentionally create and hold on to those positive memories, we won't have them to pull from later." We actually have to practice remembering the good. It took me a day to realize I had just lived one of those life-changing, happy moments that I will want to recall for the rest of my life. So here it is: Last Friday, I went back to my old elementary school. Thirty years later, I walked in with a stack of my books and my family. From the moment we arrived, something felt different. We were greeted by the security guard upon entering the building who said, "Hello, so you're the author?" I paused for a second and thought, "Wow, yes, I am." There's something so powerful about someone else seeing you as something you've worked so hard to become and identify with yourself. The principal came right out, welcomed us in, brought us into his office. We were laughing because I realized this had been my first time to the principal's office, an idea that I once dreaded, and this time it was for good. It felt like a full circle moment. Then we walk down the hallway to my favorite teacher's classroom. My fifth grade teacher who still teaches there to this day, now teaching kindergarten. And how lucky are these students, this school, this community, how lucky am I to go back and see her and relive this experience? We get to the door. There's a big sign over the doorway. It says, "Welcome Mrs. Morreale!" And it includes my family members' names. And streamers! And all the autographs of the kids in the class, as well as the one for my teacher. We walked right through the streamers and there she was, standing there: My favorite teacher. She looked and sounded exactly the same, same presence, same person. I just lost it. Tears were instant. The kind of tears that you don't even try to hold back. The kids are all looking at me and saying, "Why is she crying?" My teacher just smiled and said, "They're happy tears." They were. Because in that moment, everything else disappeared. I was her student again. I sat down. I read my book to her class. My own kids sat next to me. The students were amazing. They raised their hands to point out rhymes, respond to my questions, and ask brilliant questions of their own. I even had a few belly laugh moments where kids say the darndest things. I just felt joy. Pure, simple joy. No pressure, no noise. Just being exactly who I am. And it hit me: That little girl, the one who loved writing, the one who loved stories and had felt seen by this teacher 30 years ago... she's still me. She never left. But somewhere along the way, I think I forgot her a little bit. Tried to fit in. Tried to be what I thought other people wanted me to be. Even tried to dim parts of myself. But going back there brought me right back to her. We said our goodbyes, more happy tears, and a whirlwind of an amazing experience. We went to revisit another special place, my old high school, to see the best art teacher in the world, the new art wing, the new students' work. It felt different. I remember feeling like I didn't quite belong back then. Like I had to change myself or keep up or try to prove something. Looking at the kids now, they seem lighter than I remember feeling. Somehow more in touch with it all. And I hope that's the case. It made me the pressure we feel isn't even real. It's just the story we're telling ourselves. And the teachers, they see it all. They see what makes each kid different, what makes them special. They nurture it, they protect it. And I surmise that most of the time, they have no idea how much of that actually stays with all of us. So here's what this experience gave me: We don't just need to remember those moments. We need to create them. On purpose. Moments that are so real, so grounded, so full of who we actually are, that we can come back to them later. When life gets loud or stressful or remind ourselves: This is me. I want to try something. Probably 20 years ago, I was fortunate enough to teach a group in Brooklyn, New York, not far from these schools, physical fitness. We would always end our practice with a visualization exercise, to end on a really beautiful note. So here's one for today: Close your eyes. Just for a moment, imagine you're back at a place that shaped you. Maybe it's your elementary school. Maybe it's your first job with a great boss. Maybe it's your favorite relative's house. Maybe it's a field or on a stage or in a studio with a paintbrush that dips into your favorite color. You walk in, people know your name. Not for what you've done, not for what you've achieved, but for who you've always been. People who believed in you before you even believed in yourself. And they're just happy you're there. And you're so happy to be there with them. You can feel it in your chest. That warmth, that calmness, that certainty. That's you! That's your core. That's what you can come back to; in this place, in this moment, in this visualization, anytime. For me, it's looking at the paper sign with streamers and 25 signatures that's now hanging on my office wall a thousand miles away from where it was last week. There's one more thing I realized walking out of that school and it's an actionable item. We don't say thank you enough to the people who saw something in us early, before the world got loud, before we started questioning ourselves, before we tried so hard to fit in. To the teachers, Ms. Patricia Meehan, Mr. Keith Gamache, countless others. The ones who stay late, the ones who make things special, who remember our names, our strengths, our quirks. Who shape lives every single most likely aren't reminded often enough how much it all matters to us. If you can, reach out, send a message, say "Thank you!" Tell them, "You made a difference in my life." Most likely it'll mean a lot to them and it'll bring you back to yourself as well. Have a beautiful day.
Summary Experience a heartwarming story time with Jackie Morreale, as she reads her second book, Princess Tessa & The New Look, to a group of elementary school students. This read aloud session is the author's first live reading for a school-age audience, and includes a brief but enthusiastic Q&A at the end with the students. This children's story is meant to celebrate friendship and confidence, and this session encourages students to write down their own stories. So grateful to Palm Beach Schools for hosting this amazing story time during Literacy Week, and for making these books accessible in the school library!
Transcript: Jackie Morreale (00:00) This is my dream come true. First, the dedication for this book. To my daughter, for always knowing how to bring style and people together. And to all the real-life Charlies, our BFFs, who know how to make you smile and feel confident on your first day no matter what. Even if you don't feel anxious or nervous, maybe you're that person who's a best friend, who can help somebody else get through it. And to whoever branded girls' glasses to make my daughter believe they are jewelry for the face, thank you. Let's start. This is written as a poem, so it rhymes, okay? Excited but nervous and almost late, I check my calendar. Today is the date. I'm starting first grade, get up, here we go. Grab my notebook, my backpack, fix my pink hair, just so. I wait for the bus, my daddy says, "Bye". I look out the window, new houses fly by. The bus makes a stop. What's that? Let me see. More children pile on. But who can they be? New faces, new backpacks, new worries. Oh my! The driver keeps going and I just want to cry. What is this new place? It can't be my school. It's big and it's noisy and I don't know the rules. I walk to the classroom, my name's on a line. (Tessa!) I carefully look to see which seat is mine. Rounding the tables, not here, not there. I peek toward the back. Is that the one that I'll share? With loads of new friends, all different than me. Some bigger, some smaller, some seem so ready. "Hello," says a voice, so glittery and fun. "Let's all introduce ourselves and get to know someone." I look beside me and who do I see? A girl with round glasses just like me. "I'm Tessa," I say, and I give her a smile. "I'm Charlie," she answers. "Have you worn yours a while?" "Today's my first day," I admit, feeling shy. "My mom made me wear them. I say, I don't know why. "I've had mine for ages. My mom made me, too. But now the world's clearer. It's how I see you." "Let's be glasses twins!" My new friend likes the idea. "So when we put them on, we'll always know we're near." We got through our first day. Math, reading, gym and art. It's always a little bit easier with a friend beside your heart. When I ride the bus home, I wave as Charlie goes. I know I'll see her very soon. The reminder is on my nose. The End. (Or maybe just the beginning of our BFF adventures.) That is the story of Princess Tessa & the New Look. Thank you so much for reading through it with me and sharing your own first day experiences! Now that we've gone through it, there's a Look & Find at the end. Let me ask you a couple of questions and see who was paying attention. What grade is Tessa starting this year? My gosh, okay you guys are paying attention. Student: First grade. Jackie Morreale: High five. Was everybody going to say first grade? It's right there on the cover. Good job. What friendly animal lives on Tessa's street? Was anyone looking at the drawing? Student: It was a squirrel. Jackie Morreale: You knew that? You were paying attention. Student: I knew that!  Learn more about this and other books in the series at www.princesstessa.com In this heartwarming episode of Wisdom for Wannabes, host Jackie Morreale introduces her daughter Natalia, the youngest guest to grace the show, who has just co-illustrated a new children's book with her, called, 'The Furry Christmas Miracle.' The conversation explores the journey of creativity, entrepreneurship, and the magic of Christmas through storytelling. Natalia shares her experiences and insights as a young illustrator and entrepreneur, emphasizing the importance of family support and the joy of giving during the holiday season. Takeaways: • Natalia is the youngest guest on the show. • The Furry Christmas Miracle is the fourth book in the series. • The book is dedicated to children who believe in magic. • Natalia illustrates and co-writes the book with her mother. • The story emphasizes themes of gratitude and responsibility. • Natalia shares her entrepreneurial journey of selling shells to buy a hamster. • The importance of family support in creative endeavors is highlighted. • The book is available in both storybook and coloring book formats. • The conversation reflects on the joy of giving during Christmas. • Jackie expresses excitement for future stories in the series. Quotes: • "I can make ornaments for sale." • "Natalia is an entrepreneur at heart." • "One more high five for hope." Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Princess Tessa and Luke the Duke Series 01:45 Reading The Furry Christmas Miracle 05:49 The Journey of Responsibility and Giving 07:37 Natalia's Entrepreneurial Spirit and Reflections In this special episode, Jackie Morreale introduces her daughter, Natalia Morreale, who is the talented new co-illustrator for "The Furry Christmas Miracle," a delightful kids book in the Princess Tessa and Luke the Duke series. This picture book is now available in both digital and print formats, perfect for reading. They share insights into the creation of these wonderful children's books, discussing themes like holiday cheer, giving, and making choices. ✨  Jackie Morreale and Natalia Morreale, and hamster, Lorenzo Podcast Transcript: Jackie Morreale (00:00) Hello and welcome to Wisdom for Wannabes. I'm the host, Jackie Morreale. Today, I am welcoming our youngest guest to the show thus far. She has just made her debut as illustrator for a newly published book: Book four in the Princess Tessa & Luc the Duke series, which is called The Furry Christmas Miracle. I am so proud to welcome, my daughter, Natalia Morreale. Welcome to Wisdom for Wannabes, Natalia! Natalia Morreale (00:32) Guys, I'm so happy to be here. This is the fourth book so I want to show off one, two, and three from my mom. Jackie Morreale (00:40) Thank you. Natalia Morreale (00:40) The first book she ever made was Princess Tessa Meets Luc the Duke. The second book she made is Princess Tessa and the New Look. And the third book she made, Princess Tessa & Luc the Duke: Trick or Tiara Halloween Surprise. Jackie Morreale (00:58) Number four, we have Princess Tessa & Luc the Duke: The Furry Christmas Miracle. It's available in both coloring book versions so that you can fill in the pages with your own special colors, pencils, crayons, paint, whatever you like to make it match your own holiday experience. Or you can purchase the book version, which includes our collaborative illustrations, which are on the wall behind us. Do you want to do some story time of our new book? Natalia Morreale (01:26) I would love to. Jackie Morreale (01:45) Okay, let's start. The Furry Christmas Miracle, Book Four in the Princess Tessa & Luc the Duke series, was written by me, Jackie Morreale and illustrated by Jackie Morreale and Natalia Morreale. This book is dedicated to all the children like Natalia, who dream, give, and believe in magic. Merry Christmas to all, especially Nonno Sal and Nonna Maria, all the aunts who spark conversations about Christmas at Thanksgiving dinner, and our cousins who share our love for pets. Page one, Christmas is coming. I feel it everywhere - in the twinkling lights, in the songs in the air, and in the way my heart beats a little faster. Natalia Morreale (02:10) Before Christmas arrives, it's Thanksgiving week. School's out. Our house is busy and full. Jackie Morreale (02:16) Voices and laughter fill every room. The air smells warm and delicious. Nonno hugs me tight. Natalia Morreale (02:23) Nonna kisses my cheek. "Gioia mia," she whispers. My joy, in Italian. Jackie Morreale (02:29) Thanksgiving reminds us to be thankful, but my thoughts drift all the way to the magic of Christmas. While grownups talk and cook, I dream. I dream of something soft, something furry, something sprinkled with fun, a pet hamster that could be my very own. Natalia Morreale (02:48) We talk about gratitude. I'm thankful for my family and for the biggest Christmas wish. Jackie Morreale (02:55) After dessert, my aunt leans close. "What do you want for Christmas, Tessa?" She asks and smiles. Natalia Morreale (03:03) I take it breath. "A pet," I say. My heart thumps loudly. Jackie Morreale (03:08) Mommy and daddy listen carefully. Mommy smiles kindly. Daddy looks concerned. "Maybe next year, Principessa," he says. Natalia Morreale (03:16) "We already have you and baby Luca to take care of," he adds. "Our hearts are too full." My heart sinks. Jackie Morreale (03:24) Later, Mommy and I have a heart-to-heart. "If you can show us how responsible you are," she adds, "we will think about it." Natalia Morreale (03:31) That night Christmas decorations come out, lights sparkle, hope sparkles, too. Jackie Morreale (03:37) Luc the Duke and I place ornaments all over our tree. Daddy lets me decorate the high branches. "Principessa Tessa," he says, "You are the star." Natalia Morreale (03:46) As I hang ornaments, an idea grows. A big idea. Jackie Morreale (03:49) I can make ornaments for sale. If I can make enough for a hamster, that will show them how responsible I am. Natalia Morreale (03:57) Luc the duke and I open our own Santa workshop We press our hands in glitter and paint. High fives forever! Jackie Morreale (04:06) (Yeah!) We use our high five hands to make hearts, stars, and angels. Each sparkly ornament shines with love and remind us that there is always hope. Natalia Morreale (04:17) We set up a little ornament shop right outside our house. One dollar each. Jackie Morreale (04:21) Cars pass, we wait, my stomach flips. Natalia Morreale (04:25) People stop, they smile. they buy our ornaments. Jackie Morreale (04:29) Every dollar feels like progress. I count carefully. Luc claps proudly. Natalia Morreale (04:34) We go to the pet store. I see her. My shy black and white hamster hiding quietly. Jackie Morreale (04:40) A man gently lifts the hamster to show us. Suddenly, splash! She pees right on his hand. Daddy gasps. Mommy laughs. I giggle and think she might be shy, but she's definitely brave. Natalia Morreale (04:54) She hides again, but I know deep inside, she will be a wonderful part of our family. I just need to show I am responsible enough. Jackie Morreale (05:04) That Sunday, Mommy stops at a tree after church. Small handmade ornaments hang from its branches. But different than our high fives, each ornament has a child's wish written on a paper dove. Maybe some kids won't have Christmas gifts this year. I read the notes. My chest feels tight. I imagine how that would feel. I want to help. Natalia Morreale (05:26) I think about our I think about those kids. We make a choice. Jackie Morreale (05:32) "Give the ornament money to grant the children's wishes," I say. It is hard, but it feels right. Natalia Morreale (05:38) Christmas Eve arrives. We prepare milk and cookies. We sing carols and laugh and dream. Jackie Morreale (05:44) I fall asleep peacefully, not hoping, but full of wonder and belief in the magic of Christmas. Natalia Morreale (05:49) Christmas morning comes. Luc the Duke and I bounce excitedly to our tree. Jackie Morreale (05:54) Close to the tree there's a... Look online wherever you buy books to find Princess Tessa & Luc the Duke: The Furry Christmas Miracle to find out what was under the tree. Although we won't tell our listeners what was under the tree in the story, we will give you a sneak peek of Luc the Duke's first POV, a short story at the end of the story, with Luc the Duke's perspective on it all. Natalia Morreale (06:24) May I read it? He sounds like this. Jackie Morreale (06:29) Of course. What does he sound like? Then you have to do it in his voice. Go for it. Natalia Morreale (06:36) I'm Luc the Duke! I crawl, wobble, and explore. Tessa has my big sister. She laughs and dreams. She's always busy. The house smells amazing today. Ham, potatoes, and something sweet. I push my toy car across the floor. Vroom. Tessa giggles. Tessa shows me high five hearts. I clap. I squeal, I bounce. Outside people buy our ornaments. Maybe this will get us a furry friend for Christmas! Christmas morning comes. Tessa runs to the tree. Under it sits... Jackie Morreale (07:21) You'll have to find out when you get your copy of The Furry Christmas Miracle, available on Amazon in coloring book and anywhere where you buy your books online, in storybook for children. Any learnings from this, Natalia, being your first illustrated published book? Natalia Morreale (07:37) I do want to add something. Do you know how Tessa works to get the money for a hamster? When I was little, I wanted a hamster, too. I went to this beach and there was shells everywhere. They were really pretty. I had the idea to collect them and sell them. We collected all the shells, we got home, we washed them really went outside and tried selling them. Not many people came, because no one was really walking and wanting to buy things. We sold them online and then I raised enough money to get my own hamster, Leia. Jackie Morreale (08:10) Exactly. Natalia is an entrepreneur at heart. She's always been a creative and always looking for ways to make people happy. I'm so excited to see where this book debut takes her. Excited to share the Princess Tessa & Luc the Duke stories with the world. Thank you, thank you to those who have purchased the books, read the books, shared the books. Excited to bring stories from our home to your home. We're very grateful for the support and can't wait to make more Princess Tessa & Luc the Duke stories. One more high five for hope. Thank you very much for listening to our story time. Thank a great day. Natalia Morreale (08:49) Bye.
Thank you for watching my first ever author reading, which happened Sunday night, January 11, 2026! Thank you to my family and friends for being there live, and for the room full of published authors from the Women's National Book Association (WNBA) South Florida chapter for being so kind to me and open to my ideas. What an opportunity! What a feeling! I am on cloud nine. Thank you also to Alice’s Teapot Cafe on Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, Florida for setting the tone for the event with so much Alice in Wonderland magic. 📚🪄 Photos and transcript of the speech below. The Story Behind the Stories in Illustrations:
Moments during the Speech:
Jackie's first time author reading in words: The Story behind the Stories (transcript) My name is Jackie Morreale. The correct response to that is, "Hi Jackie." Hi everybody. nice to meet you. I am the author of Princess Tessa and Luc the Duke book series. You've just read, The Furry Christmas Miracle. It still feels a little bit magical to say. These four stories are more than words and pictures on paper. They are the result of a lifelong love of storytelling and a dream many years in the making. I've always wanted to write stories that made people feel something, the way my favorite stories made me feel growing up. When I was in second grade, I had a teacher named Miss Doctor who taught me cursive writing. What began as flowy letters, quickly turned into pages, and stories. One mystery story earned an A++++, written boldly across the top of the paper. in purple ink. That moment stayed with me. It was the first time I felt seen as a writer. Years later for my senior project In high school, I wrote a children's book and hosted a story time. for my favorite teachers. They clapped, my mother even laminated and spiral bound it. and I dreamed of sharing my stories in a bigger way. Despite all of that encouragement, self-doubt found a way to linger. Life carried me into creative design, marketing and business. I learned a great deal, but Writing slowly took a backseat. What I missed most I later realized was storytelling, not for selling, but for meaning. Everything shifted in 2025. I finally faced the truth that writing wasn't just something I enjoyed, it was something I needed to do. I stepped away from comfort, studied new ideas, and committed to creating from the heart rather than worrying about outcomes. The first story in the book series, Princess Tessa Meets Luc the Duke, was originally written during the early years of the pandemic. When my children were little and our world suddenly became very nowhere to go, I wrote. I wrote out of love, out of uncertainty, and out of hope. These stories are my heart. My family is the why. We don't always know "the how". But when we listen closely, to what calls us, everything begins to shift. It's scary. It's exciting. And it's worth it. Thank you to my talented daughter, Natalia Morreale, for helping me illustrate this story that I'm holding. It feels absolutely unreal to share a love of visual storytelling with her. Thank you, dear reader, for being part of this creative journey with me. If I can do it after dreaming about it for 40 plus years, you can too. Find your why! create something magical from your heart.  Author and Illustrator Jackie Morreale, Illustrator Natalia Morreale, and friend, Lawyer Arielle Barreto, with Princess Tessa & Luc the Duke books at Alice's Teapot Cafe in Delray Beach, Florida
 Women's National Book Association (WNBA) South Florida chapter authors who read at Open Mic on January 11, 2026. New Kids Book Launch: Princess Tessa & The New Look - First Glasses, First Grade, and Friendship10/6/2025 Hello, my name is Jackie Morreale, and I am the host of Wisdom for Wannabes, the podcast series that seeks to discover wise words in business, beauty, and betterment. I'm very, very proud to announce the launch of my newest, latest and greatest book, which is called Princess Tessa & The New Look: A Tale of First Glasses, First Grade, and Friendship. It's now available in paperback and ebook on Amazon and soon to be coming to hardcover. Let me put on my new look before I tell more about this particular tale. This tale was inspired by a new pair of glasses. Could anything be scarier on your first day of school than having a new look that means a new pair of glasses right there on your face for everyone to see? Sometimes all you need is the help of a friend to get you through the day. That is just what we found with our character, Princess Tessa, when she met her BFF in this story. This story was illustrated with the help of ink on paper and colored with markers. I would like to talk directly to all my young artists out there: Keep drawing, keep coloring, keep exploring. Very excited to bring back this first day of school poster that we actually used back in the day and revive it with Princess Tessa. So Princess Tessa in this story is six years old. Date in the story is September 2025 now. Her favorite day was when her brother was born. When she grows up, she would like to be a veterinarian. She's very sweet. I'm very excited to bring this character to life with my new book. For those of you who've been following the Princess Tessa saga, I wanted to share an exciting update that Princess Tessa meets Luc the Duke is now available in hardcover. It's great for little fingers. It'll keep longer. It's a great book, a great gift for any big sisters to be, especially if a little brother is on the way. So that one is available anywhere that you buy books online as a hardcover in addition to ebook and paperback, soon to be on Audible as well. Without further ado, I would love to read some excerpts from Princess Tessa & The New Look, which is written in rhyme. Let's see how this goes. Excited but nervous and almost late. I check my calendar, today's the date. I'm starting first grade. Get up. Here we go. Grab my notebook, my backpack. Fix my pink hair just so. I wait for the bus. My daddy says, bye. I look out the window, new houses fly by. The bus makes a stop. What's that? Let me see. More children pile on, but who can they be? New faces, new backpacks, new worries. Oh my! Whe driver keeps going and I just want to cry. What is this new place? It can't be my school. It's big and it's noisy and I don't know the rules. I walk to the classroom, my name's on the line. I carefully look to find which seat is mine. Rounding the tables, not here, not there. I peek toward the back. Is that the one that I'll share? With loads of new friends, all different from me. Some bigger, some smaller, some seem so ready. "Hello," says a voice, so glittery and fun. "Let's all introduce ourselves and get to know someone." I look beside me and who do I see? A girl with round glasses, just like me... If you'd like to explore more from Princess Tessa & The New Look, pick yours up today and you can see how this story concludes. This book is dedicated to my daughter, for always knowing how to bring style and people together. It is also dedicated to all our BFFs, who know how to make you smile and feel confident on your first day, no matter what. And to whoever branded girls' glasses to make my daughter believe that they are jewelry for the face, thank you very much for making life easy. Thank you all for reading my stories. I really appreciate it. I hope it brings you together with the little ones in your life! Have a wonderful day.
Hi there, my name is Jackie Morreale and I'm the host of Wisdom for Wannabes, a new podcast series that seeks to discover wise words in business, beauty, and betterment. Today I am tuning in to share a very exciting update: I recently fulfilled my dream of becoming an author, illustrator of children's books with the new title called, Princess Tessa meets Luc the Duke: A Tale of Sisterly Love for a New Baby Brother. The book is 40 pages. It is appropriate for children ages four through eight. It is based on real life adventures, a little bit of creative license. I'm so excited to start this literary journey through Princess Tessa and all her sassiness and her adventures with her little brother and how her life completely changed that day that she no longer was the only princess in her castle. For anybody who's interested in the art making process, I used ink on paper. I used these wonderful markers right here. I encourage anybody who loves to draw to pick up some markers and see where it takes you. This story has been on my mind for many years. I can't wait to keep Tessa's adventure coming. But for now, let's read the tale of Princess Tessa Meets Luc the Duke: A Tale of Sisterly Love for a New Baby Brother, written and illustrated by Jackie Morreale. I can't believe I just said that. I'm so excited! Turning the page. The dedication is to my children who inspire me every day, wishing you a lifetime of adventures together. And to my brother Kevin and his growing family, especially big sister Quinn and the new baby. I'm going to read in Tessa's voice. Let's see how this goes. Hi, my name is Tessa. I'm five years old. I just started kindergarten. I love my teacher. I love my family. I also love fashion. My school is so big it has seven playgrounds. Plus, my bus driver is so grand her name is Ms. Grande. I love my Girl Scout troop. Math is pretty cool, and all my besties live right on my block. I like music and movies. (Please tell my mom I need a cell phone like the big girls.) Yep, my life is super busy. The best part? My dad calls me his "principessa". That means "princess" in Italian. The pink crown above my bed proves it. There's the crown. I was picking out my school outfit for the next day after a sweet strawberry scented bath. (For us fashionistas, it was a metallic gold skirt over pink printed leggings with a gray tee that had a bedazzled heart.) When my parents both entered my bedroom with the look. And the sit. I knew something was up. Was I in trouble? How could this face be in trouble? Or was it a surprise? I'd been asking for a puppy for ages. Lately I was even negotiating for a hamster. Could that be it? Yay, I'd name her Lucy and I'd take care of her every day and be the happiest girl in New Jersey. "Tessa, we want to tell you something," my dad said. "Come sit with us." "Okay, Daddy," I said, curious. I went to sit on my rocker with Dad while Mom sat nearby on the bed. "We have some exciting news," my mom said. I gulped. "We are going to have a new member of the family soon," she said with a smile. "Is it a puppy? Can we name her Lucy?" I blurted out. I could not believe this was happening. Finally! Dad tried not to laugh. "Ah, not right now." "How about a hamster?" I asked. "Not exactly," said Mom. "A goldfish?" "Well, no," Dad said. "You're going to have a baby brother soon!" What? The shock, the horror, a baby? Big surprise: Parents, one. Princess Tessa, zero. "Well, what do you think?" Dad asked. What can you think when your world is instantly turned upside down? A brother, oh brother. "What's going to happen to all my stuff?" I asked. Everything I have is so high fashion, a brother does not fit my style. A baby? So four years ago. What else would I have to share? Mom laughed. "Nothing will happen to your stuff. In fact, a baby means more stuff. We'll be preparing the room next to yours for him. That will be the nursery." There goes my playroom. "Fine," I said with a pout. "But why can't it be a girl? You can even borrow my good luck name, Lucy." "That's not really how it works," Mom said with a laugh. "A baby is a gift from God. You and he will have a lifetime of adventures. You'll always have a friend at your side and someone to have your back." "I guess that doesn't sound too bad," I said. "And about the name," Mom added, "funny you should say that." She winked. But I couldn't stop thinking about the doom of it all. Diapers, noise, a brother who might smell like the boy in my class who tooted during Twister. Ugh, boys smell... weird. The next day at school, I couldn't stop thinking about my problem. I may have been thinking about it when my teacher asked me to draw a heart on the board, my favorite shape, and I drew bunny ears instead. Behind someone's head in their school picture. When the librarian asked me a question, I answered in duck quacks. I even fell off my chair during science while applying slime to my toes. All I can say is he'd better like purple, and I'm not sharing my stuff. Or Daddy. The dreaded day came before I knew it. Mommy had to rush to the hospital with Daddy and Grandma came to stay with me. "What is he waiting for?" I said, "Just be born already." Grandma took my hand as we walked in. "All in good time, Tessa," Grandma said. "Now are you ready to make some cookies?" Grandma always knew what to say. Finally, we went to the hospital for The Meeting. What if he was a baby monster instead of a baby brother? That would make a great story for school, alright. Grandma took my hand as we walked in. Be brave, Tessa, I told myself. This is a royal moment. Of course, I made sure to arrive in pink scrubs with Princess Tessa embroidered over the front pocket. Dr. Princess in training. The room was full of light blue boxes and balloons. Everything felt strange. Then I saw Daddy next to Mommy. She was holding something small, wrapped tight like another blue package, and she was smiling at it. Then she looked up and smiled at me. He couldn't be that bad if my mom and dad were this happy, right? "Principessa mia, come meet your baby brother," said Daddy. I walked over slowly, slower than a sloth... And if you would like to meet Luc the Duke yourself, go on Amazon or wherever you find your eBooks, paperback, and soon to be in hardcover. It's the perfect gift for any little princess becoming a big sister. Have a great day! Keep on reading!
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Jackie MorrealeJackie writes from her own experiences and reflections on her journey in seeking wisdom, creativity, spirituality, and life in general. This is "putting thyself out there" at its finest. 
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