The Newest Flower

Author Juliese Y. Padgett, adopted in 2008 from Guangzhou, China, has written her first children’s book The Newest Flower to encourage all children to respect the differences in each other. In her free time, Juliese loves reading, playing school, and taking both ballet and violin lessons. Currently, this young author resides in Maine with her parents, two older brothers, and a younger sister, who was adopted from the Shandong province of China in 2011.

Illustrator Remko Killaars lives in the Netherlands where he studied product design. After working in the fields of graphic and interior design as well as product-development, he became a lecturer at Fontys University of Applied Sciences, focusing on photography, sketching, drawing, creativity, and design. Remko is a father to a daughter and two sons. In 2012, he and his wife Suzanne adopted their youngest son from the Shandong province of China.

Editor Jennifer Padgett has been in the field of literacy education for over twenty years, teaching all grade levels. She has published articles in both The Old Schoolhouse and Adoption Today. Jennifer is passionate about adoption and loves working with dyslexic children. Helping her daughter write this children’s book and also collaborating with such a talented illustrator has been such a rewarding adventure and a true blessing!

All sales from this book will go towards Holt International to benefit orphans worldwide.