Making Changes on the Fly

I’d been flying all my life and never grasped why you’d want to be anywhere other than the sky.

One bright morning, a fly soars through the sky, basking in the glorious feeling of freedom. As much as he loves the sky--unable to imagine living anywhere else--he doesn’t always fit in, questioning if he belongs there at all. When he gets injured and falls down, down, down, all the way to the ground, he meets a whole new cast of insects, from an ant to a spider to a grasshopper and everything in between. At first, he panics, surrounded by unfamiliar insects and unsure how to return to the sky, but with a helping hand--or antenna--from his new friends, he learns that he isn’t alone. What he needs more than anything, even more than flying, is a garden full of friends who will teach him about the beauty of the world every day. What he thought was a disaster turns out to be a gift in the form of kindness.

The first in a series encouraging children to understand and celebrate differences, webugs: Making Changes on the Fly explores the importance of inclusion and acceptance. The fly goes from feeling like an outsider to being part of a family, all because he was welcomed by a new community. Written by accomplished educators and with poignant discussion questions, Making Changes on the Fly is the perfect tool for teaching children the value of compassion.

Kirsten Currie is a full-time mother and educator of fifth-grade students. Full of creativity, Kirsten loves any project that unites her passions for literacy and art. As an author and the illustrator of Making Changes on the Fly, she has relished the opportunity to create a book that whimsically transports children to a place where kindness toward and care for one another are paramount. Kirsten believes that everyone is worthy of experiencing joy.

Shannon Shute is a full-time mother and school psychologist. Like Kirsten, she has cherished this opportunity to apply her love of writing and creative pursuits to publishing a children’s book. This book is the first in a series that aims to encourage children to explore and celebrate the individual differences inherent in our own communities. Shannon believes that every child deserves to be understood and appreciated for who they are and who they want to be.