The holiday season can swirl with excitement and expectation. Yet little hearts sometimes struggle to slow down enough to find joy in the moment—while also noticing and appreciating the differences in those around them, lessons that last all year long. 
Amid the lights, laughter, and holiday hustle and bustle, kids are often reminded that kindness and connection are gifts they can share with themselves and everyone around them. 
And so two conscious KidLit creators are guiding children on a journey this holiday season where imagination meets understanding, showing how curiosity can transform everyday moments into something truly meaningful. 
We cordially invite you and your little ones to join David Newell (who played the beloved Mr. McFeely on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood), along with our John Masiulionis, for Episode #56 of PR From The Heart’s Neighborly Reviews Bookcast, as they share Tony Bethel’s The Great Zebra Debate (published by Miriam Laundry) and Mary Ann Redmond’s Boopable! (published by AuthorHouse). 
As part of this special edition of The Neighborly Reviews Bookcast from Point Park University’s Center for Media Innovation in downtown Pittsburgh, Tony joins John and David to share how his work in child and developmental psychology—and a Kenyan safari—sparked The Great Zebra Debate, the power of parents, caregivers, and educators to initiate healthy conversations with kids about bullying and celebrating differences, the urgent need for nonviolent communication and problem-solving amidst the challenges our world is facing—and much more. 
Plus, Mary Ann sits down with John and David in-studio to share how years of performing and connecting with audiences shaped her approach to creating her award-winning book—why the smallest, most intentional acts of love often leave the deepest imprint, how parents can turn everyday moments with their children into lasting memories, and more.
Join us in supporting Tony and Mary Ann by getting your copies of The Great Zebra Debate and Boopable—and enjoy these empowering reads with your little ones:
The Great Zebra Debate: https://bit.ly/4p3jO4c
Boopable: https://bit.ly/3MJCqIW
The Great Zebra Debate 
Text copyright © 2025 by Tony Bethel • Illustrations copyright © 2025 by Peter Kavanagh. Used with permission. Published by Miriam Laundry. All rights reserved.
