An Inspirational Collection of 30 Short Stories (or a short non-fiction novel) Written & Illustrated by Marilyn Zapp. UNDERSTANDING ANIMALS is the second installment of an autobiographical trilogy revealing the long, unique and unorthodox life of artist, Marilyn Zapp ("M. Zapp"). She explains: I write a eulogy of many animals who taught me much wisdom and understanding. This journal evolved surprising me with an unexpected self-discovery, illumination or epiphany. I illustrated this piece because "a picture is worth a thousand words." The first book, THE FAMILY SERIES, depicts a mother's heart and records the art work (of the many prints) circulated worldwide, while raising three children who inspired them. The third concluding autobiographical novel now in process, ROOM FOR A ROOMMATE, insists that we have a spiritual, mental and physical connection to all those good and bad people who were in our lives. It is illustrated with the paintings executed during each interrelationship throughout this journey. - - UNDERSTANDING ANIMALS Written & Illustrated by Marilyn Zapp. Prepared for Publication by Joshua Free Trade Paperback First Edition made possible by a grant from: The Puffin Foundation Ltd. - - To contact Marilyn Zapp, email: [email protected] (re: subject "books")

A mother... An artist... A publisher of human emotion... The art of M. Zapp (Marilyn Zapp) has been seen internationally acclaimed on prints and greeting cards. For the first time together, an autobiographical anthology of 40 FULL-COLOR art prints by "M. Zapp," expressing her love and experience as a mother. This current anthology collection of her art work is representative of the first project of this genre, which she completed as a mother, producing a series of over three dozen different original art prints, which sold out the first run of 1500 copies each in less than a year. This specific cycle of material she calls -- "The Family Series" -- reflecting a unifying theme expressing the joy and love of family life and raising children amazingly illustrated in her own famously unique style. She explains: "After my first born, Mark, was born, I created the first piece for The Family Series, 'Mother's Love', in my forties, I had three children a year apart. My time was now occupied marveling, inspired and caring. I had no relatives to share my beautiful children or my strong feelings and emotions of being a parent, so the artist within me shared them with you. I was a mother, an artist, and the publisher of the feelings I needed to share. These art pieces also served as a biography of my life and my love as a mother - the feelings of joy, anxieties and emotions. So, I became a publisher of the feelings I needed to share and over the years many mothers, and even fathers, have understood my work." "For the first time in a collection together, many of these prints are still owned by numerous people worldwide who have identified and collected my work. My son, Mark, modeled for 'Jesus and the Lamb' and then cut his hair and shaved so that he would not be recognized as the model. My daughter, Lea, poised as the Virgin Mary for me. This book includes some, but not all, of the work I have done on this quest, that ended with my models and the youngest daughter, Erika's, teen experiences."