San Diego, California is known for its sun, and the rain never stays here very long. There are lots of things to do and see when you are in San Diego, and sometimes the simpler things turn out to be the best things of all. These are the things photographer John D. Weigand and award winning author, attorney and former teacher, Penelope Dyan want to share with their young readers, because this is their hometown and these are the things they like to do when they are tired of seeing and doing all the really big things, and fater all, sometimes the best things in life really are free Flying a kite, or just watching one float through the air can be as much a delight as spending a ton of money at an amusement park. No, that doesn't mean you should skip Seaworld or the zoo or any of the other BIG attractions of San Diego, it just means that in San Diego if you look in the right places, you will fnd a feast for your eyes and senses. So look through the eyes of a child, and use the senses of a child and see what you see as you see what Dyan and Weigand wanted to share with you about their hometown. Also look for the music video tat goes along with this book on the Bellissimavideo YouTube Channel. and see even more

When you get to Lisbon, Portugal, the first thing you notice is all the color and contrast. It is as though there is a pallet of color set before your eyes like a fine old painting. Award winning author, attorney and former teacher, Penelope Dyan, was struck with this concept. More important even than the museums was the color that seemed to pop out at her; and she felt that this was not only what a child would notice, but it was also a perfect opportunity to show them the art of the streets where they could call out the colors gleefully. Dyan believes a place is always more about what you see with your eyes and feel in your heart. A place can tell you about the people in the way even the simple streets present themselves. This is not to say that visiting a museum is not something unimportant, and our travelers do show you some of those. It is simply that you need to see through the eyes of your child, and try to see what they see and then build upon that--everything you do and every place you go can be a new, wonderful lesson--and you don t even have to work very hard to teach that lesson if you tune into a few key things, things to make a kid think and create and become excited about what it means to learn This book is not filled with boring facts. This book is filled with purpose as are all the Dyan/Weigand travel books---purpose and fun

At Lake Tahoe, California the landscape changes along with the beauty of nature. This is a fun place to hike, bike or simply take a walk. You can drive from place to place and explore all on your own. There are bridges to cross, waterfalls to see, and the largest alpine lake in the United States, Lake Tahoe in Emerald Bay State Park, a California state park preserving Lake Tahoe's Emerald Bay, a National Natural Landmark When you go to this place, there is more than anyone could ever put into any single book. This is why award winning author, attorney and former teacher, Penelope Dyan, and photographer John D. Weigand NEVER show everything there is to see in their travel guides for kids. Dyan believes imagination and adventure go together, and so these books look through the eyes of a child and see what a child sees--NO spoon-fed facts here These books have very large print that a child can see the words easily as little eyes begin to read. The repetition, rhyme and humor all contribute to the process of learning. This is a book a child can make his or her own. Older children should write in the margins, take notes on what they see, and also insert their own photographs and drawings. No, there aren't any envelopes or flaps to stuff; and there are no "fill in the blanks." This would destroy the book's purpose. The purpose is to learn to think.

Pisa, Italy is a surprising place, full of music and fun. You can climb to the top of the leaning tower of Pisa, or you can take a picture alongside of it pretending you are holding it up and that you are keeping it from falling There are colorful shops and restaurants, Italian cookies and gelato and much more. Use this book as a starting point. This book is meant to inspire children, to fill the book with their very own thoughts, to insert their own photographs, to create their very own books, to write in the margins of this book John D. Weigand s photography and the simple poetry of Penelope Dyan, award winning author, attorney and former teacher, are put together for this special purpose. So whether you are traveling vicariously though the pages of this book, or whether you are taking this book along with you on your very own trip to Pisa, Italy, please remember its purpose. Again, what is that purpose? The purpose of this book is to inspire learning and exploration and creativity, to fill in all the blank spaces in the places in your mind. Use the book to guide you. Watch the sun dance on the tower and dance on the walls of the street. Feel it. Become Italian and feel the beauty and the joy of this place called Pisa, Italy. Each of these books is different and is meant to teach young children learning concepts, to guess what is coming next in the rhyme and to point out something new and exciting. reading These are picture books for young children that teach a new thought. And they are meant to draw the young early reader into a new and exciting place. They are meant to be family enjoyed. Penelope Dyan.

When you are two all the world is a grand, grand place; and today is a big day for the two year old in this book, because it is her birthday Now she knows she won't always be two, and she most doesn't consider herself a terrible two.. And soon, as she will see, she will be three, four and five. However, today she is two and that is bigger than one. Let your child know he or she is growing up, and enjoy every bit of your child as he or she grows into first a kid, then a tween and finally a teen, before growing into adulthood. "Today I am Two, I Am Two Years Old Today," is a book your child can save and cherish. Filled with the wonderful poetry of Penelope Dyan, and illustrations that are mean to inspire and encourage the imagination, this award winning and honored writer and poet brings home the fun in this great little book that even teaches a little math Even if you aren't two, it is fun to read this book and remember when you were young enough to run around in your underwear, to bark like a dog, and to run through the sprinklers in your front yard Enjoy everything. Enjoy it all. Enjoy life. Become two again. Remember when. . . It is always okay to be sentimental, because that is what being human means. It means it is okay to stop and smell the roses, to enjoy a balloon and to eat too much birthday cake Every day is great when you are two

Rome! Magnificent Rome! From the lights of Rome at night to its busy days, there is excitement and magic in the air! There is truly no place quite like Rome. So take a walk through history as you and your child uncover the old Rome and marvel at the splendor of today's Rome. Tour the Colosseum and hear the tales of the games played there. Imagine you are a citizen of old Rome and see how exciting and modern these old Romans really were! Enjoy the photography of John D. Weigand and the poetry of Penelope Dyan as you trace their footsteps through time and marvel at all the glory of the Vatican. Climb the Spanish steps and toss a coin in the Trevi Fountain and make a wish. And remember as you smile and laugh with your child as they are introduced to Rome, that there is truly no place like home, unless you're in Rome; and add this book to your Bellissima travel books for kids that look simply great on your coffee table!

Paris is a fun place for kids if you know where to look. And our photographer and writer certainly do know where to look for things kids will really like to see. After all, it is all in the presentation So whether you want to travel vicariously though Paris or prepare for a trip, this is the book for you. Enjoy the photographs of John D, Weigand and the poetry of Penelope Dyan and see Paris through their eyes and camera lens. John D. Weigand is an experienced television engineer and an accomplished photographer who has teamed his skills with Penelope Dyan to create several wonderful books, all of which you and your child are certain to enjoy, books meant for kids that look great on your coffee table. Penelope Dyan is a former K-12 teacher, published in The Kindergartner, as well as in Instructor Magazine and in Humpty Dumpty children s magazine. Dyan is the author of Surfer Girl. Surfer Girl was the winner of best teen book at both the 2008 New York Book Festival and the 2008 Hollywood Book Festival and is recognized by Girls Voices In Literature Database, Miami University, Florida. Dyan and Weigand are also the co-creators of The Comeback Kids Book Series and the Animal Rescue Series, also published by Bellissima Publishing, LLC. Two of Dyan's books (poetry-stories for children in verse) are on diplay and are a part of the Saison Poetry Library in London, UK, chosen by the UK Arts Council. Two of her other books are listed on the top ten AU Pukeke reading list. And her book "There's an Alligator In My Closet" is number five on the National Kindercare recommended reading list. There is a music video on YouTube on the Bellissimavideo channel devoted to Paris, and an entire web show for kids that includes an entire travelogue of this city at www.stop4fun.org that add to the overall learning experience.