Through simple prose and vivid illustrations, this heartwarming book encourages positive behavior as children see how rewarding it is to express daily kindness, appreciation, and love. Bucket filling and dipping are effective metaphors for understanding the effects of our actions and words on the well being of others and ourselves.
Since her first book, Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids, was published in 2006, Carol McCloud, a.k.a. the "Bucket Lady", has given 1,000 presentations and personally motivated nearly a quarter million individuals to become daily bucket fillers. She specializes in conference keynotes and professional development seminars.
A graduate of Oakland University's School of Education and Human Services, Carol has spent 30 years in education as a teacher, trainer, counselor, youth mentor, and early education director. As Adjunct Professor for the Florida Keys Community College in the 1990's, Carol taught early childhood development classes and served as president of the local NAEYC affiliate.
Carol is an award-winning author, Talent Smart® Emotional Intelligence Certified Trainer, and member of the National Speakers Association (NSA), the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).
Her passion for bucket filling, energetic style, and creative storytelling is true to her goal: to inspire each person to make a choice to be a bucket filler in their daily walk.
Her books include:
1) Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids (Ages 4-9) Published in 2006 and available in hard and soft cover, this best-selling, award-winning, 32-page picture book has become a basic teaching tool that encourages positive behavior as children see how very easy and rewarding it is to express kindness, appreciation, and love on a daily basis. It is a top seller on Amazon.com and is circulated in thousands of schools around the globe in English, Japanese, Turkish, Korean, Braille, Spanish, and French.
2) Fill a Bucket: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Young Children (Ages Birth - 7) Published in 2008 and available in hard and soft cover, this award-winning prequel to Have You Filled a Bucket Today? is the perfect gift for anyone with little ones they love. Co-authored by Katherine Martin, M.A., it is circulated around the globe in English and Japanese.
3) Growing Up with a Bucket Full of Happiness: Three Rules for a Happier Life (Ages 9 and Older) Published in 2010, this award-winning sequel to Have You Filled a Bucket Today? features easy-to-read chapters, colorful illustrations, and daily questions to help readers become better bucket fillers and give them the tools they need to live a life filled with happiness.
4) My Bucketfilling Journal: 30 Days to a Happier Life (Ages 9 and Older) Published in 2011, this award-winning, helpful companion to the book, Growing Up with a Bucket Full of Happiness, is a journal designed to put bucketfilling knowledge into action and create a happier life for its reader.
5) Will You Fill My Bucket? Daily Acts of Love Around the World (Parents and Ages Birth - 9) Published in 2012 and available in hard and soft cover, this award-winning book has sweet rhyming prose, repetition, and vividly captivating illustrations that delight the senses and express the deep joy and love we hope for all children. Co-authored by Karen Wells, it is circulated around the globe in English and Japanese.
6) Bucket Filling from A to Z: The Key to Being Happy (Ages 4 - 9) To be released in July 2013 and co-authored by Caryn Butzke, this 32-page picture book uses the letters of the alphabet to help young and old see the many, simple ways that they can fill buckets and fill their own buckets in return.
Carol lives in Brighton, Michigan and Venice, Florida. For more information, visit www.bucketfillers101.com.
