Hal Price, Santa Barbara author of the bestselling children’s book The Adventures of Eli Benjamin Bear: A Heart’s Journey Home, was recognized at the 7th Annual Expert Insights in Publishing (EIPPY) Book Awards Conference in Manzanillo, Mexico.
Price won the Mindfulness Award for his work with the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation and literacy projects in elementary schools in his home state of South Carolina.
The Adventures of Eli Benjamin Bear helps children learn to deal with hardships, life’s challenges and how to listen to the powerfully revealing messages of their Heroic Hearts.
“In this children’s tale in verse, a young bear has a heart operation and must find his way home to hibernate before winter sets in … A book that introduces kids to inner-wisdom concepts in an unusual, entertaining and warmhearted manner,” reports Kirkus Reviews.
Released in September, the book became an international bestselling children’s book on Kindle Direct in four English-speaking countries.
The Mindfulness Award is given annually to an international author whose book supports higher causes and promotes greater awareness for a special cause.
A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of Price’s book benefits Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation in meeting its mission to empower families dealing with pediatric cancer in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties with financial, educational and emotional support.
The book also is being used as a curriculum test program in elementary schools around the U.S. It is currently used to teach SEL (social-emotional learning) through learning laboratories in targeted school districts in South Carolina.
“Over the past 10 years, we have helped over 1,500 authors achieve bestsellers, and EIPPY is proud to have helped Hal launch all seven of his books through our platform,” said Viki Winterton, founder/publisher of EIPPY and presenter of the award.
“He has written the quintessential family storybook and via his first children’s book The Adventures of Eli Benjamin Bear: A Heart’s Journey Home, he has won the hearts of thousands in this instant family classic,” Winterton said.
Price launched his book at the Alcazar Theater in Carpinteria on Sept. 9, with a Carpinteria Pajama-Rama Bedtime Story Benefit for Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation and the Forrest Strong Campaign.
His books can be found s at Sacred Space in Summerland, and in Carpinteria at Bon Fortune Specialty Shop and Seascape Shop on Linden Avenue.
Price has served as the vice chairman of the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation’s Annual Gold Ribbon fundraising luncheon; as a member of the Carpinteria Writer’s Group; ambassador for Carpinteria Chamber of Commerce; and as a volunteer for The Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center.
For more about Price and illustrator Michael Bayouth, visit https://www.elibearstories.com/about-hal-and-michael/.
Information on the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation is at https://www.teddybearcancerfoundation.org.
— Hal Price.