Hug while i'm away book military aafd

A Hug While I’m Away Military Edition - African American Father & Daughter Copyright © 2013 by Karen Alexander Illustrated by: Sheneka Jackson-Kinsey Cover by: Karen Alexander

A special thanks to our child model: Zyona Dashara Kinsey-McNabb

A Hug While I’m Away book, characters and images © 2013 by Karen Alexander.

Olivia the Octopus is an original Auntie Karen Inc character, ©2002 Auntie Karen Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval without permission in writing from the author.

Olivia the Octopus is an international jazz singing Octopus diva. She is the leader of The Auntie Karen Ocean Band and the host of The Auntie Karen’s Place TV show. Her mission is to bring joy to the world by giving hugs.

www.auntiekareninc.com www.auntiekaren.org Email: karen.alexander@auntiekaren.org Auntie Karen, Inc. ML Graham Publishing Printed in U.S.A ISBN-13: 978-0-9897261-0-8 ISBN-10:098972610X

The time has come my dear sweet child, when I must go away.

I’ll miss your sweet smile, your joyful laugh and watching you while you play.

So, while I’m gone, I give to you my friend, Olivia the Octopus, for you to hug each day.

This hug is my gift to let you know, just how much I love you so!

A gift to give you comfort, when I know that I must go.

Every time you hug Olivia, I want you to think of me.

So, close your eyes and give a hug.

It’s my face you will see.

Love You! Miss You! See You Soon!

Directions: Parent(s): Make copies of the hug log onto cardstock. Copy and cut one for each week you will be away.

Child: When you give Olivia the Octopus a hug, mark it on this hug log. Select your mood and mark it on the hug log. Place the hug log in the log pouch in the back of The Olivia Gave A Hug book.

Copyright Š 2013 by Karen Alexander

About The Author Karen Alexander left an eleven year corporate position with Xerox Corporation to pursue her passion to educate utilizing the arts. Prior to working for Xerox, she spent six years as a first grade teacher at James B. Edwards Elementary School in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.

Entertainment and the arts has always been a part of her life! As a child, she sang often in the church with her family in her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina.

Karen is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, where she was an active member of the school’s pop singing group, Carolina Alive. As her performances shifted into the professional arena, she has toured the United States, Europe and South America. Her audiences have greeted her enthusiastically in places as diverse as Greece, Romania, Brazil and Jamaica. In August of 1995, Karen organized the Contemporary Jazz and R&B Band Straight Ahead.

Her vision is to use the arts to educate and empower children across the globe.

In 2001, she founded The Auntie Karen organization. Auntie Karen Inc. is an educational entertainment company. They create educational products such as Olivia the Octopus. The Auntie Karen Foundation is a global, 501 c 3 charitable corporation certified by the State of South Carolina. The foundation’s mission is to create and implement a community outreach programs designed to empower, enlighten and educate through the arts.

About The Illustrator Sheneka Latrell Jackson-Kinsey is a 2013 Benedict College graduate. She is a multimedia artist with work varying from Conte’s to water base, oils, or paints to charcoal and graphite. Sheneka was raised in Winnsboro, South Carolina.

She discovered her talent for art while visiting her Grandfather. There she created a drawing on her Grandfather’s living room door. Ms. Kinsey has won many awards for her creativity and drawing style, both in elementary and high school. Her long-term goal is to be able to give a voice to paper, clay, printmaking, linoleum, etc.

Sheneka is an Auntie Karen Foundation Young Entrepreneur.

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