The Power of Reading to Your Children during COVID-19

BUFFACLO, N.Y. (WKBW), May 4,2020 Hal Price’s The Bear Essentials was featured during ABC affiliate WKBW in Buffalo, N.Y..

During this pandemic, reading children’s books to your child can be incredibly important.

“Children’s books provide healing even more than things we typically think heal ourselves in the process,” said Jonathan Masiulionis, President of Empowered Publicity.

When a parent and child are constantly reading together, it develops a relationship through the books that can lead to a discussion about the seriousness of the world in a way they can understand, leading to a stronger relationship.

“If you’re able to share something in a way that they can understand, there’s not going to be a lot of fears or doubts or insecurities,” Masiulionis said. “And even if they do come up, parents can have conversations with little ones to let them know it will all be okay.”

New Children’s Bear Book, “The Bear Essentials” Shows the Magic of a Father’s Love (Ages Pre-K to Third Grade)

CARPINTERIA, Calif., Sept. 6, 2019 – “The Bear Essentials” inspires children (Pre-K through Grade 3) with the heart-warming tale of a young bear learning the magic of a father’s love and the power of the heart.“This is the perfect bedtime story book for fathers to read to kids,” said author Hal Price, winner of 2018 “Mindfulness” Award and 8-time Best-Selling International Author. Full color illustrations from Michael Bayouth, a former Walt Disney Illustrator and award-winning filmmaker and Storyboard artist for the motion picture industry bring this rhyming story to life.

Book Overview

“The Bear Essentials” is the heart-warming tale of a young bear learning the magic of a father’s love. Eli Benjamin Bear is very upset that his father must go out of town on business and fears his father doesn’t love him. But Eli’s father cares very much, and shares the “Secret Code of Life” that his own father gave to him many years ago. Eli’s dad reads the secret “Bear Essentials” scroll as a bedtime story to Eli and changes not only the relationship between father and son, but Eli’s interaction with his own heart.

Readers will delight in the poetic wisdom passed down from a grandfather’s secret scroll to help Eli Benjamin Bear understand both his father and his own heart. Everyone is invited to share this tale with the “little bear(s)” they love each night!

How kids will benefit

Children will see and hear a beautiful bedtime story that will stay within their hearts forever. This story is designed to create a bridge between parents and their children while offering children a powerful but simple message about how to be true to themselves and their feelings. The tale will teach them to listen to the love and wisdom of their heart’s inner guidance.

Parent’s Benefits

This book presents a wonderful opportunity for parents to build trust, deeper loving connections, and a truly heart-felt dialogue between themselves and their children.

The story aids social-emotional learning and talks about the power of passing down valuable insight, wisdom and guidance from generation to generation. It opens the door for many discussions at a young age that will be even more appreciated in later developmental years.

The “Bear Essentials” tale was developed into a children’s book following the many requests that Hal received from parents, teachers and hospital patients after public readings of his 2018 The Adventures of Eli Benjamin Bear book.

This beautifully illustrated book makes a perfect gift, especially from children to fathers or fathers to children. (Father’s Day, Grandparents Day, Father’s Birthdays, etc.)

Launch Event

Author Hal Price will host a “Pajama-Rama Bedtime Story Benefit” on Sunday, September 8, 2019 from Noon – 2 p.m. at the Alcazar Theater, 4916 Carpinteria Avenue, Carpinteria, CA 03013. Read more about the Launch event here.

2nd Annual Pajama Rama Bedtime Stories

CARPINTERIA, Calif., Sept. 8, 2019 at 12pm to 2pm– This FREE event invites families including grandparents and parents to come with their children in their pajamas and bring your favorite teddy bears to hear brand new stories from both Carp Locals Hal Price and Michael Bayouth, as they share the debut of their brand new 32 page for color children’s book called, “The Bear Essentials”.

The event will also include one of a kind raffle items that signed by both Hal and Michael including authors proof books, Autographed artwork, a free teddy bear and book and many more valuable prizes. There will be readings from the new book plus slideshows with music, Instamatic photos with our star (Eli Benjamin Bear) and maybe even a little dancing in the aisles.

Remember to come early. This is a free event sure to fill up very quickly. Please share this message with your friends who have young ones. We look forward to seeing you there.

“When I’m moving in nature, I’m feeling the flow of life.”- Hal Price

July 17, 2019 – Watch and listen to iCreateDailyPodcast interview with Hal Price, where Devani Alderson learns about Hal as a storyteller of “Heroic Heart Stories” on a mission to help children stay in touch with their special and creative selves.

Hal Price’s “Heroic Heart Series” brings together Hal’s childhood, his passion to spread more love in the world and his interest in writing and telling stories through his beautifully illustrated children’s books featuring a talking bear named, Eli.

Hal is the father of three purpose-driven children, a grandfather of two adorable little red-headed angels, and when he is not writing or speaking, he can be found walking and photographing the beach, salt marsh, and mountains of his new home in Carpentaria, California.
Topics Discussed:

• Hal’s wake up call
• How Hal’s mom influenced his life
• Discovery through identity crises
• The importance of story
• The idea of Eli the Bear story
• Hal’s writing habit
• Nature walks for creativity
• How Hal is manufacturing the bears
• Collaborating with other creators
• School systems using his book
• The Bear Essentials of Life

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month

June 19, 2019 – International Bestselling author, Hal Price, returned to the Carroll Campbell Place in Lexington, SC on June 17, 2019 to show his appreciation to the staff there. They had provided exemplary care to his mother in 2012.

Their care was so memorable that he was inspired to write a children’s book about the importance of compassionate care in the hospital for people of all ages and challenges. His mother, Ruth Price, had been diagnosed with dementia in 2001 which became Alzheimer’s by 2011.

Hal wrote a book, “The Adventures of Eli Benjamin Bear: A Heart’s Journey Home” to honor his mother’s storytelling over his developmental years. The book is written in rhyme because rhyming helps the brain according to the Life Enrichment Coordinator, Kim Carpenter at Carrroll Campbell Place and other leading researchers.

When the book was originally released in September 2018, Hal stopped by the center to give the staff members copies of the book and they have been reading the stories regularly to their residents ever since.

Ms. Carpenter recently told Hal in her video testimonial about the book’s impact that patients love the stories and often repeat the phrases in rhyme.

More information can be found at elibearstories.com.

 Contact: Hal Price, 678-575-4688 or Veronica Primus, 803-719-1871

Local Author’s Children’s Book Helps Support Charity

May 13, 2019 – A local author’s series of children’s books keeps finding new ways of supporting Santa Barbara’s Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation, most recently in a series of personalized videos that people can send to loved ones on special occasions.

Launched Friday morning with a half-price discount for Mother’s Day, the videos feature greetings from the protagonist of Carpinteria resident Hal Price’s books, who is most fittingly, a teddy bear.

“The Adventures of Eli Benjamin Bear: A Heart’s Journey Home” tells the story of the eponymous bear, who suffers from heart issues after he is born prematurely. His heart can only be fixed by having an operation at a human hospital far away from his parents, after which he must find his way home to hibernate before winter.
Since releasing the book in 2018, Mr. Price has expanded Eli Benjamin Bear beyond his first literary adventure. On the series’ website, elibearstories.com, parents can purchase custom videos in which Eli Bear will say their messages.
Video messages delivered by Eli’s friend “Rascal” Roy Racoon, also are available.

Mr. Price and his illustrator, Michael Bayouth, are in the midst of illustrating the condensed children’s version of “The Adventures of Eli Benjamin Bear: A Heart’s Journey Home,” scheduled for release on Sept. 9.

The full-length sequel to “A Heart’s Journey Home” is under the working title, “Eli Bear, Remember Who You Are?”

Mr. Price’s book is available at the Eli Benjamin Bear website and at Chaucer’s Books, 3321 State St. in Loreto Plaza.

Local Author Honored for Book on Helping Kids Deal with Distress

April 2, 2019 – 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.

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. Read the full article here.

Local Author Wins Prestigious “Mindfulness Award” at International Authors Convention

CARPINTERIA, CA April 2, 2019 – Hal Price, local 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 with the prestigious “Mindfulness Award” for his work with the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation and literacy projects in elementary schools in his home state of South Carolina.

Price’s book, released in September 2018, became an overnight international bestselling children’s book on Kindle Direct in four English-speaking countries. The book helps children learn to deal with hardships, life’s challenges and how to listen to the powerfully revealing messages of their Heroic Hearts.

Hal Price, Award-Winning #1 International Bestselling Author and Inspirational Speaker

Hal Price was recently featured in Bestselling Authors International, an organization that honors bestselling authors across the globe. Hal’s marketing and branding career spans 35 years where he managed numerous sports celebrities, including Four-Time NASCAR Champion, Jeff Gordon, and the first fourth generation athlete in the U.S., Adam Petty. As a corporate executive, Hall directed multi-million dollar sports and branding programs for Fortune 500 companies, including The Coca-Cola Company and Miller/Coors.

Hal is the developer of the HEROIC HEART^TM platform whose mission is to ignite the Divine Spark within the HEROIC HEART of children (both young and old alike). He does this through books, storytelling, speaking, Heart Purpose Coaching/Guidance, Inner Child Workshops, his HALGORITHM^TMprocess and via SuperHero Camps^TM for children and their parents.

Hometown International Bestselling Author Chosen to Speak at SCIRA

( February 4, 2019)  SC Native and International Bestselling author, Hal Price, will be in the Hilton Head area February 14-16 as a key speaker at the 41st Annual SCIRA (South Carolina International Readers Association).

His highly acclaimed book, “The Adventures of Eli Benjamin Bear: A Heart’s Journey Home” has been recognized by reviewers as the best children’s bedtime storybook published in recent years. The Hollywood Weekly, The National Entertainment Networking Publication, has featured the book in their inaugural edition this week.

Hal’s topic for his two sessions at the SCIRA conference is; “Twenty (20) Minutes of Loving Literacy Can Change the World”. As the author and CEO of Heroic Hearts Media, LLC, Hal will share the wit and wisdom of a children’s bedtime storybook that can be correlated to the English Language Arts standards in grades Pre K-5 in the classroom and for parents at home. His book is written in perfect rhyme and consists of three (3) pages of adventures per chapter with a little ‘cliffhanger’ story that leads students, parents and children into their twenty (20) minute daily ritual of exploration, adventure, and building inference skills.

Lillian Cauldwell Interviews Hal Price

( October 10, 2018) Award-Winning speaker and author, Lillian Cauldwell, host of “Cool Your Heels” program on the #1 rated Am/FM 24/7 Radio interviews Hal Price, author of the best-selling children’s book, The Adventures of Eli Benjamin Bear, A Heart’s Journey Home.  Click on the logo below to listen.

Columbia native son to host S.C. story parties

(Ojai, CA – October 3, 2018) Hal Price, Columbia native and Clemson University graduate, returns home in two weeks with his new purpose in life – to bring bedtime stories back to American families. With his new 58-chapter children’s book, The Adventures of Eli Benjamin Bear, A Heart’s Journey Home, Price gives parents and grandparents a marvelous series of short three to five-page stories, each with a positive life lesson told in rhyme, they can read to the children. To introduce children to the Eli Benjamin Bear stories, Price will host two PAJAMA- RAMA Storytelling events; October 21 in Irmo, SC at Lizard’s Thicket; and a second, October 28 in Camden, SC at the Antioch Community Center and Flea Market. Each will help spread the joy of storytelling.

Hal Price to host book parties in Woodstock, GA

(Ojai, CA – October 3, 2018) Author Hal Price, returns home with his new purpose in life – to bring bedtime stories back to American families. With his new 58-chapter children’s book, The Adventures of Eli Benjamin Bear, A Heart’s Journey Home, Price gives parents and grandparents a marvelous series of short three to five-page stories, each with a positive life lesson told in rhyme, they can read to the children.  Two events, Friday October 5 and Sunday, October 7 at the New York Style Deli and Pizza by Mansi in Woodstock, GA, will help spread the joy of storytelling and raise funds for the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation that empowers families dealing with pediatric cancer by providing financial, educational, and emotional support.

New Inspiring Children’s Book (Ages 5-12) Offers Engaging Tale That Shows Parents and Kids How to Cope with Hospital Visits

(Carpinteria, CA – Sept. 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/) The new read-aloud children’s bedtime story “Eli Bear & His Friends: A Heart’s Journey Home,” published this month, will help every child and family experiencing medical challenges or life challenges.

“This book belongs in the hands of every family whose child is facing the scary experience of going to a hospital with high anxiety for the entire family,” said Hal Price, a five-time international bestselling author, the father of three purpose-driven children, a grandfather, and a volunteer for the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation. His goal is to bring back the 30-minute family story hour. “I am on a mission to save the tradition of family bedtime stories,” said Price. “Children absorb so much from this simple practice that benefits them for the rest of their lives. It’s a special one-to-one sharing with a parent or grandparent that makes them feel safe and loved.”

Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine

(Carpinteria, CA – September 5, 2018.) Teddy bears have been an iconic symbol of joy, comfort, and innocence for years. I’m sure you can think fondly of your childhood teddy bear that accompanied you on your first day of school or helped you fall asleep after a nightmare shook you awake. Fortunately, your beloved teddy bear doesn’t have to be a distant memory anymore. On September 9, children, parents and grandparents are welcome to celebrate both National Teddy Bear Day and National Grandparents Day at the Pajama-Rama Bedtime Story Party, at the Alcazar Theater (4916 Carpinteria Ave.) in Carpinteria from 3 to 5:30 p.m.

Pajamarama Press Release.

(Ojai, CA – August 27, 2018) – Children, parents and grandparents are welcome to celebrate the teddy bears of their lives and two wonderful national days – National Teddy Bear Day and National Grandparents Day – at the Pajama-Rama Bedtime Story Party with storyteller and author Hal Price.

Alcazar to host Pajama-Rama Bedtime Story Benefit.

(Carpinteria, CA – August 22, 2018) – In conjunction with the book launch of local author Hal Price and illustrator Michael Bayouth’s new children’s book, “The Adventures of Eli Benjamin Bear,” there will be a charity fundraiser held at the Alcazar Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 9, from 3 to 5:30 p.m.