This page is for leaders on Kaua‘i 

HOW TO REQUEST BOOKS FOR EACH ISLAND
In the menu bar above, click Request Books for CO & HI, then in the drop down menu choose your island.

APPLY FOR A BOOK DONATION PROCESS
If you are interested in a book donation for the Fall of 2024, please send us a short email sharing why you would like books and how you plan to use them. We will then discuss this with you and help you know if it is worth your time to fill out the book donation request at the bottom of this page.

Read this website page to understand the purpose and flow of our book.

OUR MISSION
Our mission is to inspire youth to discover hope, healing & growth in their lives through nature, culture, reflection and art.

ABOUT OUR BOOKS
A Social Emotional Wellness Resource
We create educational expressive art activity books that take youth on a creative journey through 20 key reflection topics that empower youth on a journey of inner transformation & personal enrichment that flows from the start of the book to the last page. Through the reflections and activities in the book, youth discover the beauty of nature and wildlife and how spending time in nature has a powerful way of balancing their natural rhythm and helping them feel calm, clear and regulated. They discover hope, healing and growth in their lives through creativity, self-expression, writing and coloring. They discover how reflecting on a positive question can shift their perspective and help guide their inner transformation while discovering their value and voice. Ultimately, they discover that their life matters, what their place in their community is and how their gifts and talents can become an offering to bring kindness to others.

This educational expressive art activity book, Discover Kaua‘i Nature & Wildlife, is appropriate for youth grades K-12 and has been vetted and approved by the Hawaii State Department of Education. It incorporates elements of ‘Āina-based education and learning, reflection for Social Emotional Wellness and Art for a safe way for youth to express themselves while being surrounded by the beauty of their island.

We provide these to leaders of youth who have a clear plan for how to use it as resource for the purpose it was created.

A Creative Journey

Discover Kaua‘i Nature & Wildlife
a creative journey of hope, healing & growth

Our expressive art coloring activity books take children and youth on a creative discovery that starts on page one and comes full circle on the last page. The beginning of the book presents the idea that a child’s life is like a beautiful tree. As they interact with the reflective questions and express themselves, they cultivate the life of their tree. The coloring pages surround the child with the beauty of nature. From this place, they can learn, discover and grow from a place of peace, openness and curiosity. As they approach the last page, the child shifts from focusing on their own life and begins to realize they have beautiful leaves flowing from their tree that can bring hope, healing and kindness to others. This empowers children and youth to realize they have the ability to make the world a better place, in their own unique and creative way.

  • NATURE

    To discover the beauty of nature and wildlife and how spending time in nature has a powerful way of balancing our natural rhythm and helping us feel calm, clear and regulated.

  • CREATIVITY

    To discover hope, healing and growth in our lives while interacting with the pages of our coloring activity books through creativity, self-expression, writing and coloring.

  • REFLECTION

    To discover how reflecting on a positive question can shift our perspective and help guide our inner transformation while discovering our value and voice.

The Layout

We create high quality educational expressive art coloring activity books to help children and youth discover hope, healing and growth in their lives. Our coloring activity books have 40 interactive pages.
The left side has reflection for personal growth and self-expression.
The right side has a beautiful nature themed coloring page.

Hope * Healing * Growth

Expressive Art

Our high-quality expressive art coloring activity books help children and youth have a safe way to:
Process their Emotions
Self-Regulate
Foster Courage
Develop Positive Coping Skills
Reduce Anxiety
Express Themselves
Discover Hope
Cultivate Healing
Reflect and Grow
Know their Value
Find their Voice
and ultimately...
Realize how they can make a positive difference in this world.

How our books help

“The Maui Youth and Family Services School-Based Counselors who work in the schools are all invested in the well-being of our Maui keiki and how we can help them with their journey of hope, healing, and growth. Mahalo for creating such a helpful and beautiful counseling tool that we can use with our students for social emotional wellness, trauma care and prosocial skills development. We love the layout of the workbook, the writing prompts, space for self-expression and the amazing artwork for the coloring pages. These books are sure to enrich our program participants' journey of healing. This resource is much needed in our schools, especially at this time! Thank you for your offering."

Heather Long, CSAC 
School-Based Counselor
Baldwin High School - Maui Hawaii

Read More Testimonies

Read testimonies from counselors and teachers using our books in Hawaii.

“I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for the wonderful coloring activity books that you have provided, which foster social emotional learning. Your generous contribution has made a significant impact in our community, and we are truly thankful for your dedication to promoting the well-being and growth of our youth. These coloring books have proven to be invaluable tools in our efforts to support the emotional development and mental well-being of the children in our program. The engaging content and thoughtful design not only encourage creativity but also help young minds explore and understand their emotions, promoting empathy, self-awareness, and effective communication. Your commitment to nurturing the emotional intelligence of our youth is commendable, and we are grateful for the positive influence your organization has on our community. We look forward to continuing our partnership and working together to empower the next generation. Once again, mahalo for your incredible support and for making a meaningful difference in the lives of our children and youth. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!”
Me ke aloha pumehana,
Kele Sipman
Kaiapuni/504 Counselor
Kalama Intermediate, Maui


“Mahalo, Discovery Art for Youth for providing Discover Maui Hawaii expressive art coloring activity books for our students.  We love the layout of the book as it has reflections and coloring pages side by side, making it simple for kids to follow along during our guided school counseling sessions. These books are helping students find their inner strength and discover ways in which their resilience can help themselves heal, grow, and help others down the road. Students really enjoy coloring the beautiful nature and cultural scenes the most.  It is an incredible resource for cultivating healing, personal enrichment and a connection with our Native Hawaiian culture for our students!”
Rachael Watson
K-2 School Counselor
Pu'u Kukui Elementary School, Maui


“Thank you for creating this wonderful expressive art activity book for the youth of Maui. Our school will be using this resource for all our students. We appreciate the deep care and compassion you have displayed for our island in creating this beautiful resource to help our keiki process, heal and grow during this difficult time. The reflections help our keiki process their emotions at the same time develop positive coping skills and build resilience. Our team is especially appreciative of how you incorporated important culturally relevant reflections and coloring pages. This book feels rooted in our culture and special for our community. Thank you for touching our lives with your gift and vision for our healing.”
Jackie Mukai
Maui Counselor

“We are deeply grateful for the Discovery art therapy books for our students.  The books provide a way to explore, process and actually put to words and pictures some of the feelings that they are experiencing.  The books also help them discover some of their own personal resources.  The layout walks them though this step by step and each page helps them reinforce the tools that they have and build resilience. Using place-based pictures that connect with questions and answers is an amazing tool that we can use to heal! As a school counselor, I find this so important.  Our teachers have been able to access this resource as well to use in the classroom. The Discovery Art books are an innovative, creative and a valuable resource and we are beyond grateful that these have been provided to use free of charge.”
Cathy Fitzpatrick
Counselor
Iao Middle School, Maui

“Mahalo Discovery Art for Youth for creating this amazing resource for our keiki, especially during these difficult times. I have used them with students directly impacted by the Lahaina fires and others that were not. I have also used them as stress relief for teachers who have been feeling burnt out as well as a few parents wanting a resource for themselves. The beautiful pictures along with the reflection questions, provide a great opportunity for my students to destress and reflect on ways that support them.”
Kimberly Naylor (she/her), M.Ed 
School Counselor/Behavior RTI Teacher & 504 Coordinator
Pōmaika`i Elementary School, Maui


"I'm so grateful to have the Maui Discovery Art for Youth book as a resource for my work with High School students. It has been a great tool to help them express themselves in a non-intrusive way. I can also see creativity and compassion it sparks in them. Mahalo for your generous gifts to the students at Baldwin High School."
Oudlay Tom LCSW
Behavioral Health Specialist
Baldwin High School, Maui


“MAHALO to Discovery Art for Youth for providing your art for healing books to our students. Even at the high school level, students use coloring to destress and they find that it helps to ground them. It is awesome that there are reflective prompts to get students thinking which opens up and easy and safe way for me to have conversations with them about what is going on in their lives. As their counselor, I am grateful for this very powerful tool to help my students heal and also to grow.” 
Jayna Yamamoto
Counselor
King Kekaulike High School, Maui


"These Discover Maui books have been a big support to help my students open up about their experiences with the fire and share how it has impacted them, through the reflective pages they have been able to realize it is okay to have feelings of loss, grief, sadness, anger, etc. and this book has provided a powerful tool to help them express themselves and heal by sharing their feelings through reflection and art. I also appreciate how the books help the youth focus on the good in their lives while they are processing such a difficult time."
Lance Toyoshima
Behavior Health Specialist
Kamali'i Elementary School, Maui


"We want to share our gratitude for your therapeutic art for healing books to aid our patients on their journey of healing and personal enrichment. We look forward to continuing this partnership."
Mahalo nui,
Holly Ho | Controller
Hui No Ke Ola Pono
Maui’s Native Hawaiian Health Care System, Maui


"Thank you for donating Discover Maui art for healing books! I am using the books with my students to help process the trauma from the fires but also as curriculum for overall social emotional wellness. The books have so much going on in them - I love how I can use the nature and coloring for mindfulness and the reflection for an increased connection to self and their personal goals. I have noticed my students feel much calmer after they have worked in the book. Thank you for creating such an amazing tool for healing."
Kelly Albrecht
Behavioral Health Specialist
Maui High School, Maui


"We are so grateful to you for your beautiful Discover expressive art coloring books. We are the leading center caring for children across all of our islands and the Pacific Basin, so the impact of your books is so far reaching. You will touch the lives of so many patients and really keep their spirits up and positive. Thank you for your wonderful donations to us."
Emily Torres
Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women and Children
Honolulu, HI

FROM COUNSELORS AND TEACHERS ON ALL ISLANDS IN HAWAII & HOW THEY ARE PLANNING ON USING OUR NEW BOOKS THIS COMING YEAR

How do you plan to use the books?

 1. These books remind me of the Six interconnected dimensions of wellbeing, rooted in Native Hawaiian values. I will issue each student a book and we will work on a page during each session and once the student feels comfortable to move on, we will complete the next page. It will be a learning experience for the student and myself as well. I will then keep the book, if they do not want to keep it for memories and I will post them on my wall for future students to witness and possible complete as well. (I have a student that is not able to read due to cognitive functioning but, they love to color, so I know they would enjoy this).

2. I meet with and counsel students both individually and in small group settings, usually on a weekly or bi weekly basis. I work with students on developing their emotional intelligence. I plan to use the books with students to help connect to our culture, and as a coping mechanism to assist them with learning how to express themselves in a healthy and positive way. I work with students from ages Kindergarten to 6th grade. Because my time with each student is limited, these books will help me with promoting cultural values intertwined with art as a healthy and positive coping mechanism. I feel like these pages provide imagery to students who may not always get a chance to see the beauty that we have access to in Hawaiʻi, specifically on Oʻahu. I have met many students from the Waiʻanae Coast who have expressed to me that they have never been to another island or even to the other side of Oʻahu. It is astonishing that they learn about the other islands in school, but they have yet to explore the very island they live on. I feel like they will try to relate to the illustrations by sharing what they know, what they have heard of, or even what they wonder about. I am hoping that these pages will inspire their curiosity to learn more about the beauty of our island and culture, and instill within them a sense of pride and belonging.

3. These books look like an amazing tool to use with students to teach skills as well as relaxation and activity selection with coloring. I love using art and alternative methods to teach skills. I think these books are also a great way for our students to connect with the culture of the island. I am also part of a family engagement program that is starting and I love that component as well!

4. I think that these books will assist me in opening deeper conversations with our students. The arts for many of our students have been a way for them to express themselves and share their experiences. Many of them take to drawing/coloring as a way to cope with hardships in our lives. As part of our counseling sessions, we like to encourage these healthy coping mechanisms. Many of them may even communicate what they were going through to use through the arts (poems, drawings, lyrics, etc.) Our age group is focused on adolescents. Some of our students may take a 5th year or are a part of a special education program, allowing them to continue school (and our services) past 18 years old. Majority of them will fall between the age range of 14-18 years old. Supplies for drawing usually come from us. We print out individually drawing pages from online. The uniqueness of the students here is that they live on this ‘āina. I love how the reflections and coloring pages are rooted in the land/waters that surround our students. Many of them have deep connections to nature and values displayed in the books (teamwork, kindness, confidence, etc.). Not only do these books connect to their communities, it can remind them of what is around them. How they can access the calming energies that surround our islands. I imagine using these books as a meditation activity. I can see it being used as a mindfulness activity, to ground our students who are dealing with heavy burdens not only in school but also in their home.

5. We all work with students from kinder-6th grade. My primary focus is helping students learn about their emotions/thoughts/actions, skill building, insight building, and understanding empathy/our impact on others. I plan to introduce this book as a tool for students to learn about the community, expressing themselves, and practicing mindfulness.

6. We will use these resources to educate students about the ecosystems, nature, land, and water, and connect social-emotional skills through the beautiful art and guided self-reflections.

What need are these books filling for you as a leader of youth?

1. They help give an alternative and fun way to teach skills to my students.

2. The students I meet with, often have experienced trauma or continue to experience trauma, and I use art as a healthy way to calm their minds while replacing negative imagery with positive imagery. I find that students open up about their experiences when their hands are busy doing coloring or drawing.

3. These books offer a different perspective and alternate way of providing support for those that learn in different approaches. This would help provide a healing resource for youth to express themselves and aid them on their “creative journey.”

4. I believe the students will feel an ownership over their book and it will be something they can use to express themselves while learning about themselves. As a leader it fulfills the need for me to have a physical/tangible way to assess how each student is doing on their social/emotional journey by reviewing their work in the book.

5. I love the illustrations and how it represents the natural beauty and wonders of Hawaiʻi! The reflections and words that are also paired with each picture demonstrate the connectedness we all share of the ʻaina.

6. I have a lot of students that struggle to verbally express their thoughts and feelings but do so with art or writing and this would be an excellent tool to each those students.

7. I am always looking for different or newer ways to showcase the benefits of mental health, behavioral health and making it more normalized in my school. I am excited and would love to use this at my school.

How do you feel these books will help you as a leader of youth?

1. They will allow me to give my student a useful tool that they can learn from and share with their ohana.

2. I feel like these books will help me as a leader by using another medium to prompt important, grounding questions to help drive meaningful and productive conversations.

3. New information, knowledge, resources, and the ability to provide different types of care/holistic healing to a diversity of students.

4. I think it will provide a non threatening way to discuss some personal thoughts and feelings. I believe through art one can express without judgment and without fear of failure. No one can say your art is wrong-if you want a purple ocean then you can color a purple ocean-it becomes personal to them.

5. Using these resources it will help regulate students, especially, if they use art and coloring as an outlet for their emotions.

6. Our program services mostly native Hawaiian students on the Waianae Coast. It is an alternative education program for students who were not successful at their high school for various reasons. Our program focuses on conservation work as well as education about Hawaiian culture. Thank you so much for this fabulous resource!!!!!

7. Mahalo for creating this, mahalo for this opportunity, mahalo for bringing these aspects/images of our community to life for our students!

What do you like most about the books as a leader?

1. The lesson portion but I also love the coloring activities and the focus of the island culture.

2. They are beautiful and engage the mind, body and spirit!

3. I like how it incorporates art and an inner quality. It is also something kinetic the students can do (color) while learning an important lesson.

How do you imagine taking youth on the 20 key reflective topics so they can experience the journey of inner transformation from page 1 to the end of the book?

1. I imagine using this as a tool for each weekly session to focus on a topic, have them share it with their ohana, and discuss it at the following session.

2. I would incorporate the student to be able to be the voice since they would be reflecting upon each topic about themselves. I would help guide them when challenges arise (e.g., stuck points, emotional distress, stressful memories, or blank space).

3. I utilize HA as the basis of our SEL program here. In HA there are 6 categories: Belonging, Responsibility, Excellence, Aloha, Total Wellness, and Hawaii. Your book and the main ideas match many of these topics. I envision using the book throughout the year as it goes along with these lessons so nicely.

What need do you feel these book will fill in the lives the youth you serve?

1. These books allow readily accessible tools to self-regulate and to practice mindfulness with us, with counselors. Many of the students we service are learning for the first time how to ground their minds/emotions. I feel these books are an opportunity to introduce such skills to them. I think the act of drawing as well can also cultivate healing properties for their inner child, which many of them struggle with. I hope these youth can use the books to master skills like self regulation, mindfulness, grounding techniques all while looking at it through the lens of their community in Hawai’i.

2. My students come from low income home and military families where they do not always feel connected to the culture of where they are living and/or have the means to purchase materials like this for their children.

3. I feel that these books will be able to help the student reflect on who they are as an individual. The values, their voice, and the discovery of themselves. The colors they utilize, the words they say, and the expressions they make. This will help them allow their thoughts to their actions in my opinion.

4. I feel these books would allow our students to turn their focus inward and learn to reflect upon aspects of their lives that they don’t normally think about such as peace, their hopes and dreams, and how nature plays an important role in all of our lives.

5. In elementary school, the kids feel more comfortable with using tools like art to express themselves. I love how it incorporates aina based learning. I hope they will feel a sense of belonging and responsibility when exploring this book. I feel a sense of pride that a book was created and inspired by each island.

6. Our students will enjoy having their own booklet of wonderful artwork to choose from local and close to home. There’s a lot of significance in feeling a sense of belonging and identity for students to discover and feel in a school setting. These books will help students grow in their identity to Hawaiʻi and Oʻahu as their home paired with the natural world and living things around them.

How do you feel these books will help the youth you serve?

1. I think it would be an excellent teaching tool to use to teach the skills we are already working on (kindness, teamwork, peace, relaxation, ohana, etc) in a more hands on way. I love the reflective nature of the assignments as well.

2. Sometimes it’s difficult for students to talk on-on-one with someone. This seems to fulfill a creative outlet as well as having something safe to use to help discuss sometimes uncomfortable or direct topics. 

3. It will help find themselves or allow them to view aspects into a different light. They will gain knowledge to help spread to other peers, family members, and friends. The opportunity to become a leader and create a positive change in someone else’s life.

4. I think that by giving our students the tools and directions to focus upon themselves it will give them permission to be vulnerable. Many times, youth feel they cannot express themselves and this gives them a non-threatening way to dip their toes in the water and through art begin to express themselves.

5. These books will help our students cope through their traumas and adversities they face every day in creating something beautiful and taking pride in their artwork. It will also bridge connections to their real-life experiences in going to the beach, diving, swimming, and living Hawaiʻi. It will also create space for them to share through art and possibly open them up to unpack their traumas or challenges they have internalized.

What do you feel the youth will like most about the books and the journey it takes them on?

1. I know they will love the relaxation part of coloring and the art component! I hope they love learning more about these elements and reflecting on their own journeys.

2. Each student is different and I know some will enjoy coloring and visualizing the Hawaiian graphics on each page. Some will enjoy the historical or cultural aspects behind each page. Some will like the eflective journey (past & future) that it takes them on and how they will explain and express certain things. Other will just like it since we are not working on normal IEP goals and objectives lol.

3. I think they will like the beautiful pictures, the chance to do some artwork, and the way it connects the SEL values to themselves. It also connects with HA very well.

What do you hope youth will experience on this journey?

1. I hope this is a great tool for self reflection and way to tie our counseling sessions into their home lives.

2. Be open to change, realize the pros and cons of reflecting, how to strengthen themselves during the journey, and to incorporate it somehow into their daily life.

3. Happiness, healing and safety.

4. My hope is that they will experience a path to self-discovery and artistic expression.

5. My hope is everything listed above for my students who get these books and for them to gain a greater sense of belonging, appreciation, and gratitude for aloha ʻaina.

6. I feel a sense of pride and responsibility growing up in Hawaii, and having Hawaiian blood. This school year, we lost our kumu which impacted our students' opportunities to learn about our rich history and culture.

7. I feel that this is a great tool to have to help share the beauty of Hawaii at the same time, helping our students thrive!

Read testimonies from counselors and teachers using our books in the USA

"Thank you for your partnership in providing each of my students your Discover Series expressive art coloring activity books. These books have been a FANTASTIC resource to help facilitate and teach social emotional learning and are extremely powerful for me as a school psychologist because of the conversations it helps facilitate with my students. With reflective topics like explore, growth, and kindness, we learned about ourselves, set goals for the future and set ourselves up for success. We had incredible discussions about identity, cultures, customs and what makes us unique. We talked about how to cultivate confidence and how we could lift others up. The books cultivate balance in our students’ lives by providing them an outlet to use their minds to reflect and tap into their hearts and emotions through creativity and coloring. What a lot of students appreciated about this book was it gave them a space to talk about what was on their mind, their feelings, their goals, their hopes, their fears, their dreams. As a school psychologist, this is one of my favorite tools in my work with my students."
Adam Parker
School Psychologist
Heritage Elementary School
Denver, CO

“When children and youth are experiencing something traumatic they find it difficult to talk about what they are feeling. Creativity allows for a safe way for them to express their emotions and gives us a window in their heart and how to meet them where they are. We appreciate how the reflective questions in your expressive art activity books incorporate mindfulness activities, and really aids in reducing anxiety in a child. It also helps our patients reflect on their experiences, process their emotions, and positively cope during their hospitalization. Your expressive art books are valuable tool we use in helping traumatized children cope with what they are experiencing. Thank you for your support!”
The Child Life Team
Colorado Children’s Hospital, CO

"Our school has a high trauma population and we are committed to developing the Social Emotional Learning and resiliency skills with all of our students. Your expressive art activity books provide our students a tool for learning that honors a culture of creativity, inclusion and personal enrichment. As a counselor, I love to use creativity as a regulating strategy for our students. The reflective questions in your expressive art coloring activity books ask important questions in fostering hope and healing in the lives of children and youth. They also cultivate personal growth to help them discover that their life matters. The questions provide a mentoring resource to help them explore their unique experiences, interests and dreams so they realize how they can make a difference in his world in a meaningful way."
Jenn Johnson
School Counselor
Riffenburgh Elementary
Fort Collins, CO


“Children see the world around them with a different lens than we do as adults. Art, when used as therapy, is part of nonverbal communication for children who may not be able to articulate their emotions and feelings. Art in healing spaces has been proven to reduce stress, anxiety, pain and length of stays. We don’t underestimate its lasting positive effects in a hospital, particularly on young patients. It’s a powerful tool we have in our toolbox.”
Blair Christy
Director of Art and Healing
St John’s Health
Jackson Hole, WY


"As a school counselor, I search for calming SEL resources that can support all students ranging from k 5th grade. When our students experienced severe trauma due to the Marshal Fires we used the Discovery Art for Youth expressive art coloring activity books as a regulating and healing resource. Teachers witnessed students shifting from being unsettled to becoming quiet and self reflect. The students loved their books and were eager to engage in the next following activity. Art therapy coloring books allowed our students to process their fears and concerns safely and enjoyably. Thank you, Discovery Art for Youth, for making a difference for our students!"
Michelle Beck
School Counselor
Louisville Elementary School
Louisville, CO


"Thank you for helping us help our patients! Your books are great for many of our patients but they have been extremely helpful for our patients with mental health issues.  Unfortunately, many of the inpatient facilities that address these issues have a very long wait list and the patient stay in a general hospital until placement is available.  These books are a great way to build rapport as well as an opportunity to learn more about each other and a great entryway into some therapeutic conversations. Children are still learning so much about the world around them and how they fit.  It’s nice to help them navigate and be a positive impact in their lives. Your expressive art coloring activity books are a great tool to help dive deeper into therapeutic conversations."
Kyla Brown
Child Life Coordinator
Valleywise Health Medical Center, AZ

"Thank you so much for the awesome books. As a counselor, I use art therapy with many of our students. Art therapy is a great rapport building activity. Children love to be doing an activity while they are having a conversation. Your books are designed in a way that the children feel safe to talk about their feelings while coloring the beautiful nature scenes and wildlife.  We have many wonderful conversations with students while doing art together!"
Counseling Team
Miles Elementary, FL

"We have been using your expressive art coloring books at Rady Children’s Hospital for several years now. Our patients really enjoy these coloring books because it helps them express themselves in different ways. As a Child Life Specialist, I have used these books in 1 on 1 interactions with patients and it helps open up avenues for discussion, especially with teens. I have been a Child Life Specialist for over 20 years and I love working with children and being able to help them cope with illness, new diagnosis and hospitalization. These coloring books are not just any coloring books! They provide a way for our patients to express themselves in a totally non threatening way. Our patients love these books!!!"
Lisa Tweed
MS, CCLS, Child Life Specialist
Rady Children's Hospital
San Diego, CA


"We are so grateful for your donation of Discovery Art for Youth expressive art coloring activity books! These coloring books supported our students after the traumatic Marshall Fires that blazed through our community destroying over 1,000 homes. Students came back to school all needing something different to begin their healing process. These books provided a safe way for students to use creativity to process their turbulent emotions and discover how to regulate their hearts. We are looking forward to using these books each year for social emotional wellness, building confidence and self-esteem, goal setting and helping children reach their full-potential."
Molly Kobus
School Counselor
Fireside Elementary
Boulder, CO


"The Discover series expressive art books are amazing and our pediatric patients love them! The books are such a great tool for distraction, diversion and self expression. We love working with children and youth in the hospital setting to educate about their health/procedures/diagnosis, guide to promote positive coping during their hospitalization, provide normalcy during crisis, and distract with bedside activities.  Your books are an important tool in helping our children cope with what they are experiencing in a positive and healthy way."
Rita Goshert MA,
CCLS Director
Cherese Mari Laulhere  Child Life Program at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital
Long Beach, CA


"Thank you again for donating your expressive art coloring books for our summer camp for at-risky youth! The kids and educators are loving them. The kids are really liking the reflective prompts and the time to color while thinking about their answers!  What a great book to help kids grow and thrive!"
The Powerhouse Camps
Durango, CO


"Thank you so much for your generous donation of Expressive Art Coloring Activity Books to our hospital!  We are very appreciative of this donation as it allows us to provide a creative outlet and form of distraction to many of our current pediatric patients. We truly appreciate the care, love and thought you have put into these books for our patients."
Gabrielle Grimaldi Bellettieri
Creative Art Therapist
Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital
New York


"Thank you for providing your expressive art coloring books to our Child Life team!  We love the way you created the books in a way that is very appropriate for all ages. The coloring pages are simple enough the younger children can do them but they are not childish so we can use them with our teen patients as well. We also appreciate how you included simple questions for the children and youth to reflect on which fills their minds with positive thoughts and helps them realize how strong, courageous and brave they truly are. It also helps them evaluate so many beautiful pieces of their lives. Your books are truly a gift."
Child Life Team
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
St. Petersburg, FL


"Children need play, art, music, activities to work through and process the hard stuff.  As a child life specialist, I get to create opportunities for children and families to work through hard topics utilizing play as a modality to do that. Your expressive art coloring books help the children and youth we care for discover they can make it through the hard times they are experiencing and provides a valuable resource for us to initiate deeper conversations about their thoughts and emotions."
Taryn Weelock
Child Life
Gundersen Health System
La Crosse, WI

"We all recognize that being in the hospital can be a very emotional experience and being able to express those feelings is an important part of the coping process. Your generous donation will be a great way for children of all ages to find ways to capture their feelings in artwork and writing. Thank you for the positive impact you are having with the children who need it the most! We appreciate you very much!!"
Child Life Team
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, CA

"When a child or family faces hospitalization, there are many emotions and challenges that come along with their medical experiences. Your expressive art coloring books are used frequently to help manage pain in an alternative way and allow children an outlet to express emotions. Engaging in art can reduce stress, anxiety, pain, and length of admissions. Even children who are nonverbal and cannot articulate how they are feeling, can use art to express themselves and process their experiences. Your books are unique because they are simple, but appropriate for children and teenagers of all ages. We love the format of the book with simple reflective questions and space for self-expression on the left and inspiring coloring pages of nature and wildlife on the right. The questions foster creativity, imagination and growth. As the children interact with the pages it provides a calming way to cope with what they are experiencing.  Thank you to your gift to our child life team and children here in Chicago!”
Dana Thornquist, MS, CCLS
Children’s Hospital University of Illinois


"Your expressive art coloring books have been a wonderful resource for facilitating self-expression and helping to build rapport with children/teens admitted for behavioral health crisis intervention. We want every child and youth to feel valued and to know their voice matters. Your books help our kids recognize their strengths and build coping techniques to help them in the hospital and in their lives overall. Thank you for your donation!"
Shannon Joslin, M.S., CCLS
Child Life Manager
University of Maryland Children’s Hospital, MD

"Thank you for your wonderful expressive art coloring activity books. We use the books as a way for patients to express their emotions following a trauma, loss, or during hospitalization. We appreciate the blank spaces for children & teens to express feelings in an open-ended way. For example, the prompts aren't specific to traumatic events (accident, death, etc.) but are very open to interpretation by the child or teen."
Renee Hunte
Chiild Life

Duke Children’s Hospital, NC

"Thank you for donating your Discover expressive art books for our students!  We will be using the books with our students demonstrating anxiety, depression, adjustment problems, or trauma in order to increase mindfulness and coping skills. We love how the books surround youth with the beauty of nature while helping them grow in their personal lives. A powerful shift happens at the end of the book as youth realize they have leaves blowing from their tree that can impact the world around them in a positive way. Thank you for creating such an empowering book for our students!"
The Counseling Team
Weatherbee Elementary School
Florida


*these are just a few of the hundreds of testimonies we can share.

  • FOR WHAT AGE?

    The books are created to meet children and youth where they are.
    They are simple enough you can adapt it for elementary age yet deep enough the middle school age and high school teens can go on a deeper journey of personal enrichment and growth.

  • FOR COUNSELORS

    Art, when used as therapy, is part of nonverbal communication for children who may not be able to articulate their emotions and feelings. The coloring opens up a window into their heart and the reflection creates a safe way to start important conversations.

  • FOR TEACHERS

    Teachers often use these books as a "soft start" for the day. There are 20 key reflective themes that make it easy to focus on one theme per week. This is a tool you can also use for personal enrichment and growth that is easy to flow into your overall planning.

For school counselors, teachers and mentors of youth

HOW TO REQUEST BOOKS

Read the details on how to request books for your school, hospital or youth program.

APPLY FOR A BOOK DONATION PROCESS

We welcome applications and will process them in the order they are received. Read this page for all info needed.

BEFORE YOU START
Please read over this entire web page to understand the purpose of this book before you apply for a book donation.

Have a plan clear in your mind how you will use the books for the next school year 2024/2025.

Do the following steps when you can take your time to answer all the questions in a thoughtful manner and you are not rushed. We enjoy getting to know you and the insights you have as a leader.

START HERE

Create a word, pages or pdf document that answers these questions and email the file to us at Donations@DiscoveryArtforYouth.org (please do not copy and paste into an email unless you cannot create the file format requested)

Please Include these details:
1. NAME
Your Name

2. ORGANIZATION
*If you are with a school, which one?

3. YOUR ROLE
Your Role - Are you a counselor, behavioral health specialist, teacher, youth leader, mentor or other?

4. ADDRESS
Full mailing address for a shipping label and please include:
*Name of school or organization
*Street
*City, St, Zip
*Contact for attention
*Phone in case shipping has problem with delivery

5. COMPLEX AREA
If you are with the DOE, what complex area are you in?

6. LEADER FOCUS
Please answer all of the following questions with as much detail as you can. (since some of you have not yet seen the books in person just answer what you can based on what you can see on the website).

a). What age or group is your focus?

b). How many youth do you serve?

c). In paragraph form please answer these two questions: What do you like most about the books as a leader and how do you feel these books will help you as a leader of youth?

d).This book is a creative journey of hope, culture and growth through 20 key reflection topics that empower youth on a journey of inner transformation & personal enrichment that flows from the start of the book to the last page. Do you feel you can carve out time to take the youth in your care on this journey? If so, what is your plan?

7. YOUTH FOCUS
In one paragraph please answer these three questions:

What do you feel the youth will like most about the books and the journey it takes them on?

How do you feel these books will help the youth you serve?

What do you hope youth will experience on this journey?

8. START DATE
What is your ideal start and end date of when you will take youth on the journey through the book?

9. HOW MANY BOOKS?
How many books are you requesting so all the youth in your care receive their own copy?

These books are not "to give away" but to be used in classroom or group setting where you can take youth on the journey through the 20 lessons.

10. FOR SCHOOL PRINCIPALS
We have a certain amount of book grants available for school principals who have a plan for providing the books for all students in every grade level. Here a few examples of how principals are using the books to bring their vision to life school wide:

*Some principals will actually lead their teachers and staff through the journey of the book so they can experience the impact of it on a personal level and discuss together how to best implement the book for the specific grade level they are leading.

*Many principals use the books in each grade level for SEL and as a way to create unity and bonding with all grades. Then they host coloring contests and take photos of the coloring pages youth have created and post them all over the school to fill their school with the beauty of nature and their environment.

*When used school wide, usually the BHS or Counselors will use the book with the students in the classroom for SEL. Or the teachers will use it as a "soft start" and students will bring the books with them when having focus time with their counselor.

11. COMMENTS
Include anything else you would like to share or do you have any questions?

NEXT STEP
We will review your application and be in touch soon!

We provide our books to schools who have a clear plan for how they will use them and it falls in line with the purpose of why they were created.

All this works as we have funds available to cover our production, printing and distributions costs. We are grateful to our funding sponsors who help us make all this flow!