foundation as they continue their fight against illiteracy. Her book, The Same Heart is being praised by peacemakers globally as it introduces diversity and helps build a bridge to unity.

Spring is Coming! was distributed to victims of Hurricane Harvey
and beyond to rebuild personal libraries and bring hope for brighter days ahead. Red Envelopes inspires young readers to also become writers
as they discover the joys in giving and receiving mail. It has also been chosen recently to be the featured book at Pop Up Summer Encouragement Camps throughout Houston. Consider the Lilies is an inspirational gift book for adults which transports the reader through
a garden of watercolor paintings and uplifting thoughts. The Mercer Arboretum is benefiting from the sales of these books as they restore
their gardens.

Born in Colorado, Chris has traveled and lived in numerous places in the US and around the world. Now, a Houston resident, she enjoys being outdoors, travel, reading and spending time with family and friends. She and her husband have two grown sons.

Chris Helene Bridge is an award-winning author, artist and literacy advocate whose creative work continues to make a difference to people worldwide.

Her most recent book, Ganny Says, shares the wisdom First Lady Barbara Bush gave her children and grandchildren, with all our children. It is being gifted by
the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation to the attendees of the 25th Annual Celebration of Reading and
it is being featured in their summer literacy programs.

Andrew’s Story, has educated and inspired pediatric patients and their families at MD Anderson Cancer Center and pediatric oncology clinics internationally where it is given to families at the point of their child’s diagnosis. Learning of the impact of the literacy crisis, Chris was determined to get books into the hands of children at risk for illiteracy. Chris partnered with the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation who selected Read to Me! – a Moonbeam Award Winner – to feature at their summer literacy camps and distribute to children at risk. Chris’s four subsequent children’s books have all been featured in consecutive years by the Barbara Bush

This is what I was reading at age seven. It cost
50¢ and I got it at school through Scholastic Books.

This book is still with me
all these years later! If you
look at your child's favorite books, maybe there will be
a clue to their futures!

If you looked in my drawers when I
was a child you would have found rocks, seashells, art supplies, stationery and books. I was born in Colorado and lived in many places … mostly in the Midwest. But for a few years I also lived in Australia with my parents and three brothers.

Rocks: Like most children who grew up in the early 60’s I spent a lot of time outside. I enjoyed swinging under our apple tree and playing with my brothers, the kids in our neighborhood and whatever cats, dogs, squirrels, birds or rabbits that we could get our hands on. I remember an old rock collector who lived down the street from us who we all thought was very mysterious. Later, he became the inspiration for a book called Mr. Geode. Life was simple and wholesome. Our family watched The Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday nights and because my father loved nature we often watched Wild Kingdom or National Geographic specials together.

Seashells:  When we moved to Australia we lived about an hour from the beach and spent many weekends there playing in the waves, discovering tide pools and building castles in the sand. I began collecting seashells
there and have never stopped. If you come to my house you will find many baskets full of them from beaches all around the world. No matter how long we stayed at the beach, a weekend or a week, we always would say I wish we could stay one more day … that feeling is what inspired me to write a story called One More Day at the Beach.

Art Supplies: My mother is very artistic and encouraged me with my
interest in art. She always kept a variety of pencils, papers, paints and
more to experiment with and together we spent many hours creating.

Stationery: My mother was also a letter writer and she taught me to write
as well. We never lived close to my grandparents so I followed her example and wrote letters to them often. They would write me back and this only encouraged me to write them again. I still smile when I go the mailbox and find mail from family or friends. It was these experiences that prompted me
to write The Red Envelope.