The Adventures of Charles the well-traveled bear
by Esmerelda Little Flame

Soft Cover, 170 pages, 16 full color illustrations.
Adult Fiction.
ISBN - 1-886388-12-1

Life on Earth seems to be deteriorating for both Teddy Bears and the people who own them. As a result, the government of the Teddy Bear Planet sent an ambassador to Earth to determine how things can be improved. And so begins this adventure of Charles, the well-traveled bear. In his new home, he finds things as he never experienced before - hate, loneliness, and pain in the hearts of the humans he has come to love more and more. This is the story of one bear's courage and faith against many monsters - monsters of apathy, ignorance and cruelty. Monsters of bitterness. His love has to be strong enough to overcome these monsters. Will it be?

Humans have no idea of the power for glory which exists inside them and within this planet. They have no idea. All of them could achieve their greatest fantasies. They have everything they need, right here. They have it all.

This place is living splendor. It is not dead. It lives!

(Chapter 2, page 27)

I have concluded that there comes a point in each life when one is faced with a loss of innocence, when one recognizes that evil exists in the world. At that point, one has a choice. One can either go quietly mad and lose ones spirit in this vision of horror. Or, one can refuse to be blinded to the light and the truth that love is real. One can understand that love exists and is the only reality. Evil is nothingness, emptiness, a lie. It cannot rule your life unless you allow it to.

Each human and bear is the Master or Mistress of its own heart, and whatever one chooses to dwell upon, that is what will exist in its mind. And what it chooses to dwell on will become physically real, for life begins in the spirit that manifests itself physically. That is the way of it.

Yes, there comes a point in each life when innocence becomes wisdom. One is not innocent if one believes in love because one has never seen hate. One is innocent if one has seen hate to the bottom of it, and still realizes that love is all that is eternal. All that it desires. That is innocence.

(Chapter 9, page 117)

The author lives with her family in Connecticut along with two goats and her two rabbits, Hugs and Kisses. She writes in a room full of hanging beads and Teddy Bears, the ever-present sound of music, and a sense of love. This book touches on her love of magic, fantasy, and this beautiful planet. She hopes her joy is contagious.

The Bear that touches hearts - young and mature!

This is an inspirational hope filled tale that parents and their children can enjoy. (I know my two sons 10 and 13 love it.) It allows us to hope for a better world, to struggle with Charles as he tries to figure out this strange planet called Earth. It gives me joy and faith that there is a bright future for my boys... Thank you, Esmeralda!

Aridiann - Jacksonville, Florida

Charles appeals to all.

I was skeptical about a book on the teddy bear. Still I delved in to see who was this bear. Now that I have finished the book, I was touched numerous times and brought to the edge of tears by the simple truthful sentiments expressed by Charles. This is a book for children and adults who should read it together. Every parent should read this book to their kids. The story was fun and easy to follow. The ideas and sentiments are what really tugged at me very strongly, indeed. I will Definitely read the next episode.

Dorothy - Petaluma California

First came Pooh, then Paddington - Now there's Charles.

Charles is a bear with a mission. He is sent from the Teddy Bear planet to report on - and alleviate - conditions under which bears on Earth live. While the book is filled with magic (bears travel magically between the Teddy Bear Planet and Earth; bears communicate telepathically with each other and with their humans and with other animals and members of the fairy kingdom, etc.) it is also filled with messages for human readers about what modern life is doing to our planet and what we are doing to each other. Charles and his friends and associates show by example solutions to many problems - solutions all based on love. This book is illustrated with delightful pictures of Charles (who has a tendency to be just a little pompous), and his lovely wife and all the other bears we encounter in the book. This is volume One - I am certainly looking forward to Volume Two and whatever further adventures befall our dear bear Charles.

Priscilla - Hartford Connecticut