Helping children
navigate big emotions —
one story at a time.
Discover the world of Leo, where every adventure inspires young hearts and growing minds.
Through imaginative journeys and meaningful life lessons, Leo helps children explore their emotions, build confidence, practice kindness, and discover the strength within themselves. Each story encourages curiosity, resilience, and positive choices—reminding young readers that every adventure is an opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.
Leo and the Course of Good Choices
A 9-Hole Bedtime Golf Adventure
Follow Leo on a magical nine-hole bedtime golf adventure, where every stop on the course offers an opportunity to learn an important life skill.
From taking deep breaths and choosing kind words to practicing patience and finishing what he starts, Leo discovers how small decisions can make a big difference.
Through gentle lessons and meaningful moments, this beautifully illustrated story encourages emotional regulation, confidence, kindness, and positive decision-making—one good choice at a time.
Leo Found His Happy
A Story of Gratitude and Everyday Wonder
What if happiness was waiting in the little things all around us?
Join Leo on a heartwarming adventure through an enchanted island, where colorful flowers, a playful butterfly, and the wonders of nature help him discover gratitude and everyday joy.
A beautifully illustrated children’s story that encourages gratitude, emotional awareness, and finding happiness in life’s simplest moments.
What Children Will Learn
Emotional Regulation
Helping children recognize big feelings and practice calming strategies they can use every day.
Listening Skills
Helping children slow down, pay attention, and follow directions with confidence.
Patience
Learning to slow down, wait, and understand that good things take time and practice.
Perseverance
Encouraging children to keep trying, learn from mistakes, and never give up.
Kindness
Encouraging thoughtful words, empathy, and caring actions toward others and themselves.
Self-Confidence
Celebrating progress, building self-belief, and feeling proud of every good choice.
Gratitude
Helping children appreciate the little things in everyday life and recognize the joy that surrounds them.
Emotional Awareness
Encouraging children to recognize their feelings, develop a positive perspective, and discover how their outlook can shape their day.
Mindfulness & Everyday Wonder
Inspiring children to slow down, connect with nature, and discover happiness in life’s simplest moments.
Meet the Author
Hi, I’m Amanda Rivera.
I’m a children’s book author, mother, and advocate who believes stories have the power to help children understand their emotions, discover their strengths, and see the beauty in everyday life.
Inspired by my own experiences as a mother navigating big emotions with my child, I began writing stories to help families build patience, kindness, confidence, and emotional resilience together.
My first book, Leo and the Course of Good Choices: A 9-Hole Bedtime Golf Adventure, introduces important life lessons through a gentle bedtime golf adventure, encouraging children to make thoughtful choices, manage big feelings, and learn from everyday challenges.
My newest book, Leo Found His Happy: A Story of Gratitude and Everyday Wonder, invites children to discover the extraordinary beauty hidden in ordinary moments. Through Leo’s enchanting journey, young readers are encouraged to embrace gratitude, appreciate nature, and find happiness in the little things.
Although each story takes Leo on a different adventure, both share a meaningful purpose: to nurture healthy minds, inspire positive choices, and create opportunities for heartfelt conversations between children and the adults who love them.
My greatest hope is that these stories help children feel understood, confident, and empowered, while reminding parents that they are not alone on this journey.
Helping Children Beyond the Story
If you’d like to support children and families beyond the page, you can donate directly to organizations working in mental health and children’s well-being. Each donation goes to the organization you choose.
NAMI has resources for children, teens, and families, while the Child Mind Institute focuses specifically on children’s mental health and learning disorders.