Additional information
by Lauren Allee (Author)
In the nearby City of Green Meadow Burrows, there lives a humble guinea pig whose name is Biscuit. At first glance, Biscuit looks like many other guinea pigs. She is small, round and chubby with golden fur that grows in all directions. Her eyes are shiny beads of black. Like all guinea pigs, she eats a vegetarian diet. Her favorite foods are hay, lettuce and all sorts of carrots, whether big or small, orange or yellow, or shredded and chopped. She is neither a genius nor an athlete nor a rock star; she can do nothing to make herself rich and famous. Biscuit is a very ordinary guinea pig, you see. So, you might be left wondering why anyone would take notice of her. Why!? Well, it's because she has accomplished greatness by living her life with a loving heart and good stewardship. How did she do this? Well, let's peek into her world and see what we find!As you accompany Biscuit during her story, you will meet several animal characters, as follows (in the order of their appearance): Coal, the friendly Poodle who prefers to be called a "Goldendoodle";Mr. Scrub Jay, the tame, Western Scrub Jay who lives in Biscuit's garden;Boris, the salad-eating, Russian tortoise;Lily Muttsarella, the Maltepoo dog who plays in dual character roles as Miss Sugar and Police Officer Lily;Spirit, the docile, Ringneck dove;andDaisy, the basket-ball playing, Lesser Sulfur-Crested Cockatoo.Biscuit teaches us that it is more important to be loving than it is to be loved for our importance. In her adventures, she loves everyone and never behaves like a bully; she is honest; she takes a stand against injustice; she is charitable and shares with others; she takes responsibility for her actions; she does her best, even when it's difficult; she remembers to love herself and have fun; and she appreciates and gives thanks to God and everyone who demonstrates kindness. This book offers an alternative to the violent images that bombard today's youth on television, in the movies, in the virtual world of electronic games and in the real world. Other Biscuit the Guinea Pig Books by Lauren Allee (also available on Amazon): BISCUIT TAKES CARE OF HER PUPPY: A CHILD'S GUIDE TO DOG CARE, and BISCUIT'S ABC and 123 BOOK (introduces young children to the alphabet and numbers).
Author Biography
Lauren Allee has loved animals since her early childhood, and she photographed the ones that appear in the book. All of the book's characters are members of her household and family, and they are loved by children of all ages. The walls of her home are decorated with their photos along with some of her pet portraits that she painted using oil pastels. She loves plush animals as well, and she made the sock animals that appear in the book. She also made many of the props and costumes in Biscuit's photographs. Some of the props came from her family and friends. Prior to writing this book, she managed a large, local, housing agency in Southern California where she enjoyed helping elderly, disabled, and hard-working, lower-income families to obtain housing. She is now retired, takes care of her menagerie of animals, and gardens with her husband. At age 5, she moved with her family from Michigan to Southern California, where she has remained. She attended undergraduate and graduate schools at University of California, Irvine. She is the oldest of three children, and she grew up in a two-parent household during the 1960s and 1970s. Her father, who is a Korean War veteran and a naturalized U.S. citizen, was a poor Italian immigrant. Her mother's family was rooted in coal mining in West Virginia. Lauren has neither forgotten her humble beginnings nor the wonderful extended family members who encouraged her to pursue all worthwhile things. Her hero is Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
